Spring Break
Slim Thug: More like 'Manager of all Managers'
3 out of 5 stars
Stephen Ortiz
Issue date: 3/26/09 Section: Focus
There is something undeniably cool about the way Slim Thug says the word "boss." Thanks to his Southern drawl, the word picks up a few extra letters and a whole new pronunciation. Basically, "boss" becomes "bausss." Oh and he says it a lot. In fact, he loves referring to himself as the "bausss" so much that his new album, "Boss of All Bosses," is all about being a "bausss." But enough about that.
On "Show Me Love," Slim borrows a line from LL Cool J when he opens the track with, "Don't call it a comeback / I've been here for years," but the statement is far from the truth. The Houston rapper has been relatively quiet since his 2005 debut, "Already Platinum," and that's a shame because Slim was probably the best of that Texas rap explosion from a few years ago. OK, "Already Platinum" wasn't a classic and neither is "Boss of All Bosses," but it's a fun yet predictable reminder of how rappers like Mike Jones and Paul Wall caught listeners' ears.
"Boss of All Bosses" has two settings - big sound or stripped down - and although the two songs Slim is best known for ("Still Tippin'" and "I Ain't Heard Of That") featured relatively barebones beats, big sound is where it's at for "Boss of All Bosses."
The album opens with the title track, a swagger-filled anthem chock full of one-liners, self-boasting and shots at those who have been copying his style.
Slim rhymes, "Claiming they the boss because they like my style / Copping what I do, man they like my child / I'm listening like, 'Damn them boys wild' / Thinking to myself, 'Man, them boys foul.'"
There's really no other way to describe it other than strong. It's got an epic beat similar to Bun B's "II Trill," and there's plenty of charm in Slim's flow. Sadly, this is as good as the album gets. Nothing quite matches the promise of the lead song besides Eazy-E-sampling "Thug."
"I'm Back" is the obligatory "Oh, I've been gone a while, but it's cool" track, as if he's been on hiatus for a decade; "Top Drop" is a generic chopped and screwed ode to classic cars with the tops down; and "My B----" is hip-hop's objectification of women at its worst.
"Boss of all Bosses" hits its stride late - the last four tracks, display Slim at his best. Sadly, it's a bit too late as the album is over right as you're getting into it. You won't find anything revolutionary on Slim's second LP, but there is some fun to be had with Houston's "bausss."
On "Show Me Love," Slim borrows a line from LL Cool J when he opens the track with, "Don't call it a comeback / I've been here for years," but the statement is far from the truth. The Houston rapper has been relatively quiet since his 2005 debut, "Already Platinum," and that's a shame because Slim was probably the best of that Texas rap explosion from a few years ago. OK, "Already Platinum" wasn't a classic and neither is "Boss of All Bosses," but it's a fun yet predictable reminder of how rappers like Mike Jones and Paul Wall caught listeners' ears.
"Boss of All Bosses" has two settings - big sound or stripped down - and although the two songs Slim is best known for ("Still Tippin'" and "I Ain't Heard Of That") featured relatively barebones beats, big sound is where it's at for "Boss of All Bosses."
The album opens with the title track, a swagger-filled anthem chock full of one-liners, self-boasting and shots at those who have been copying his style.
Slim rhymes, "Claiming they the boss because they like my style / Copping what I do, man they like my child / I'm listening like, 'Damn them boys wild' / Thinking to myself, 'Man, them boys foul.'"
There's really no other way to describe it other than strong. It's got an epic beat similar to Bun B's "II Trill," and there's plenty of charm in Slim's flow. Sadly, this is as good as the album gets. Nothing quite matches the promise of the lead song besides Eazy-E-sampling "Thug."
"I'm Back" is the obligatory "Oh, I've been gone a while, but it's cool" track, as if he's been on hiatus for a decade; "Top Drop" is a generic chopped and screwed ode to classic cars with the tops down; and "My B----" is hip-hop's objectification of women at its worst.
"Boss of all Bosses" hits its stride late - the last four tracks, display Slim at his best. Sadly, it's a bit too late as the album is over right as you're getting into it. You won't find anything revolutionary on Slim's second LP, but there is some fun to be had with Houston's "bausss."
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Andrew Kidwiler
posted 3/27/09 @ 1:46 AM EST
Stephen just shut up.
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