Command, confidence make Pipe Dreams real for Potluck

The album includes skits balanced with its rap.

By Jon Ingram

Published Feb. 5, 2009

There was some doubt that Potluck, a rap duo from Humboldt, Calif., could have topped their references to marijuana on their previous record "Straight Outta Humboldt," where almost half of the tracks were dedicated to the herb. But then they recorded Pipe Dreams.

While it may seem rather juvenile that this rap group sees it necessary to almost constantly reference their use of an illegal plant, their lyrics and flow more than make up for this immature gimmick. For an underground duo, the command and confidence that they display on their newest album, which drops next week, exercises their ability to rap fast, rap slow and everything in between throughout.

On the last track, "2 Minute Drill," rapper UnderRated begins by calling out critics who doubt him as a rapper because of the color of his skin (he's white) and proceeds to spit the fastest and most respectable verse of the entire album.

1 Ton, the second half of the duo, serves as a perfect complement to UnderRated's quick-witted flow by choosing to focus more on the emotional aspect of their style. With songs like "I Can Do Anything" and "There's No Limit," 1 Ton makes it clear that his work ethic and attitude are in the right place and that his confidence can be compared to anyone in hip-hop.

Much of the album was self-produced and, for rappers who had never dipped into the field of production, they did a very good job. While they are from the West Coast and that usually suggests a certain laid-back, simple style, they chose to make beats that go along with their energetic and fast-paced lyrics. However, songs like "Hot Box Anthem" are meant to stimulate the intended attitude and are slowed down and simplified for that purpose. The subject of this song needs no explanation and the rappers clearly try to portray the calm attitude that comes with smoking by taking away some of the speed mostly found on this album and replacing it with soothing and relaxed melodies.

Potluck also chooses to experiment with skits on this album, many of which are intended to be humorous. Artists need to remember that rap albums are not meant to be stand-up comedy and that too little music and too much talking can kill the natural flow of a CD. This is the duo's first album where skits are included, and they do a nice job at balancing them with the amount of music.

Overall, Potluck is a pretty legitimate rap group and Pipe Dreams is a very solid album. With clever lyrics and a talented display of flow, this group definitely has some potential to develop into more than underground artists. Despite their incredibly abundant references to smoking pot, this group proves with Pipe Dreams that they are able to make a well-rounded album while predominantly focusing on a single subject. This album is definitely worth a listen and in a few years more people than just hardcore rap fans may know Potluck.