Rockstar Mentality [PA] (CD - 2007)

Formed in 2004, the Atlanta-based trio known as Shop Boyz turned heads with their debut single, "Party Like a Rock Star," an irreverent anthem set to a slow crescendo of electric guitars. Continuing in the same vein, Meany, Fat, and Sheed set themselves aside from much of the ATL scene, displaying a tongue-in-cheek heavy-metal fetish on their debut album, ROCKSTAR MENTALITY.

Still, it's not all rap-core on this one--many of the album's cuts are standard Dirty South fare. Mimicking Young Jeezy with a bevy of guttural "yeeeaaahhhh"s littering their background vocals along with their own signature chants of "t-t-totally dude," the group is out to stymie the listening public's expectations. Featuring production from Dirty South mainstays like David Banner, ROCKSTAR MENTALITY is one of the more unusual albums to come out of the South. minimize