Rittz - White Jesus Album Review

Artist: Rittz
Album: White Jesus
Label: Slummerican Records
Executive Producers: YelaWolf & DJ Burn One

In 2010 the DJ Burn One-assisted “Trunk Muzik” jump-started the buzz for Alabama native YelaWolf which led to an eventual deal with Interscope Records and then later Eminem’s Shady Records. On that street album (and later EP) the record “Box Chevy 3” featured a show stealing guest appearance from Atlanta, Georgia native white boy Rittz. This was the catalyst for a buzz that started in 2010 with “who in the hell was that tongue twisting cat rapping beside Yela?” This led to Rittz recording his own street album with DJ Burn One entitled “White Jesus” under YelaWolf’s new Slummerican Records imprint. With a tongue twisting machine gun-like flow this Atlanta-bred white boy could make even Twista or Tech N9ne blush with the speed he can spit a verse. Not only that but it’s not just random words he’s tossing out, he is able to actually stay on topic (something that some young rappers who attempt the rapid-fire delivery sometimes can’t do).

“White Jesus” kicks off with the title track which begins with eerie funeral music and a spoken word introduction in Chinese (or Japanese I can’t tell) and then newcomer J-Plymp flips the funeral music into a haunting, key-driven beat with Rittz boastfully letting us know who “White Jesus” is. Next up SupaHot Beats (who helped craft “Trunk Muzik” with DJ Burn One) helms the production for “Crazy” where Rittz stays in toe with the snare in the beat spitting mainly just showcasing his “Crazy” flow:

“anybody lookin’ for me, you can find me in the ‘A’/
find me in the NORTH, ridin in the Cadillac with Lamborghini DOORS/
you can see me in the SOURCE, representing WOLF/
he the only reason that I even got a opportunity to make some NOISE/
so you know I got his BACK, representing Slummerican with the homie Shawty FATT/”

It’s extremely difficult to properly quote a rapper with a flow like Rittz so just imagine those lines spit at rapid-fire speed to properly digest them. Following “Crazy” Rittz slaps “High Five” with producer DJ Burn One on the lead single from the album where Rittz shines brightly over Burn One’s country rap tunes. Rittz tosses out some incredibly witty lines as well:

“aint nobody fresh around the next big thing-thing/
homie watch my neck piece swing-swing/
anybody wanna’ test me ding-ding-ding/
like I’m in a wrestling ring-ring-ring/
kill a motherf*cka like I’m Chris BENOIT/
you don’t really wanna f*ck with Rittz then BOY/
blow another kiss, “muah”/have her screamin’ “OH LORD” like a Christian Choir/”

Wrestling fans everywhere probably all screamed “D*MN” at the Chris Benoit line. DJ Burn One also helms the next track which could be considered a showcase of the new generation of Dirty South Rap as Alabama’s YelaWolf and Mississippi’s Big K.R.I.T. (Def Jam Records) stop through to spit alongside Georgia’s Rittz on one of the highlights of the album as all three mesh well together on the record. Yela’s chorus describes how he’s “Fulla Sh!t” because of how he treats the ladies and all 3 describe how they’ve done ladies dirty. All three next gen. Country Rap Tuners shine on the record. Burn One is again behind the boards for one of the smoothest records on the album “Blowing My Mind.” With almost a Devin The Dude feel Rittz professes his love for Mary Jane with a smooth beat and unbelievably catchy almost sung hook, Rittz slows down his flow a bit at times and any smoker out there will have this song on blast and it describes “riding music” perfectly.

DJ Burn One combines incredible guitar strings/riffs with thumping bass and keys on the reflective “Nowhere To Run” as Rittz describes the struggle of having nothing. This is the highlight of the album for me as Rittz showcases his writing ability and lyricism perfectly as he reflects on his life. If you only check on the album for one song, let it be this song. You won’t be able to NOT listen to the rest of the album. J-Plymp returns for the first solo record I heard from Rittz, “Rattle Back.” Rittz showcases that killer flow and acrobatically maneuvers over the thumping beat.

Yelawolf returns to Rittz's side for the Skape Zilla produced “Sleep At Night” where Yela & Rittz flip the script completely from “Fulla Sh!t” as they go back and forth about being done wrong by females (in story-telling fashion) over a riding beat. This is another excellent collaboration between Yela & Rittz. The ladies are the focus of the next record as well as Rittz serenades the females on “Sextacy” over a slow-tempo DJ Burn One production with “ecstasy” sound effects and all (if you get what I mean)! Rittz describes a southern party weekend on “Dixxxie Cup” over a thumping beat from SupaHot Beats. Next up Rittz enlists his fellow Slummerican, Gadsden, AL’s Shawty Fatt, for the DJ Burn One-produced “No Friends.” Fatt and Rittz describe haters and fake friends over Burn One’s banging beat:

“same motherf*cker that you thought was down, tried to f*ck ya’ b!tch/
when ya ridin’ round, and he knows you love her/
knows you suffer, with a broken heart/
But still hopes to f*ck her/
joke and clown ya’ behind ya’ back, trying to hide the fact he feels ill contempt/
resenting you for every cent you made”

The album closes with the DJ Burn One-produced “Pie” featuring a verse from legendary dirty south rapper 8Ball. Burn One features an amazing guitar riff over the thumping beat and an extremely smooth hook from Candice. Rittz and 8Ball describe the American dream. 8Ball does his best to steal the show with a memorable guest spot:

8Ball:
“its big Ball, Dr. Sticky, I’m on call/
at the club with my dawgs, keep that pistol in my draws/
will I change? Ya’ never know/
I say no, Imma be me/
Imam be Ball, imam be ‘G’/
You cant break me down to my knees/
and I’m so pimpin, and I been told/
when I write, it come from my soul/
when I rap, it get in yo soul/”

Not to be outdone, Rittz, keeps up with the legend:

Rittz:
“Is that a motherf*ckin problem cuz?/
well I’ll tell ya, what the problem is/
You a lame a** p*ssy motherf*cker, you a follower/
it’s getting’ hard for me to walk with everybody hangin on my d!ck/
well imma keep on pushin/
thinkin imma fall off, hater better keep on wishin/
you at the crib on the internet listening to me/
while I’m making history at a Tree Sound session/”

An album can’t close out much better than that…making you want more! Rittz provides a different sound with his unique delivery and lyricism but he keeps you interested with the varying topics. In other words he doesn’t pigeonhole himself into one sound or one type of music which so many new artists do now a days. “White Jesus” jams from beginning to end with absolutely no filler and coming it at 12 songs he didn’t have much room for error. Luckily, with amazing production, dope features, and his own enjoyable style Rittz most definitely does not disappoint with his full length debut. With co-signs from legends like 8Ball and up and coming stars like YelaWolf & Big K.R.I.T., this is only the beginning for ATL’s newest star.