Old school rap fans take note, this LP is a definite keeper. Keepin' it on the Seattle tip comes the first hip-hop release from last post's Ever Rat Records (slyly re-monikered Ever Rap for their "urban" catalog) - the debut recording from west side auteur Chilly Uptown. Sportin' the laceless Adidas high tops and sweat hear, Chilly's I Got Rules would have been a little more at home with the late-80's hip-hop outta Hollis, Queens; comparisons with a 16-year old James Todd Smith are undeniable. The guy even raps about NYC at times, making the likeness even more so. "Seattle Rockers" is his best attempt at a Run-D.M.C. metal/rap crossover which actually rocks in a completely lo-fi way (I think he actually samples Vanilla Ice) and will easily pulls some dry smile sat your next house party. Of course there is the token "dirty" rap - the ridiculously titled "Big'z The Way I See It" is a 3-minute showcase of Chilly's extolling his massive genitalia and telling anyone offended to fuck off. The silly "I Got A Love Jones" is his best attempt at a "I Need Love"-esque ballad, and is an absolute riot. The only arguable downside, while unintentionally funny, are the subpar skills of Chilly's DJ. Samples are just a little bit off, fading out kinda at the wrong time, not really in synch with the beat... you just gotta hear it to appreciate it. And shit, it still sounds better than anything Rap-A-Lot was doing at the time. Uptown's career, although predominantly local, stayed strong for the years ahead. He would follow this LP up with the more gangster-ish (albeit equally obscure) This Is My Method in 1991.
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