Styles P- Phantom Gangster Chronicles Vol. 1

Albums

Continuing with his straight gangsta track, Styles P keeps it hard on Phantom Gangster Chronicles Vol. One, securing
his rep between the underground and mainstream circuits. SP transitions somewhat bizarrely between complete sincerity, threatening aggression, and clichéd bling-glorifying lyricism such as on the track “Real N****”, with Ray J whining in a squeaky falsetto, “Probably catch me up in the club with some real bad bitches, I remember nights when I didn’t have bitches, I remember days when I didn’t have riches—why I’m in the club now, champagne spilling.”

The real problem is that Styles feels the need to reiterate his level of hood-ness in every stanza. Intelligent people can generally tell the difference between genuine personal reflection, and extraneous braggadocio. We’ve continued to give him props ever since he, Jadakiss and Sheek—as The Lox—severed their contract with Bad Boy, but true to the game or not, listeners develop a level of desensitization when presented with the same quality and type of material on repeat. Yet the redeeming qualities, such as the crispness of the production, and his perfect diction, keep us engaged. There is no doubt that Styles is a respected lyricist and ultimately a focused artist/entrepreneur.

Label: 11-11-08
Release Date: KOCH Records 

- Boyuan Gao

http://www.myspace.com/stylesp