Lost and Sound: DSGB-Til Death Do Us Part (2003)

So I had to take a road trip to Fayetteville, North Carolina this past Saturday. It wasn't nothing but a 5-hour drive but those types of drives can feel like an eternity if you don't have the right music to ride to. I didn't do the best job of getting my music ready before I hit the road, so I just grabbed a handful of naked CDs in a box that I hadn't looked in for a minute. I trusted that something good would be in there because hell, I don't listen to or keep any wack shit around.

When I got in the car and went through the CDs I was more than delighted to find this gem...

As I've stated in numerous articles I've written about him, Pastor Troy doesn't get the credit or props that he deserves as far as his contributions to Southern Hip Hop is concerned. Nor does he get recognized for the strides he's made on the independent scene. I swear this man comes out with like 3 or 4 albums a year and he's been going at that pace since he got in the game 10 years ago. But, from the times I've talked with Troy about it...he could care less about the lack of props he gets. He says that as long as he gets love from the people who genuienly fuck with, he's good.

Since he exploded on the scene back in '99, he has always been heard screaming DSGB (Down South Georgia Boyz). I can't lie, I was never able to keep up with every member of this collective. Only one I always knew of was Lil Pete because he always seemed to be the one who would appear on some of Troy's more memorable songs. But after a gang of underground albums and projects an actual major label retail DSGB album was put out in December 2003.

For a man that helped put Atlanta crunk on the map, it seemed to make sense that Troy drop a project when the genre was at its height, but for some reason, it never seemed like people quite "caught on" to this album. I don't know how, because this shit was fie.

Alot of people like to blame Crunk music's popularity for the demise of "Hip Hop." I used to agree with that to a degree, because it seemed like when cats found out that they could make a little noise and money by making songs with chants and yelling on it, they just stopped rapping. Then on top of that, cats that was actually still rapping down south started to get lumped into the "Crunk" catagory. I always thought that was some BS and hated when "crunk" music started becoming a brand. Mainly becuase the term "Southern Hip Hop" started getting erased in favor of it. No one had a name for the music that made the club go wild. It wasn't called crunk music...we just happened to get crunk to it.

Anyways, I say that to say that besides Lil Jon's Kings of Crunk album, DSGB's Til Death Do Us Part was the closest thing to "crunk" music with actual rapping and just overall dopeness. To me Pastor Troy is still one of the most underrated and underappreciated rappers and songwriters/songmakers to ever touch the microphone. I know I'm getting a little wordy, so I'm just gonna start sharing some of the songs.



"Them Devils Tryin"

First off, people thought it was strange when Malice from the Clipse hopped on Mary Mary's "God In Me" remix, saying rap and gospel just don't mix...well, it does when its done right and Pastor Troy did his thing on "Them Devils Tryin" when he borrowed the hook from Helen Baylor's "Our God" and just bucked on the devil for 4 minutes. I know some of you Holy folks may feel a certain way about a song like this, but fugg it, it was fie. I swear this song makes you double the speed limit when you're riding on the highway.



"On My Block"

Another one of my favorite songs on here was "On My Block." This song just jams, point blank period. Its got some live bass and guitar on there. Troy is just flowing and riding the beat on here for the most part, proving that he don't scream on every song.


"Sittin On Thangs"

"Sittin On Thangs" was another jammin song on here. They sampled that old Loose Ends "Hanging On a String" and just went back and forth about riding clean.

Another thing I appreciated about this album was that Pastor Troy reached back and scooped up Wicket from Ghetto Mafia for a couple tracks "King of Hill" and "The Wrappa." That was a cool move on his part, because alot artists don't reach back to work some of the underground legends that helped pave the way for them to come through. It seems like the only veteran cats down here reach out to is Bun B and nobody else.

On the earlier songs I said Troy was proving that he didn't have to scream on every track to get his points across. That doesn't necessarily mean that I don't enjoy when he does.

I'm sure alot of ya'll aleady know of the self-titled single from the album, but there are a couple songs that blow that one out the water.


"I'm Outside Ho"

I've yet to be in a club where a DJ had the balls to play this song. Its one thing to rap about whupping ass inside the club, its a completely different thing to say you're gonna be waiting outside.


"My Pockets"

However...at the end of the day. "My Pockets" is hands down my favorite song on the whole album. The hook samples the last line from Crime Boss feat. 8Ball's "Story Goes" where CB gets right to the point and says "your pockets are filthy rich, my pockets are flat broke/I'm thinking 'bout jackin you, and thats how the story goes." Troy was on here basically going off on flossing ass rappers on behalf of havenots and jack-boys with lines like "my pockets, my pockets, my pockets are so empty/they talking 'bout their role'lees they talkin 'bout their Bentleys." Six years after this song was made, its probably more relevant now that it was then.

Anyways, I see that this post is getting pretty long, so I'll wrap it up. This DSGB album is a slept-on Southern classic that should be in your collection, especially if you are a Pastor Troy fan. The album features production from David Banner, DJ Toomp, DJ Montay and a young Drumma Boy before these fellas went on to become three of the biggest names in music. On top of all of that, the legendary Cooley C made some beats on here too.

Some other songs to look out for on this album are "In My City," "The Wrappa," "Off In This Game" and "Make Em Get That Money" which had the strip clubs on smash when it first came out. Of course around this time Troy had a beef with Hitman Sammy Sam so he has a song for him "Sam Diss," that was ironically produced by his former Big Oomp labelmate DJ Montay.

Depending on how you feel on a certain day....you can really let this album go all the way through without skipping anything.

DOWNLOAD: DSGB-Til Death Do Us Part