Artist: Prince PoTitle: The SlicknessRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: A.P. Ghetto King General
If you have ever asked “What happened to the other guy from Organized Konfusion?”, you can finally stop wondering. Prince Po is finally staking his claim with his long due solo project The Slickness. Just as Prince Po has moved on from his past, I too will deal with what he is doing now because this album needs your full attention. If lyrics are what you’re looking for, then this is what you need.
Po does what he has to and more to prove he can stand on his own as a solo emcee. On “Too Much” he sets it off by proclaiming himself the “Worlds biggest mic soldier with little exposure”. He kills this track from start to finish, letting emcees and listeners know that he’s serious with the mic. This album moves well from track to track without becoming redundant and boring. Po uses a good mix of topics to keep the listeners’ attention and doesn’t have to rely on the production to do this.
Now, don’t let that last comment make you think less of the album’s production. Producers Madlib, J-Zone, Danger Mouse, and others bring bangers that will keep the underground happy. Danger Mouse takes you on ride with the smooth “Love Thang” featuring Carla. The title track is a Madlib creation highlighted by a mix of rough and smooth sounds with kung-fu movie fight scene samples. If this album has a downside, it would have to be the guest appearances. Raekwon disappoints on the weak attempt at a club joint, “The Bump Bump”. “Meet Me at the Bar” is a collaboration with J-Ro of the Liks but it will only have you wondering where Tash was while they were in the studio. The indie affiliated guest fair better than their higher profile counterparts. Jemini and Cairo come through on “Fall Back”, as does MF Doom on “Social Distortion”.
Every album has its place. The Slickness is good enough to be an underground banger for 2004. With the right push it could push the crust of the mainstream surface, however it lacks the radio single to break through. For underground heads, this should be in your collection because Prince Po is definitely too much for the mainstream, commercial scene.