In the late '90s,
Big Hutch, aka
Cold 187um, had two careers in music: he was still a member of
Above the Law, and with
Executive Decisions, the L.A.-based gangsta rapper delivered his first album as a solo artist. Although not quite as violent as some of
ATL's albums, this CD covers much of the same territory lyrically -- after ten years with
ATL,
Hutch was still rapping about the lives of pimps, players, hustlers, gangsters, and high rollers and reflecting on how rough life in South Central L.A. can be. So
Hutch's solo debut isn't groundbreaking, but even so, the MC is clever and entertaining enough to hold your attention. Dark, twisted humor was always one of
Hutch's strong points, and there's no shortage of it on
Executive Decisions -- much like
Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas or
Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, this CD is amusing and disturbing at the same time. And musically,
Executive Decisions is easy to admire.
Hutch,
Chill, DJ Silk, and others who help with the producing all take a cue from
Dr. Dre and do their part to give this CD a clean, melodic, sleek type of sound. ~ Alex Henderson