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Rapper’s latest not ‘Extraordinary’
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When used properly, thug posturing and the threat of violence can enhance an emcee, turning him into a mythical street desperado. Discussion of drug use can humanize these uber-gangsters, reminding us that no man is a fortress. The "can" in the past two sentences should be emphasized because Styles P decided to keep it extra absurd with his third solo album, the intriguingly titled Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman).
Styles would like you to think he's a conflicted man. His first album, the relatively successful A Gangster and a Gentleman, explored a man torn between tender positivity and trigger-happy paranoia to a moderate degree of success. Super Gangster fills the role of a sequel, returning a nearly identical cast of beatmakers (Swizz "Flava Flav 2" Beatz, the Alchemist, Dame Grease, etc.) to fulfill P's sonic vision. The majority of the tracks are incredibly moody, sounding as ominous as a late-night walk through a rough neighborhood — with no iPod, to boot.
Super Gangster is at its most listenable, however, when this motif is absent. "Da 80s" is simple, concise and effective in the same way Alchemist and Prodigy made retro hard-edged earlier this year with Return of the Mac. Hi-Tek's "Let's Go" bounces and claps fairly irresistibly, and Soul Brother #1 Pete Rock at least takes risks with "Gangster, Gangster," when D-Block brags and boasts over dexterous keys and distant horns.
Instrumentals are but half the game, and, unfortunately for Styles, there's not much that's endearing about relentless death threats and assertions of gat-clapping machismo. It's not so much that Styles glorifies criminal violence (although one has to wonder with lyrics like "Kinda hard to not go on a murder spree/ Paint niggas burgundy/ Put 'em to surgery), it's that he's incredibly boring in doing so. His rhymes are consistently obvious ("If I don't blow Mary Jane/ I'm going insane"), his metaphors are almost always shallow (various homicide similes), and his punchlines fail to either amuse or resonate ("Before I had a car I was in the fast lane"). People sick of perceived overindulgent materialism in hip-hop will be pleased with the lyrical content of Super Gangster until they realize Styles only kicks two subjects, bodying invisible enemies and smoking tons of pot, within his range of believability.
The first single, "Blow Ya Mind," is an ode to smoking weed, and for all intents and purposes, it's the exact same song as his 2002 hit "Good Times," but with Swizz Beatz doing the chorus. So, of course, it's infinitely superior. In fact, P employs a number of expensive hook-masters, including "Dear Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of the Universe" Akon, who does that thing with his voice that folks like so much on "Got My Eyes on You." Useless Dipset crooner Max B and documented well-endowed brother of Brandy, Ray J, get some shine as well. Even guest spots that seem effective on paper (Ghostface, Beanie Sigel and The Roots' Black Thought) come off contrived or flat. Even the conceptually compelling "Because I'm Black" featuring Black Thought, theoretically a racial-political departure from the rest of Super Gangster's cartoon menace, is overproduced into annoying unlistenability.
One has to wonder where Styles P gets the Extraordinary Gentleman part from. Super Gangster is 58 minutes of tongue-out-of-cheek death threats and nothing-new lyricism. Music chronicling a life of crime obviously has its place, but the execution on this album is forgettable. With a wealth of more remarkable grimy hip-hop releases coming out in December alone, Super Gangster is simply not worth recommending, classic title or not.
1 out of 5 stars
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hip hop came from the streets. so for me whoever is reppin da streets (authentically) the most is the best. I think a lot of people from da streets or other wise will agree to this. In the hip hop game(underground or commercial) you CAN’T rep da streets for 10 years straight and say that your the hardest without some one pulling up your skirt. thats just what it is, there too many people in the hip hop game that really live this street life or thug life what ever u want to call it.
I think that the person who wrote this
has very little knowledge of what I’m talking about, whose really living the street life, what it means to say that your the hardest out in addition for so long and what it means to be hip hop not make hip hop.
I don’t know how much this person listens to styles p or hip hop real hip hop but they missed the part of not being the flashiest or not having the slickest punch lines.
but reppin da streets, transformation keeping your bullshit inn check, partyin and bulls*in, and it goes on.
I want to stress the transformation again I don’t know how much this person listens to styles p but from the first album to the third there is heavy (i want to use this word again, i like it)transformation in his gangster and his gentlemen.