Ev'rybody Know Me

YoungBloodZ have become southern stars in their own right

With so many new artists and musicians coming out of Atlanta, sometimes it's hard to keep up with some of the town's elder statesmen. The YoungBloodZ have been on the grind since the late 90's, but have yet to garner the praise that they deserve. At Atlanta's Miller Grove Middle School, two young wannabe rappers met up with each other, left their individual rap crews, and joined forces to become YoungBloodZ. Sean Paul, who claims that rapping is second nature and easier than conversation, and J-Bo, the DJ of the two, were heavily tied in with the Atlanta rap/production posse known as the Attic. While they honed their skills and showcased their talent for various record labels, opening the door for the Attic crew to get noticed, it took only one meeting with LaFace A&R executive, PA, to sign the YoungBloodZ duo. After two very successful albums and numerous guest appearances YoungBloodZ have become southern stars in their own right; with distinct styles from Sean Paul and J-Bo, YoungBloodZ brand of southern funk is a notch above the rest.

YoungBloodZ return from a 3-year hiatus with Ev'rybody Know Me

Drankin' Patnaz, the 2002’s YoungBloodZ album, arrived right in the midst of the initial crunk uprising, and it helped push that style into mass public consciousness in a major way, with the Lil Jon-produced Damn! breaking into the Top Five of Billboard's Hot 100 – a noteworthy milestone at the time. This December YoungBloodZ return from a 3-year hiatus with Ev’rybody Know Me. All 16 tracks feature the big beats and signature style that YoungBloodZ are known for. The production on the album is crazy wicked and every song is a banger handled by Scott Storch, Jazze Pha, Lil Jon, Mannie Fresh, Mr. Collipark, Daz Dillinger, Sanchez, Akon and others. Following the brief intro, the album opens with the bass-heavy Chop Chop, one of the only tracks where YoungBloodZ rap alone. Besides that, the title track Ev’rybody Know Me and Presidential, all other tracks feature guests. Album highlights include Haterproof featuring Proverb, Play Ur Position featuring Jazze Pha & Mr. Mo of Jim Crow, and Ev’rybody Know Me, on which they pay respect to Willie D of Geto Boys. Fellow ATLien T-Boz of the multi-platinum group TLC appears on It’s Good, while Mannie Fresh brings that N.O. spin to What Tha Biz. Cutty, who laced the hook on Trillville’s Some Cut drops in on Spending Some Change.

Prepare for your system to bump, from the intro right down to the album close

Atlanta rap vets YoungBloodZ score a slam-dunk with their latest effort, Ev’rybody Know Me. Faced with the task of proving their relevance in the New South movement, they rise to the occasion and come out on top of their game. The album as a whole is on fire. Prepare for your system to bump, from the intro right down to the album close. YoungBloodZ newest single, Presidential, is hitting hard and, based on this latest album, the duo is about to pump new life into an already vibrant scene. The beats and lyrical style make YoungBloodZ a sure shot for the winter season. Overall YoungBloodZ definitely deliver on this album and prove once again why they are one of the best groups in the South. J-Bo shows why he is one of the Dirty South's finest: his flow and his lyrics are killing it, Sean Paul also shows why he is legendary in the South with his distinct voice and charisma on the mic. Most rappers aren’t as talented as they appear, and they depend solely on production to carry them through, but YoungBloodZ have the full package. With Ev’rybody Know Me, they have truly escalated to the next level of crunk.