Pastor Troy - Tool Muziq

You’re 8 years old and you’re the first one in your grade to start wearing jeans instead of sweatpants.  You think you look pretty fresh, but no one really notices your new style.  Then one of the most popular kids, we’ll call him Mikey, starts wearing jeans and suddenly it’s the cool thing to do.  Now everyone’s rocking jeans, and not only do you not get any credit for being one of the first, but some kids even accuse you of copying Mikey.  Infuriating right?  Well now you know how Pastor Troy feels.

Pastor Troy was one of the originators of Southern trap music but unlike artists that came later like Young Jeezy and T.I., Troy never really achieved mainstream success.  His blend of street hustling and religious themes scared off major radio play and he was no stranger to controversies.  In fact Troy originally wanted to name his new album Saddam Hussein, but after some complaints from the label he went with the less combustible Tool Muziq.  Troy relates to Hussein because like the former dictator he’s decided to just keep doing his thing, the rest of the world be damned. Tool Muziq isn’t for the club; it’s for people who stay outside in the parking lot drinking.  I mean the man’s got a track called I’m F#*cked Up, what do you think it’s about?

Speaking of genocidal dictators, Troy did manage to get a track on the album titled Saddam, a hyper aggressive song that sets the pace for Tool Muziq’s raw sound.  The Shawty Redd produced track has the kind of riding, drum roll filled beat that’s come to define the trap music sound.  Troy spits a full clip as he runs through the list of reasons he’s like Saddam: everybody’s out to end his reign, he’s the self-proclaimed president and he’s going to live by the sword and die by the sword.  Vocally Troy’s lyrics don’t have much depth, but they shouldn’t.  If I was an out of control boxer (think Tyson in ’99) this would be my entrance music.  The last thing you want to do when you’re walking to the ring is stop and think; Troy’s cement hard lyrics get it done.

The bulk of Tool Muziq is made up of fight music tracks like Saddam, most notably In My Truck With Me.  Musically the track is essentially the same as other riders on the album, but what will have folks talking is the intro.  Troy runs through his guest feature options for the album; Jeezy’s too busy, T.I. wants too much money, and Yung Joc is as soft as Marques Houston.  I’m not just starting beef, the intro shows where Troy is in his career.  He realized he’s not gonna crossover to mainstream so screw it, he’s gonna make music for his fans.  So what if he pisses off some people in the industry?  It’s not like T-Pain was ever going to ask him to be on Buy U A Drank anyway. You’re not gonna hear In My Truck With Me on the radio anytime soon and Troy doesn’t care, he’d rather have you blast it at the block party.

Tool Muziq isn’t just a one-dimensional album full of bangers; it’s got some songs for the strip club too.  Hard For The Money is an ode to women paying their bills on the pole and the soaring beat of Digital featuring Fabo of D4L fame gives strippers something to work with.  Troy’s also known for his religious and social commentary, his father was a preacher and drill sergeant after all, and the album ends with two more lyrically centered tracks.  Hey Mama is built around a sample of Tupac’s Until The End of Time that has Troy reflecting on the law of the streets: it’s shoot or be shot.  Similarly Will He Come Home Tonight is a Drumma Boy produced track that balances a riding beat with a soul-inflected vocal sample.  Despite the violence and money that saturate Tool Muziq, Troy sounds a note of hope by ending with Will He Come Home Tonight.  Come on, even Saddam Hussein had a soft side…maybe…ok, probably not.