s far as regions in hip-hop go, the South is not known for being a hotbed of lyrical talent. Besides talented artists like Ludacris, Outkast, and the Goodie MOb, rappers south of the Ohio River usually have lyrical talent rivaling that of an eight-year old. North vs. South has become a big debate, one almost as big as East vs. West at its prime. The arguments have all been heard. The Southern rappers have no lyrics and no beats. The Northern rappers only rap about stupid subjects and have weak beats. Enter Nappy Roots. Creating a huge buzz with their first single, “Awnaw”, the group, consisting of Skinny DeVille, R. Prophit, Fish Scales, Big V, B. Stille, and Ron Clutch, showed excellent promise by appealing to fans from both regions. Does promise translate into a good album, though? Could Nappy Roots bridge the gap between the North and South? Or does Watermelon, Chicken, & Gritz not live up to the hype and please only the Southern fans?


The production on the album is cohesive and near seamless. At first glance, the beats are inorganic, as the producers on the album provide country basslines and main riffs that sound created from sound effects on the keyboard. However, repeated listens show that the rhythms are also well thought out, adding to the initial catchiness. For example, the beat on “Start It Over” sounds like it comes from the Game Over compilation, featuring a beat like a classic video game over country influenced sounds and twangs. In fact, all of the beats sound created from the same keyboard, which is actually a good thing in this case. It helps provide the album with a sense of similarity, which appears a tall order in rap music today. The majority of the songs are produced by an artist named James “Groove” Chambers. Jazze Pha, Mike City, and Carlos Broady provide tracks that sound different completely than their previous work, but very similar to Chambers’. This may be a result of the mixing of the album, or of the executive producers. Whoever is responsible for it should be thanked, because the cohesion helps the album immensely as it is easy to just sit down and listen to the whole album all the way through, rather than skipping through filler.


No one will pretend that any of the Nappy Roots are amazing lyricists. However, every single one of them is a powerful MC, capable of telling a story with relatively simple words. Too often, rap fans categorize anyone who doesn’t use a simile in every one of their sentences as a poor MC. However, the first lines from the single “Awnaw” is a perfect example. “My first song was like forty-eight bars with no hook / You hear me flippin’ thru my pages out my favorite notebook / The microphone was in the closet (What?) No headphones, we lost it / Niggas scared to get some water, roaches hangin’ over the faucets”. Fish Scales’ delivery is understated, and the lyrics are fairly simple but very powerful at the same time. Similar to Jay-Z’s strong descriptions of his life as a drug dealer on The Blueprint, Watermelon, Chicken, & Gritz is full with lines that make you empathy for the group, but also a sense of pride in the fact that they were able to finally make it.


On a downside, the members of the group take some getting used to. One of the problems with the CD is that it’s hard to sort out which member is which, when you first begin to listen to them. It’s not a major problem, but it does provide a challenge that may turn casual listeners off. The artists aren’t incredibly different, and while Big V and R Prophit are very recognizable, the others sound a lot alike. This may only be a problem for listeners, who, like me, like to know details about the group.


In the end, all reasoning and rationalization in the world can’t change the fact why this album is great: it’s a straight banger. Yes, the lyrics are a nice addition, but the beats and choruses are just those that make you want to shake your body. Anyone who’s heard “Awnaw” will have to admit to bouncing at least slightly to the beat and the catchy chorus. Every song is similar in that the beat has great rhythm and is very smooth. The beats would be much more repetitive if the choruses weren’t so distinct. As seen earlier by Fabolous, hooks really do matter. Artists may try to ignore them and let their lyrics speak for themselves, but choruses are very important. “ Where yo’ head at? / Shawty, where yo’ head at? / Show me where yo’ head at? / Shawty, where yo’ head at? / She gonna let me cut, that’s all I know”, on “Headz Up” and “Slum”’s “ Rappers in the slums... rappers in the slums... / Rappers in the slums... aww, aww, aww, aww... / Rappers in the slums.. rappers in the slums.../ Rappers in the slums... aww, aww, aww, aww...” on “Slums” may seem repetitive in reading, but listening to the songs is a totally different game. These two songs, along with “Awnaw”, provide a 3 song run that is simple, catchy, and introspective. The songs don’t get caught up getting too deep, but also provide a little depth so that not everything is caught on the first listen. The album is a fantastic debut, one that may be nearly impossible to live up to, or reproduce. While Watermelon, Chicken, & Gritz is not a classic, it is a masterpiece in its own right. It succeeds at being fun, interesting, and banging. Those three words best describe Nappy Root’s first effort, a spectacular album that is clearly worth your $7.99.