Two rappers and a producer that take pride from were they grew up through album Mexican invasion
On Aug. 7, 1996, the band Cali Life Style released their album “Mexican Invasion”. This album consisted of ten songs, each being about four to five minutes long. This album describes the band’s adventures they had cruising through the streets of their hometown in Santa Maria, California, and their journey to Santa Barbara.
Cali Life Style was a rap duo of chicanos that was formed in 1992. The group consisted of producer and DJ Dominator and rappers T-Dre and Delux. This group was signed to a new emerging under group label Familia-Records in 1993 to represent the under group Chicano Rap youth in Southern California 805 Scene. They are known for their strong influence on the infancy of the Sureno Rap Era (1995 – 2008).
This album started with “Ordinary Day,” which describes the two rappers’ average lives. The artist explains their experiences growing up in a Mexican community while also conveying a sense of pride in their roots. The artist’s daily activities, for instance, cruising the streets of their hometown, and hanging out with friends, may have seemed mundane, but those days contributed to who they were.
One verse in the song that showcased the artist’s the everyday routine was, “We cruise through the star street. That’s alright with me, let’s get to go Hit the Chevron…” Throughout the song, it captures the laid back, carefree essence of the California lifestyle. “Ordinary Day” is about the overall joy of simple pleasures and the importance of enjoying life in the moment.
One of my favorite songs in this album is “Float On” (Ft. Buddy Love). This is a love song in which the artist expresses a strong desire for a romantic relationship with someone special. The tempo is a slow jam that begins with rapper T-Dre. The main message was about how he wants to shower his lover with affection and make her happy. “I’ll never do you wrong, just treat you right” was one lyric that revealed his intentions for his lover. I favor this song because of the lyrics, the instrumentals, and how well it was composed. The lyrics not only talk about how he wanted to build a relationship with a special someone, but also how he’ll do his best to pursue it. I believe that this song inspires people to take chances because you never know the outcome until you take that step forward. Plus, who can’t appreciate a good love song?
Finally, my favorite song of the album is “Lost.” This song goes through themes of living in Southern California, such as: identity, struggle, loyalty, and resilience. The lyrics in the song paint a picture of the artist’s experiences growing up in their neighborhood and the challenges they faced. T-Dre begins with the verse “I got love for the place they raised me, even though times get a lil’ crazy…” to reflect the attachment he has to his hometown. T-Dre explains that although life where he grew up was a bit difficult at times, he still feels a deep love and connection to it. The second verse is about the artist Delux where he describes his daily routine, cruising through the city embracing his culture and heritage. Through the verse, “lost in the system”, Delux describes his frustration towards a society he felt excluded from while recognizing the importance of staying true to yourself and your roots.
The album “Mexican Invasion” shows the importance of always living life in the moment and being yourself. Additionally, he iterates how important close bonds are when it comes to enjoying life and not wallowing in the negative. I appreciate the various styles of the songs. The album had chill tunes that gave off a good vibe. The lyrics especially contributed to the song’s messages and story. In all honesty, this is my favorite album and I would rate it a 9/10.
