Three 6 Mafia Album: “When the Smoke Clears [Clean]”

This is a classic. This is just great music. Three 6 may not have the best lyrics, but the beats are crazy, and their chemistry is outstanding. They have a way of making semi-wack rappers sound good. Every body on the album sounds great no matter how bad they really are. The have been the best underground group for a long time, and now they have an Oscar? They must be pretty damn good. If you don't believe me, cop this album. Its even the the songs they make now.

After I saw "sippin on some syrup" i knew this album was going to be the bomb. All but two maybe three tracks are just bumpin and are phat triple 6 ghetto fab. i would defenitely reccomend this cd to any hardcore rap fans.

Since I just started buying "Down South" CDs about two years ago with the exception of Outkast and Goodie Mob, I don't know too much about Three 6 Mafia. "Tear Da Club Up '97" was a tight song but I never invested in any of their music until now. Once I saw the "Sippin' On Some Syrup" video on BET w/Project Pat and one of my favorite groups, UGK, I knew I was going to purchase this CD. "When The Smoke Clears Sixty 6, Sixty 1" is a tight CD from Three 6 Mafia. It reminds me a lot of Eightball & MJG's last CD, "In Our Lifetime Volume 1". Three 6 Mafia is at their best when DJ Paul, Juicy J and Gangsta Boo take control of the mic. The best track by far is "Sippin' On Some Syrup". Other highlights include "Whatcha Know" w/Big Gipp from The Goodie Mob, "Touched Wit It" w/former No Limit Soldiers Mr. Serv-On & Fiend & La Chat, "Who Run It" from The Hypnotize Minds Compilation CD and "M.E.M.P.H.I.S." w/ the whole HCP on one track. The only problem with this CD is that some of the tracks sound repetitive. If the tracks had been differentiated a little more, this CD would demand a five. And doesn't LA Chat sound like Gangsta Boo? On some tracks its hard to tell the difference. Anybody looking for a change of pace in rap music, check out "Just Another Crazy Click w/The Insane Clown Posse & Twiztid. I'm not a fan of the ICP but the track still doesn't disappoint.

Staying consistent with their prior releases, Three 6 Mafia start the millennium off with a solid LP entitled When The Smoke Clears - Sixty 6, Sixty 1. With evidence of their faith, they begin this album off with the "Intro" stating Biblical revelations and the threats of the Mafia engraved in stone. "They wanna dress like, wanna sound like, wanna be like, wanna ride like / get high like, make cheese like..." as they confronts jealousy on "Just Like Us". "44 Killers (Interlude)" is a dark interlude over a deep horn as the four now existing members flow under two minutes. Taken back to the essence of their earlier years, "Mafia N****z" has the dirty sound and style that has brought them this far. As the momentum of the album slowly takes form, "Sippin' On Some Syrup" featuring UGK takes the album into cruise control as the ride gets extremely comfortable. The ingredients: the guitars, the hook, the Beastie Boys sample, and overall production by D.J. Paul & Juicy 'J' are the core for them on "I'm So Hi". The amazing commercial, mainstream feel of "From Da Back" is a different twist for the group, but it still has the raw lyrics to make it underground. On the same tip with dark chords "Tongue Ring" has the classic Triple 6 sound. Crunchy Black finally has a chance to shine as he flows solo on "Where Da Cheese At". One of the highlights of this album is "Barrin' You B***hes" with the rowdy production and their flow to accent the track. On both "Whatcha Know" featuring Big Gipp and "Act Like You Know Me (Point 'Em Out)", the Mafia all had the same flow with repeating the title that made the team effort in union with their direction. "Touched Wit It" featuring Mr. Serv-On, Fiend & La Chat is another crunk title with a repeated 'whomp, whomp' in the background to add to the intensity. The entire Hypnotize Camp Posse flowed over "M.E.M.P.H.I.S.". "Just Anotha Crazy Click" featuring Insane Clown Posse & Twiztid contains a sample of Portishead for an angle unparallel. This is also the last album I believe to have Gangsta Boo and Koopsta Knicca. Three 6 kept their same formula and just kept it crunk as usual. This 22 track release has classic written all over it in a smoke screen.

If you never heard anything from Three 6 this is it. This CD together with Chapter 2: World Domination is what exposed Three 6 to the world. This CD includes all 6 original members (DJ Paul, Juic J, Crunchy Black, Lord Infamous, Gangsta Boo and Koopsta Knicca) plus guest appearaces by T-Rock, La Chat, Pastor Troy, Fiend, Mr. Srv-on, Twiztid, ICP, and others. Basicly, If you are any kind of Three 6 fan you have to have this CD.