Numerous white rappers have combined hip-hop and rock, but the way
the Moonshine Bandits
do it on
Whiskey and Women
is unusual: they bring country into the mix.
favors an unlikely yet successful blend of hip-hop, Southern rock, and country;
the Bandits
' sound owes something to everyone from
Dr. Dre
and
House of Pain
to
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Molly Hatchet
Waylon Jennings
.
manages to link redneck culture and hip-hop culture, combining the rebellious imagery of hip-hop with the hell-raising imagery of Southern rock and outlaw country -- and
aren't shy about mentioning honky tonk icons like
Hank Williams Sr.
Johnny Cash
. Granted, the way this West Coast group plays up redneck stereotypes on infectious offerings such as "Whiskey River," "My Kind of Country," "For the Outlawz," and "Whiskey and Cigarettes" (many of their songs mention whiskey) can be cartoonish, but that's part of the fun.
The Moonshine Bandits
take the stereotype of the hell-raisin', whiskey-drinkin', truck-drivin', Daisy Dukes-lovin', rifle-ownin' good old boy and run with it, which isn't unusual in and of itself; Southern rock and outlaw country have been thriving on that stereotype for decades. But the way these California rappers find the parallels between hip-hop rebels and redneck rebels is certainly unorthodox. Some listeners might find it strange that all these redneck-isms are coming from a California group rather than a Southern group, but actually, that isn't strange at all when one considers California's contributions to country music. Let's not forget that
Merle Haggard
and the late
Buck Owens
were both from Bakersfield, California -- and those guys were responsible for some of the finest and most classic honky tonk of the '60s and '70s. So yes, it is appropriate for a West Coast group to embrace a good ol' boys image.
will no doubt be ignored by both country radio and R&B/hip-hop/urban radio; it's way too hip-hop for country stations and way too country-rock for urban stations. But for those who hold
Snoop Dogg
,
, and
in equally high regard, this album offers a major dose of fun. ~ Alex Henderson