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Dec 10, 2006

Trae ft Z-Ro - No Help video · by Sach O


Posting videos=free content for bloggers

Actually, I’m pretty excited about posting this particular flick. Anyone who reads my stuff here regularly knows that I don’t exactly attempt to sugarcoat the fact that I dislike a fair amount of popular southern rap. Sure I don’t go out of my way to diss anyone unless the internet is grossly overrating them (or they’re unbearably wack), but it’s also true that Project Pat’s Crooked by the Book doesn’t exactly set my heart a flutter: it just sits in the I-Pod and gets played a few times until the next jam comes out and replaces it. Incidentally, the same can be said of recent New York rap anyways so I’m pretty sure that any bias I have will be smoothed to a nice egalitarian hatred of current hip-hop sometime in the next few months.

But this isn’t about me, it’s about Trae and Z-Ro’s video. Which is incidentally my favorite song off my favorite southern album of the year.

I didn’t actually write anything about Trae (or Z-Ro for that matter) when Restless dropped because frankly, I’m no expert on the Screwed Up Click mythology and would have been rehashing what I’d just read. One thing’s for sure though, both Z-Ro and Trae have gone through some serious shit and wear their frustrations and disappointments on their sleaves. It’s a fine line between bluesy and emo, but thankfully they were both blessed with voices that would make James Earl Jones jealous and so their music has the appropriate gravitas to avoid sounding… let’s say Game-like.

No Help is the album’s most blatant fuck-the-world track and it works pretty well in video format despite having the budget of a local card dealership ad and suffering from Z-Ro’s prison-induced absence. While I won’t be paying the director any complements, the use of regular neon lighting for a “green” effect is so cheap that it becomes genius in this kind of flick, and the whole mood fits the song well enough for what they were trying to accomplish. I doubt it’ll get any play, even with the blunt related stuff cut out, but it’s a fun visual representation and proof that Rap-A-Lot is at least TRYING to promote this record.

So yeah, bump it, download it and buy the album. There’s too much filler and tracks with Young Joc and Jim Jones are ear sores; but when’s the last time a rapper put out a single THIS heavy? You wouldn’t want him going Bushwick Bill on himself.

Comments for "Trae ft Z-Ro - No Help video"

  1. I been listening to the whole trae and Z ro discography these previous weeks, and I must say Im glad one quality blogger talks about this quality rap.

    I agree with your third paragraph, about the fact their music reflects struggle and pain that really sounds real.
    Ever heard their song “I Found Me” (on the album “king of da ghetto)? I think this song mostly summarise their whole style.


    djeff    Dec 10, 05:39 PM   
  2. Trae was easily the best Southern Rap album this year…good call..Why? Because unlike most of these other no talent ass clowns, he’s a rapper that can rap. And yeah, when I say the word no talent ass clowns, I am thinking about Jeezy.


    Jeff    Dec 11, 05:22 PM   
  3. I bought the Trae cd over the weekend after seeing it on a few early year-end lists.

    Me likey.

    I also bought the E-40 album and me likey that even more.

    What the hell is going on with me? This is a clear sign that New York is not putting out enough good shit.


    Rafi    Dec 11, 05:47 PM   
  4. I bought Trae’s CD back in September and I do not regret the purchase.


    R.H.S.    Dec 11, 07:20 PM   
  5. Word ‘em up. Also in other news Devin the Dude has a new joint coming out soon…


    esbee    Dec 13, 09:12 PM   
  6. if it wasnt for trae and z-ro i wouldn’t be alive today yall are all i listen to n no one else even when i benn in shelters and homeless thanx trae and ro free dinkie im my brothers keeper


    J'Rhon    Jan 9, 06:50 PM   
  7. I been listnin 2 Trae n Z-Ro since they first began rappin n bein from Texas i been listnin 2 dem so take it from me if u think diz iz a good song listen 2 all of their cd”’z n mixtapes n u gon see that Texas does produce tha best rapperz


    Froze    Feb 7, 01:44 PM   
  8. What it dew it’s dat boi 4rm tha Neil letting ya’ll know dat Trae n my nigga Z-ro don’t play no games.


    K-OTICK    Oct 4, 03:46 PM   
  9. whats up i like this video


    Carlos    Oct 24, 11:51 AM   
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