Disco de Kottonmouth Kings: “Fire It Up”

I've only listened to this cd once all the way through so it may grow on me, but every other kottonmouth king cd has had me through the 1st listen. This seriously sounds like songs they recorded during Rollin Stoned but weren't good enough to put on that album(and Rollin Stoned, a great album, was still their weakest effort). All the rap songs seem to have the same generic beat as did the Rollin Stoned album. Gone are the head bobbin beats of ROYAL HIGHNESS and HIGH SOCIETY. D-Loc just sounds like he doesn't even give a shi# on this album. The punk songs are annoying. The only really standout track I thought was "bring it on." If your a KMK fan, you know your gonna cop this, but just be warned, contrary to what duder from Alabama says...it's their weakest effort.

The Kottonmouth Kings have pionered their own sound. A mix of rap, raggae, and punk. They have topped all of their previous cd's with Fire It Up. The Kottonmouth kings have awsome, trance inducing beats that anyone would bump proudly on a car system. The Kottonmouth Kings are about more than just smoking weed. They are a bunch of guys from southern Cali that rap about smokin', partying, chillin' with the homies, and hookin' up with girls. They send positive vibes through their music, that are a fresh relief from the unrealistic "gangsta rap" violent and abusive lyrics. Negative and hateful energy flows from almost every gangsta rap cd. The kottonmouth kings are a great relief from this. They have gotten more in touch with their punk rock roots, and have improved their sound considerably. There are some tracks that challenge the listener to think. Like on "Who's The Criminal" they make you think about how crazy it it that a plant can be illegal? Cops put guns in your face when they find you with it. How could a plant that's used for expanding your mind, be worse than a gun thats only intended to kill people? Why can gutless pigs carry killing weapons but we can't have A PLANT that expands the mind? The Kottonmouth Kings are trully pioneers and Fire It Up is the best CD to come form them yet, anyone who likes the kings need this CD. Anybody who smokes weed or thinks that the injustices caused by the goverment make no since, or anybody who just enjoys this genre of music should get this CD.

When I first listened to this new release from the Kottonmouth Kings, it sounded a lot like Rollin' Stoned. Listening to their past four major releases to date, each one has had its own sound. However, I like Rollin' Stoned, so to me this isn't a bad thing.

Having said that, there are some great songs on this one and, like all their albums, it doesn't take long to grow on me. Tracks like like "Fire It Up", "Bad Habits", "Lets F*ck" and "Life Syles" are fantastic.

If I had my way though, I'd take away the numerous punk-rock style songs ("Outcast", "Who's The Criminal", "Johnny's Gotta Problem", "Leave us Alone", "Ur Done"). They just seem to be in the wrong place in my opinion.

Still - if you liked Rollin' Stoned then I think you'll like this one.

The two bonus tracks aren't terrible either. There is a song from KingSpade (D-Loc and Richter), and one from a Daddy X solo album which sounds like it might be worth getting when it comes out.

I been down with the crown almost back to the day i took my first rip from a glass. Royal Highness hit me when i was in 9th grade. I was big into 311 and sublime at the time and was all about that so cal mental. I was kinda shy moving to a new school and that was the most influential album on my attempt at creating myself, my first taste of anarchy. Hell yeah. My attitute changed from trying to fit in to "fxck the system" My graf writing in notebooks changed from spray paint on walls. I walked the sidewalks under streetlights of my neighborhood with my headphones on. kottonmouth kings were in a class above. Elevated thinking Alone with my thoughts and high society to hidden stash II, rehabs southern discomfort as well at this time. I created memories with friends but these moments I needed to keep my thoughts together and keep from losing my mind. Not to say the last albums were weak but I have found a few new artists (atmosphere, sage francis, aesop rock, GFE) underground hip hop that has given me that elevation and produced a few albums that I keep in heavy rotation. I will continue to grab everything KMK puts out, but i hope they come back with that fire. Until that day. blaze on.

This is my favorite Kotton Mouth Kings CD yet! I absolutely love it. If I had to chose a favorite it'd be number 14 - its like a love ballad to sex! Fabulous cd! KMK is great!