Slim Dutty:
The Story So Far

Release Date: 29 September 2004

Reviewed By: Michelle Manning

1. Intro

2. London Life

3. Against The Clock

4. Believe Me

5. Say Whe You A Say

6. Party Wid Me

7. Look 2 Good (Penni)

8. Finger Things

9. D.U.T.T.Y

10. Get Paid

11. You Don't Scare Me

12. U Should

13. 18 & Over

14. Blood Puddles

15. Ask Anybody

16. Trninity

17. Come 2getha

Nas - Street's Disciple
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This album is for misled youth; it is the word from the street; it is a detailed look at the sexual playground. Slim Dutty’s debut is a lot of things rolled into one, and even more so, it is a piece of work by an important voice in the London scene.

Dutty has embraced not only R&B and hip hop, but has dabbled in genres as far ranging as gospel and soul, and perhaps his identity and ambition is best described in the introduction of the album, where a boy asks his father to tell him a story, and a deep voice answers, “[This is a story of a man] who grew up in the streets of London where poverty and crime are the only two options. Rather than take the obvious path, he went against the grain and went on to make his dream and become a successful artist.”

High ambitions indeed, and Dutty does give clarity in his rhymes and the production of the instrumentation and choice of samples is of high quality, which places Dutty meandering down the path of a hip hop star.

The story of the album takes place in Harlesdon, where in 1999, gang related murders reached a staggering number, and they are the streets that have inspired him to express his disapproval in verse.

The first song, ‘London Life’, where Dutty points out that the streets aren’t nice, his vocal style is smooth and the delivery is authoritative. However, the more poignant track is ‘Blood Puddles’, an intelligently executed rap with a strong anti-gun message. Verbally discrediting gun violence and crime is passionately and eloquently entwined with a gospel vocal for added strength.

The popular ‘Against the Clock’ has the hooks to seep into public consciousness, therefore, Dutty’s message could never be more powerful than in this song, as his point is wrapped up in a lucid chorus and memorable verses.

The ‘Story So Far’ is an interesting mix of genres and contains important subject matters, but one trait it has in droves is how close to reality the lyrics can be when it delves into the gritty realities of London street life.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Top three tracks:
London Life
Against the Clock
Blood Puddles

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