In the world of hip-hop, nothing good can come about from an established celebrity attempting a rap debut, particularly one with a name in stand-up comedy and film cameos – which makes funnyman Mike Epps’ (“The Hangover”) premier comedy/rap album Funny Bidness * Da Album somewhat of a pleasant surprise.

Though rife with the gratuitous obscenities and needless collaborations characteristic of most all amateur emcees, the album never ceases to amuse, primarily by trading the traditional gangster vocabulary of glamorized violence for songs erring towards less flattering depictions of “thug life” (tracks like “The Bitch Won’t Leave Me Alone” or “Youth Prison Program” readily come to mind).

Despite big-name cameos from Flo Rida and Snoop Dogg, Epps’ mellow personality remains the star of the show; indeed, in his definitive single “Trying To Be A Gangsta,” Epps epitomizes a satire of the gangster image that the entire album represents, “I wanna be a bruthah, but a got a good heart / Thuggin’ in the mirror, gang signs in the dark / Runnin’ down the shower in my Sunday shoes / Tryin’ to see my face on the ten o’clock news…” Capitalizing on his status as an outsider to the hip-hop scene, Epps exposes its inherent silliness with the same deadpan brusque as his stand-up material. Every plausible flaw in his musical abilities is used to full comedic effect, from raspy Snoop Dogg crooning in “Domestic Dispute” to rapid faux-freestyling in “No Dial Tone” – all over omnipresent R&B instrumentals.

These instances of quality humor, however, are often broken up by the heavy use of backup vocals, often just repeating the name of the song ad nauseum. It’s at times like these that Epps’ roots in stand-up are exposed, as many tracks feel more like monologues broken up with prerecorded loops.

And yet, Epps does not abandon those roots, as the album also contains several short skits that draw similarly from his mockery of popular culture (“Jail Call” possibly being one of the best improvisations of his career), suggesting that, despite its quality, Funny Bidness is nothing more than a diversion from his prolific open-mic career. When asked in one sketch whether it marks the beginning of a future musical career, however, Epps simply replies, “I don’t give a fuck.” Of Mike Epps, who could expect less?

4 stars out of 5