And the 2020 award for record no one knew they needed but definitely did goes to… This 2LP set of classic instrumentals from Baby & Slim’s iconic New Orleans label not only showcases the breadth of their stronghold on the game, but the peerless hustle and pedigree of Mannie Fresh. Crazy to think that when they first started getting spins on radio and MTV (can’t remember exactly but must have been 400 Degreez) they were seen by almost everyone as a less tough and more delusional No Limit ripoff. But skimming through the tracklist here is a sobering reminder of how Cash Money remained relevant through the permutations of the 2000s and beyond. This set sticks with hits (there’s just too many), mostly from the Mannie Fresh era (no “A Milli,” no "Lollipop," no "Slow Motion") but I could go on and on about the low key album cuts or weirder tracks that didn’t make the cut (anyone else still jamming “Project Bitch” in 2020?). Now I’m thinking about how hard “Go DJ” used to go, how it’s now 15 years old and how the entire world forgot about it (even me), and now I’m depressed.

• black double vinyl pressing
• music label: Cash Money Records 2020

reviewed by Billington Lambs 07/2020