OK so what happens when you have your two biggest artists (Juvenile and BG) leave your label, well when your Bryan Williams, co-CEO of Cash Money, you turn yourself into the most valuable player under the not-so secret identity of The Birdman. After making moves with his friend and long-time producer Mannie Fresh as half of the Big Tymers and blessing countless remixes, The #1 Stunna (damn how many names does he have) has decided it’s time to stun on his own.
Now if you think that Baby would try something different and practice a little modesty then you must be smoking something, because Baby reminds you on damn near every song that he’s “Fly In Any Weather.” As a matter of fact that’s the name of one of the hottest cuts on here, but then again, what do you expect from a guy who’s smile probably cost more than your house. Following in another Cash Money tradition, Birdman is full of cameos from his artists but it’s not bad because you will get tired of Baby talking about his fetish for 22 and 24 inch rims on his rides by the end of the album. Anyway Baby changes it up a little bit on “Never Had Nothin'” as he talks about his days before his success and why he flosses so much and on Heads Up where he trades drug war stories with his peoples D Boys.
Now you know Mannie handled most of the production but check the Neptunes produced “What Happened To That Boy” with the Clipse, which is easily one of the best tracks on here or the horn-filled Jazzy Pha produced On The Rocks. Even though all Baby does on here, for the most part, is overt materialism, it’s still very entertaining. I must admit with cuts like “Looks Like A Job For,” “Ghetto Life” with Cam’Ron and Lil Wayne, and “Hustlas, Pimps, and Thugs” with 8Ball, Jazzy Pha, and TQ, the Birdman will have your head nodding to his stunning. Not bad for a guy who lost his MVPs.
