The City O' Dope

Album Review

A little-known Miami rap trio that recorded in the early '90s, BFM showed some potential on the decent, if uneven, The City O' Dope. Even though fast-tempo, hyper bass music like 2 Live Crew was rap's dominant style in the South in the early '90s, you won't find bass music on this CD. Nor will you find the type of complex, technique-oriented rapping that New York was known for at the time. BFM favors slow tempos, and its lyrics are quite straightforward and understandable. It's a simple approach, but an often effective one. The hardcore rap group definitely gets its sociopolitical points across on "Am I Black Enough?" (which describes the anger and frustration of inner-city residents), "Larceny," and the compelling title song, which takes a matter-of-fact look at the lives of drug dealers and the violence that surrounds their lifestyle. Many of BFM's tunes, however, aren't political — the CD also has its share of rowdy party tunes like "Pass the Joint" and "Gimme a Bottle." Although not brilliant, The City O' Dope definitely has its moments. But it wasn't a big seller, and BFM continued to be obscure.