Mr. Pookie to release Return of tha Rippla

Two heads are better than one. For sure, that works well for Dallas/Ft. Worth rappers Mr. Pookie & Mr. Lucci. Both accomplished MC’s with their own strings of successes, they’ve teamed up numerous times to slay listeners with their hot buttered Southern-style lyrics and delivery. The two head up their own record label, Crawl 2 Ball, and are now signed to New York-based Boss Entertainment, a label distributed by UMVD through Fontana.

Twice as nice, the dangerous duo has cooked up some hotly-anticipated new music to lay on hip-hop fans, and will appear on the music scene in a one-two punch. Mr. Pookie’s RETURN OF THA RIPPLA will be released on January 24, 2006, followed soon after by Mr. Lucci’s new release, THE GOLDEN CHILD.

In the beginning...Mr. Pookie established himself with his first CD, Tha Rippla, back in 2000, which sold some 100,000 copies around the Dallas area and laid down a unique countrified hip-hop sound for the D/FW area, fueled by the hits “Southern Made Playa,” “Crook For Life” and the title cut. Then came his protégé Mr. Lucci, with his debut album, Diabolical, which sold an equally impressive 60,000 units locally, assisted by the killer track “Lifted,” and the title cut. The pair, who met back in 1998, formed their own label, Crawl 2 Ball, in 2002 after a dispute with their old label, and continued their assault on the region with successive collaborative efforts, including their much-talked-about underground double CD release (with screwed version) in 2002, My Life. The pair of hip-hop artists/entrepreneurs pulled off the unheard of coup of selling more than 30,000 units themselves (according to Soundscan), and charting for several weeks on Billboard’s R&B/Rap Albums chart, with smashes “Gangsta” and “Texas.” As independent artists with limited distribution, marketing and promotion, Mr. Pookie & Mr. Lucci demonstrated all their strength in both music and marketing. From their solo albums to the collaborative projects, to their appearances on the popular “chopped & screwed” mix CD compilations, and the new Dallas Crooks: Southern Smoke Special Edition compilation CD by mixtape icon D.J. Smallz, Mr. Pookie & Mr. Lucci have sold an astounding 300,000 units in and beyond the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Even internationally-renowned DJ radio personality Greg Street has proclaimed them as the hottest rap artists ever to come out of Dallas. So...now it’s time for the rest of the country to check them out.

First up, the laid-back Mr. Pookie’s RETURN OF THA RIPPLA will pick up where his first album left off five years ago, and go deeper into his flow. Leading off with some sizzling singles, the Top 10 Billboard Urban Singles Sales charter “Don’t Test Us,” featuring Mr. Lucci and Mr. Montis, and the anthemic “Heads Up,” featuring Lil’ Yo, the CD will make it clear to all both inside and outside of Texas why Mr. Pookie is considered “The King of Dallas Rap.” Other stand-out tracks on the CD include “player song” “Ride, Roll And Smoke,” the R&B -leaning male/female duet “Feelin’ U,” and the autobiographical “Young Man,” his personal favorite. And listeners should also look out for “Robbin’ Tha Game,” “Texas Niggaz,” “Hold Down,” “Playa From Tha Start,” “Feel Like I Feel” and “Times Get Rough (Won’t Give Up).”

Next up, the introspective Mr. Lucci’s THE GOLDEN CHILD will present his creative new joints, since his last solo project four years ago. “War,” the hardcore street/club tune, featuring Mr. Pookie, Nitty & D, is the first single. Also notable are the positive message laden “Stay Committed,” the catchy, street-anthemic “My Nigga,” the story-telling “I’m Gonna Make It,” and “Trouble”, which contains an interesting Mahalia Jackson sample. And “Southside,” “Chill Wit You,” “They Shady,” “Can’t Take It,” “Day By Day,” and “Have U Eva Loved” (a personal dedication) are not to be missed, along with Mr. Lucci’s song for the ladies, “I’m Tired.” All the tracks lay Mr. Lucci’s electrifying creativity out in front of the listener.

J.R. Ewing did it big -- everybody everywhere knew he was the man -- in 2006 and beyond, whether doing it solo or on a collabo, Mr. Pookie & Mr. Lucci are the Southern lyrical assassins and pair of hip-hop visionaries to rep Dallas in the same big way!



"Return of tha Rippla" by Mr Pookie - release date: 01/24/06..