Latest CD releases reviewed

PRINCE PO
The Slickness Lex
****
Veteran rhymer Prince Po was never short of things to say - his Organised Konfusion days with Pharoahe Monch were wall-to-wall with the smart stuff - but he never sounded quite this, well, slick. Teamed with A-list producers (including Madlib, J Zone, Danger "Grey Album" Mouse and Richard X), The Slickness bounces from one high wire to another with aplomb, each producer turning in tracks that showboat with the best of them. Richard X's Hold Dat is as tough as nails, while Danger Mouse turns Social Distortion and Fall Back into great walls of fire. The best thing about Prince Po's reign here, though, is that none of the producers, guest MCs or musical acrobatics get in the way of his thoughts and lyrical flow. An underground hip-hop nugget you can listen to without having to scratch your chin.
www.lexrecords.com
Jim Carroll