PT (PrimeTime) - Thoughts Of A Leader Album Review

Artist: PT (PrimeTime) of Untamed
Album: Thoughts Of A Leader
Label: Slow Motion Soundz/Untamed Ent.
Executive Producers: PT

PT is a longtime staple of Huntsville, AL’s growing Hip Hop scene and he’s been putting in work since the first “Hood Headlinaz” (on the Untamed record “Gangsta” with PRGz Jhi Ali). Since then he and his partner AC Burna (and later JB The Boogy Man) have been churning out their own brand of Dirty South Hip Hop (who can forget the classic “Cold Blooded” with G-Side’s ST 2 Lettaz off of the “Letz Make A Move” album?). Also, PT has really started to make his mark on the production tip (even becoming a part of the Block Beataz production crew) making his first noise on the production tip on G-Side’s classic “Huntsville International” with “This Is Life.” PT has been working on his own solo album for quite some time now and he’s finally decided to release his “Thoughts Of A Leader” featuring almost exclusively production from Block Beataz with just 2 other producers on the album (Kash Kartel and G-Side’s Yung Clova) as well as guest features from some of Huntsvegas’s finest from G-Side to his fellow Untamed brethren as well as names like Jackie Chain, G. Mane, Bentley, SLASH, and even a rare feature from ½ of South PAW Sabastian Cayne (FREE BIG POPE!).

“Thoughts Of A Leader” opens up with PT giving an “Interview” discussing this album and his goals he wants to achieve in it. Following the Intro some amazing strings and keys accompany PT as he takes on a journey through the “Life I Lead”:

“it was all a dream, till I turned that faded dream into reality/
it wasn’t bout the fame but to feed my whole family/
been through the bullshit, all the hurt & the pain/
on my knees at night, I pray, for God to take it all away/
at times I felt he wouldn’t listen to me/
but keeping faith and holding on is what got me through it/
thanks to the Hiltons & the Millers too/
cause when both parents gone, who do you turn to? (mane who do you turn to?)/
you wanna hear some real sh*t?/
I was just a day away/
from social workers sending me off and putting my ass off in a cage/
I was in a rage/
mane you couldn’t tell me sh*t/
that’s when my brother Flea came and broke me up outta that b*tch/
so who do I trust? Mane I aint even gotta say it/
you f*ck with me or you don’t, either way I can’t be faded/
I’m so concentrated, on my sons/
college funds/
putting food in his mouth/
got me drying haters out/
everybody wanna know…is me and AC talking/
that’s my mothaf*ckin ACE until the mothaf*ckin COFFIN/
real family shit can’t be broken/
so now you have my answer, rest my case, truth spoken/
and I been on my sh*t daily/
so my whole circle eat, I lead/
I don’t follow but had to follow just to lead/
just the other week/
got to arguing with my cousin/
the sh*t hit me deep cause I mothaf*ckin love him!/
if you asking ME what I feel, Imma give it to you raw/
imma tell you like it is, square biz, been to hell & back/
just to make it to heaven/
changed my whole attitude, still carry my weapon/
in this LIFE I LEAD!/”

PT seems to unleash awhole lot of pent of frustration and emotion on the lead song and gets incredibly personal over the amazing Block Beataz production leading to an incredible song (and the “ROLL TIDE ROLL” just adds to the epicness). Next up Block Beataz provide the anthemic atmosphere as PT spits his “Code of Silence” aimed directly at the streets and then follows up with the ST 2 Lettaz assisted “Encore” as the two lyricists exchange bars about coming up from the streets to trying to make it in hip hop as CeeCee provides the hook. If anyone has read my other Slow Motion Soundz reviews, you know how highly I think of ST 2 Lettaz, so it’s definitely a compliment when I say PT hung bar for bar with the G-Side member. Longtime Huntsville underground favorite Mr. Marcellus makes his first appearance in a long while (at least the first time I’ve heard from him in quite some time) on his and PT’s dedication to “freaks” on “Tonight.”

Following a brief interlude in “The Meeting” which sees PT gets into an argument with his homeboy, he breaks into a rhyme where he plays the part of both friends in a really creative song arguing amongst each other where the argument raises in intensity as the argument continues. PT takes it back to the ladies along with crooner Jai Love on “I Got You” and then is joined by a slew of Huntsville’s finest on “Know That.” The other half of G-Side, Yung Clova (who also produces the song), along with Mali Boi of Block Beataz, PH, and Shyft join PT on the laid back Summer anthem. This is one of those seat back, windows down, smoke in the air kind of songs. Mr. Rolling, Rolling, Rolling (Jackie Chain) joins PT for the bouncy “Work It” and then the rest of Untamed (AC Burna & JB Tha Boogy Man) bring the “Fight” with the rowdy crunk style anthem that feels like it was transplanted from late 90’s Memphis (PT even tips his hat with the Project Pat-esqe line “we came to chill but you cowards with that yang yang/cross yo face, pistol whip you with that thang thang!”).

Next up PT takes us back to “Reality” were he paints a vivid picture of the harsh realities of growing up in the struggle with the incredibly smooth chorus courtesy of G-Haad. Regular G-Side collaborator, Norwegian singer Chris Lee, joins PT on the more light hearted “Feel Good” where PT matches the double time beat with a double time flow. Alabama’s Nate Dogg (G. Mane) and DB49’s Bentley jump on “Aint Got Time” and not only does G. Mane provide his silky smooth voice for the hook but he also provides a stellar verse while Bentley and PT match him as the trio spit street tales. Church organs accompany PT on “Crazy” as he conducts an amazing street hymnal.

PT closes the album out with the celebratory “Celebrate” (where South PAW’s Sabastian Cayne makes a rare guest appearance along with DB49’s Kristmas) and the title track “Thoughts of a Leader” featuring Zilla and produced by Kash Kartel. They keep the party atmosphere on “Celebrate” but switch tones back to the uplifting on “Thoughts of a Leader.”

Slow Motion Soundz fans have been looking forward to PT’s solo release and he most certainly didn’t let anyone down with this record (now we can just hope that someone convinces ST to drop a solo as well). PT literally had something for everyone from the streets (“Code of Silence” and “Aint Got Time”) to the clubs/parties (“Fight” and “Feel Good”) to the ladies (“Tonight”) to the socially conscious (“Life I Lead”, “Crazy”, “Thoughts of A Leader”, “Reality”) and he didn’t just cater to different audiences, he did it WELL! From the lyrics to the amazing Block Beataz production to the guest features PT has added yet another stellar piece to the Slow Motion Soundz discography. Good, balanced music is hard to come by in the modern era of Hip Hop, but one place that it’s NOT hard to come by is Huntsville, AL and PT has proven that he’s one of it’s all stars.