Jim Crow's debut album
Crow's Nest is firmly within the Dirty South tradition, even if it has a cameo from
Too $hort on the single "That Drama (Baby's Mama)." All that does is illustrate that basic, generic Southern rap isn't all that far removed from West Coast gangsta culture -- they not only have many of the same topics, they have a fondness for the mellow, synthesized funk of the early '80s, turning even their hardest songs into easy rolling groovers. Not a bad thing, of course, and moments of
Crow's Nest are very good indeed, achieving a synthesis of fine performances and hooks. But too much of it is simply generic -- not a major crime, but enough to keep this debut from being fully engaging. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine