Third studio album for New Orleans-born rapper Master P. Production is mainly done by Bigg Nate, along with Larry Henderson with three beats, Ski & CMT with two, JT the Bigga Figga and Master P provide a rhythm each. The guests on the album are TRU, Sonya C, Lil Ric, Big Ed, San Quinn, JT the Bigga Figga, Bigg Nate, Del Gilbeaux, Uhuru Wright, Bad Girls, while King George is the biggest guest on the album, providing the background. also not credited to the title track and the final cut.
Mirroring the cover, from the intro it doesn't seem like the ghetto is exactly trying to kill him, but the record continues in another way. "Some of These Hoes Jack" is one of the tunes that you can only find in the original edition, because it features King George and Lil Rick in the guest role: cheap beat, decent sample, metallic lacerating drum, Master P saves the track with confident, slow and smooth focused delivery. Big Ed performs well on an extravagant sample, while the main rapper is still confident, despite the production not on his level.
"Playa Haterz" is an honest choice: snare drum + pounding and lacerating drum, strange but captivating sample, good rapping by JT the Bigga Figga, San Quinn and Master P. "Something Funky for the Street" is perhaps the first and one of the few solo choices of the MC founder of No Limit: slow pounding drum, decent sample, heavy g-funk synths almost annoying, good boy rapping in a fairly generic track. The sixth pick is bland, follows his second and final solo cut, on messy slow drum and other annoying g-funk synths. "Study Being a Gangsta" is one of the best pieces of the edition: fast-paced drum, dark piano samples in the background, annoying g-funk synths.
King George performs with a syncopated and abrasive style, Master P sounds better on a rhythm that improves as you listen. The title track is another high point: funky boom bap, light lively drum, relaxed mobb samples, focused and confident delivery of performers, with Silk and King George (uncredited) guests. The 10th joint keeps relaxed mobb samples and has tight drum, good delivery from Master P, Uhuru Wright does the vocal background. Unlike most choices, Master P doesn't save the economic production of the next song: slow pounding drum machine, extravagant sample, effortless delivery of the rapper along with brother C-Murder.
A skit takes the listener to the final section of the LP: TRU perform with a weak style on the funky boom bap of "Rev. Do Wrong", embarrassing rhythm. There are annoying g-funk synths and poor samples in the next cut, with Big Nate and Del Gilbeaux in the background, while track fifteen has a better beat. E-A-Ski & CMT produce a funky boom bap, with slow pounding drum and decent sample, Master P delivers well and leaves some short rapping swaps to wife Sonya C. The last song is a seven-minute track on a curious g-funk sample and scarse beat.
Master P seemed destined to abandon another horrible or at best mediocre album, instead he takes a big step forward and improves on every aspect that he could improve, from technique to production. The rhythms are still cheap and weak at some moments, nonetheless, the guy takes home most of the cuts with round lyricism and confident and thoughtful, professional rapping. Most of the lyrics revolve around gangsta themes and he's never surprising, but it sounds good, much better than ever before, his execution is really good and here he seems to be at his best.
Released by his No Limit and Solar Music Group, the record doesn't get any particular attention until, after signing with Priority, it's re-issue in 1997, with a messy, uncut tracklist with King George, with whom he had a feud. With 65 minutes of listening divided into 16 songs, almost all between four and five minutes, it's still not the most accessible album of the period and could be heavy, but I recommend it for gangsta fans.
Rating: 6.5/10.
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