2003 Fatman Scoop: Be Faithful

I'm not a huge fan of comedy rap. Not because I'm a genre purist or anything, but because...well, because it tends to lend itself to humour the way mother's in law do - i.e. in a rather obvious, lowest common denominator kind of way that more often than not isn't funny. Which might be a disingenuous way of starting this review because I'm not sure that 'Be Faithful' is a comedy rap record. It just sounds like it is. Or a novelty one at least - 'Be Faithful' itself is a tune so sample heavy that I struggle to find anything that pertains solely to the Fatman's own contribution, which makes that title kind of apt. Or ironic. Faith Evans, Queen Pen, The Beatnuts, 50 Cent, Jay Z, Black Sheep - all are liberally sampled to greater or lesser degree, and while I recognise that hip hop has always been about the samples, here they're thrown together in a hamfisted way that makes 'Be Faithful' a clumsily stitched together conglomerate that's akin to one of Dr Frankenstein's more murderous creations. Fatman Scoop (aka all round radio personality Isaac Freeman) bellows out his stuff over the top of it with the excitement of someone who suddenly finds they can defecate Krugerrands, but his "if you've got long hair put your hands up" call and response antics aren't infectious. Not to me anyway. 'Be Faithful' is loud and boisterous for sure, but then so are the drunks who walk past my window on their way home from the pub every night. And even though they might be having a good time amongst themselves, for my own part I just wish they'd shut the fuck up. Which, in a crude nutshell, is how I feel about Mr Scoop. Be off with you man.