From a Boy to a Man

iTunes Review

The title statement of San Quinn’s seventh album is not a misnomer. Over the course a recording career that is approaching 20 years, Quinn has remained one of the Bay Area’s most loyal and consistent artists, and his latest album asserts his place as one of the Bay’s elder statesmen. Quinn has always rapped with an air of steel-skinned confidence, but “Boy to a Man,” “Double Dose of Gangsta,” and “Ready to Go” are delivered with renewed authority. For the first time in his career, Quinn is more than a determined hopeful — he’s a leader. While “Rockin’ Up Work,” “Catch a Body,” and “One of Them Gangstas” deliver the concrete-hard street rap that fans of Quinn crave, other songs display a newfound sense of pride and responsibility. “My Zone” is a joyous ode to his home turf, while the closing “Devotion” slows things down as Quinn reflects on the meaning of loyalty with one junior comrade (Mistah F.A.B.) and one senior (the always-relevant Too Short). From a Boy to a Man paints a picture of the Bay as one big family, with Quinn assuming the role of eldest brother and undying protector.