Detroit L-O & Truii Mane demand their due on “Pay Me In Cash or Pay Me In Respect”
We’ll be honest, occasionally collaborations can feel like business arrangements and others might feel like old friends finally getting to do the thing they’ve always talked about… “Pay Me In Cash or Pay Me In Respect” is the second kind without a doubt! Detroit L-O and Charlotte, NC artist Truii Mane have made a hip-hop record with a lot of personality, and it’s a blast from start to finish.
The history behind it adds a lot. The two met back in 2009 at North Meck High in Huntersville, North Carolina, and they’ve recorded plenty of music together over the years. This album feels like the long-awaited payoff of that bond. You can hear the comfort between them. They trade energy like people who know each other’s rhythms, and each one leaves room for the other to shine while still bringing a signature style. You get thrown into the record on the “Intro” and it sincerely only takes off from there.
The title says it all. This is an album about demanding what they deserve. Either you give them their props or you pay the ticket, and walking away empty handed is never an option. That attitude gives the record a confident, no-nonsense backbone, but it never turns sour. It’s swagger with a smile and the whole project is entertaining because of it.
What stands out most is how much ground the record covers. It does a little bit of everything in hip-hop, channeling a more classic sound while adding a touch of modern flavor. That balance keeps things fresh. You get the grit and the punch that fans of traditional hip-hop will love, but it never sounds stuck in the past. Five producers, Derrell “Pepp” Nelson, DJ Idea, Dia Mira, B. Young, and B-57, shape the sound, and each one brings a different texture while the album still holds together as one cohesive listen. Some personal standouts for us, though we don’t quite know who produced what, were “Duck Duck Goose”, “Kill Fear”, and “Motion”.
The flow is sleek and effortless, with plenty of clever lyricism that rewards close listening. Angelo Willis and Jarrin O’Neal wrote the album, and the wordplay lands with a sharpness that proves they’ve put in the work. Recording by Serenity Coleman and mixing and mastering by Angelo Willis give everything a clean, punchy finish, with the vocals sitting right where they should.
At nine songs, the record is also very tight and well paced. There’s no filler and no stretch where your attention drifts. We’ve experienced those 20+ track albums that unfortunately drag, but thankfully, they’re giving us all their best here.
It’s also worth noting how independent this release is. It’s available on Bandcamp and YouTube, along with merch and physical copies, which fits the do-it-yourself spirit running through the whole project.
“Pay Me In Cash or Pay Me In Respect” is a confident, fun, and skillfully made record from two friends who clearly know exactly what they’re worth. We can’t wait for you to check it out and support, so please, click those links below to get into it.
Listen to “Pay Me In Cash or Pay Me In Respect”
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