‘Free 03’ gives LA a reason to celebrate
In 2016, Watts native Jason Jamal Jackson was sentenced to 20 years in a Texan prison on nonviolent drug charges. Jackson, better known as 03 Greedo, is a successful rapper that was imprisoned after the release of his highly-reputable album “purple summer.”
Though incarcerated for seven years, 03 Greedo and his team made it a priority to keep his newborn career alive. Releasing classic albums such as “The Wolf of Grape Street” in 2018 and “Still Summer in the Projects” in 2019 kept 03 Greedo relevant in the underground Los Angeles rap scene. In fact, the success of “Still Summer in the Projects”’ created a sense of legendary status when it came to 03 Greedo’s career. It’s been three years since 03 Greedo released his latest project. For this reason, “Free 03” comes as a surprise to fans hoping to meet their high expectations. After successfully arguing in court that the stop and seizure made by a police officer at the time of Greedos arrest were illegal, 03 Greedo makes his return home on January 12th being let out on parole. Anyone who likes rap will benefit from listening to Greedo’s comeback.
“Free 03” reclaims the chokehold that 03 Greedo had on the underground L.A. rap scene. The album, which was exceptionally produced by Mike Free, reminds all those who listen how truly talented 03 Greedo is. This 14-track album establishes that 03 Greedo has surpassed the limits of a typical L.A. underground rapper and graduated to the label of another legendary West Coast rapper.
03 Greedo crafted the perfect album by using his classic melodic style flow and pairing it with the almost harsh-sounding rap style of native L.A. rappers such as Ohgeesy, BlueBucksClan and Drakeo the Ruler. This pairing, when combined with the classic West-coast house party style of beats, creates an album in which 12 out of the 14 tracks have a heavy replay value.
“Free 03” begins with the classic intro used by many rappers who release projects when behind bars: the prison phone call. Although done by many, 03 makes this common intro unique by paying his respects to rappers who have passed away during his time in prison. The list includes Drakeo the Ruler, Nipsey Hussle, PnB Rock, Takeoff and a few others. This list is followed by his coming home announcement, making it evident he plans to use this album as a method to celebrate his return.
That being said, Greedo made it easy to celebrate. Track two, “Took a little minute,” sets the tone for the rest of the album. The song serves as a reminder to all those who doubted 03 can rap. This track, apart from being the first song the audience is introduced to, showcases Greedo’s lyricism and his rapping ability. The flow and the bars of the song allow the audience to feel like they’re in a high-speed chase going 100 down the 10 Freeway. “Took a little minute” is by far the best track on “Free 03.”
However, track six is a close second. “Pourin,” which features BlueBucksClan, is the epitome of walking into a house party in the middle of South Central on a Friday night. The almost whining flow of 03 pairs perfectly with the rugged sound of BlueBucksClan. Apart from that, the Los Angeles native rap duo enters the song in a way that almost catches the listener off guard without disrupting the flow of the track. “Pourin” is the perfect example of why people should celebrate 03 Greedo’s freedom.
Another near-perfect track off “Free 03” comes with track five. “I Don’t Mean” is a song that makes you bob your head like your neck deep in a bucket of water searching for apples. The beat, which isn’t drowned in bass and drums like West Coast rap typically is, showcases Greedo’s melodic style. “I Don’t Mean” is short and sweet, making it perfect for replay value.
If you’re from L.A. you’d understand why “No Free Features” is a tear-jerker. “No Free Features” features Drakeo the Ruler, the late rapper who climbed the ranks with 03 throughout his time in prison. In other words, Drakeo the Ruler and 03 Greedo can be described as the Batman and Superman of the L.A. underground rap scene. Although their styles are different, they both respected each other and frequently featured on tracks together. The thought of this possibly being the last time we hear the two on the same track together brings tears to any rap aficionado’s eyes.
No albums are perfect; “Today” is one of the only flaws that come along with “Free 03.” The track features an almost suspenseful, Halloween-themed beat. Despite its release two months after the holiday, the beat is not the song’s Achilles heel. 03’s flow is not paired smoothly with the song’s tempo, and there are times when Greedo’s word choice falls short of the anticipated beat drop. Despite all this, the track isn’t terrible, it is simply subpar when compared to the rest of “Free 03.”
Overall, 2023 starts off with a bang for rap fans. With 03 Greedo’s prison release date being later this week, one can only expect more music and more collaborations with BlueBucksClan.