The title of this mixtape is misleading. Da Beginning, indeed, is in no way Lil Boosie's start as a rapper. By 2008, when it is released, Torrence Hatch already has a substantial discography, inclusive of solo albums, collaborative projects with Webbie and others from the Trill Fam, and of course a handful of mixtapes. He is already an established rapper, and a star in his hometown of Baton Rouge, or even beyond in the South, thanks to his many shows in the region.
Da Beginning, actually, is released in the very heart of this period, from 2007 to his imprisonment in 2009, when the man later known as Boosie Badazz is at his very best, when it looks like he can crossover and embrace a large success.
The mixtape reflects this when it opens with "Undeniable Talent", a classy ego-trip. Shiny, full of danceable and synthetic sounds, this track, however, isn't indicative of what is following. Neither are the nervous and aggressive "Buss Ya Head Open", "Somebody Gonna Be My Victim" and "On The Grind", nor the effervescent "That's My Dog". All these tracks look like Louisiana's own bounce music, prevalent in Baton Rouge. But due to the work of Trill Entertainment's house producer, BJ, the mixtape takes a distinct direction.
It gets closer to Pimp C's country rap tunes than to Mannie Fresh. It is quieter, a bit swampy, and more organic. Often supported by a funky guitar, an organ, or a flute, the songs get more supple and fluid, like with "Ain't Coming Home Tonight" and "They Hatin'". Sometimes it is so slow, that it looks more like some retro pop music, like with "Tee Lady".
This production makes it obvious: Lil Boosie, in reality, has always been a bluesman. His raps are just a new take on the Devil's music, they are the work of an unrepentant sinner. Here, on "Feds on the Way", he talks about illegal activities, and there, on "Gangsta Bitch", he claims his ideal woman is a criminal. His stance, however, is often deeply depressing.
The rapper, indeed, is disenchanted. He is bitter, aggressive, and as a result he opts for the most immediate satisfactions: short-term ones like sex, on "Let Me Ease Ya Mind" and "Trying 2 Get Nasty", or drug abuse, on "Take the Pain Away". What else would you expect, from a man who grew up in slums and was crippled by diabetes, than a pessimistic view on the world, like the very one he shares on the great "Dirty World", when listing on a piano everything that goes wrong on this planet, starting with racial discrimination?
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