For several years now, the Midwest has been on lock by only Nelly and the Cash Money clique – that is until Webbie hit airwaves.  While still new the above-ground game, the Baton Rouge, Louisiana native has dibs on who’s next.

Webbie wastes no time in his crusade with “How U Ridin’.” Despite his southern drawl, Webbie manages to pose questions any car owner can answer:  “How much yo’ paint cost/ Look like it just got rained on/ Tell me this/ When you stop/ Do the rims stop/ Or they keep going?...How you ridin’/ What, you ain’t worried about flossin’/ You hollering ‘f*ck what I’m talking’/ Yo’ sh*t better than walking?”  Other standouts include “Like That,” a shameless ode to celebrity physiques: “Betcha Jada Pinchett shake that ass real classy/ Ain’t ready for the real/ Betcha she be lettin’ Will have it.”  Built on the same chassis is his first single, “Give Me That” featuring Bun B. The raw, grimy track and lyrics have pushed this song up the charts. The track on “Crank It Up” brings pure fire as Webbie warns the game of his presence: “Stop playing/ Y’all n*ggas better get on your sh*t/ Or get you some bricks or get you a hit/ Get serious ‘cause I’m saying/ The Savage worked too hard for this/ I’ma get to the top of the list regardless p*ssy b*tch” 

Despite Savage Life being surprisingly solid, “Bad B*tch” – the second official single – seems out of place among its gutta counterparts.  The arcade-like sound of the track is simply annoying.  Equally disappointing is the limited topic range throughout the album.  While tracks like “Give Me That” and “Gutta B**ch” prove to be entertaining, by the time we reach the end of the album, “Gotta Show Me U Worth It” and “Come Here B**ch” seem trite.  The misogynist lyrics that fill Savage Life ultimately become repetitive.

Nonetheless, Webbie delivers some heat on Savage Life.  While new to the radio waves, this emcee may be hungry enough to steal the shine from his Cash Money neighbors.