Master P is nearly three decades knee-deep in the rap game and the No Limit tank still isn’t on “E.”
Though P isn’t the household name he once was and hasn’t quite reached the level of notoriety of fellow moguls JAY-Z and Puff Daddy, Percy Miller has remained prolific on the microphone. His latest, Tony Mantana, finds the No Limit boss getting waist deep in melodramatic trap to an alluring —if basic – effect.
The 47-year-old boss doesn’t sound a day over 30 as he spits an infectious hook on “Too Many”: “Too many, too many, bands I done popped too many…” His self-assured delivery and easy flow turn elementary lyrics like these into catchy phrases to rap along with during rush hour. The bulk of the songs follow suit, tossing aside lyricism in favor of a foreboding vibe. “We Did It,” a generic victory lap, finds P trying too hard to fit into today’s scene. However, he mostly succeeds in his modern stylings, which marks Tony Mantana a suitable blend of the new and old.
Believe, there is nothing groundbreaking here. As the mixtape’s hackneyed title belies, Master P runs well-worn topics into the ground. A song like “Ride or Die” features exactly the kind of true-to-the-game sentiments the title suggests. However, the production and the bass in P’s voice are the real draws, turning the lyrics into accompaniments for shrimp-n-lobster mobster flicks. The slow-tempo beats set an ominous tone, and melodramatic ivory tickles combine with trap drum patterns to give the feeling that a mob hit is always just around the corner. Picture Scarface realizing Manolo would be forever plugging his sister; Tony Mantana is that tense.
P plays the project’s brevity to its strength. Clocking a little more than 38 minutes, the redundant, boastful themes surprisingly stay fresh throughout. Mr. Miller is helped by not only his patented bird calls but by solid guest turns. Budding female starlet Kay Klover is swagtastic on several tracks, and impressively piles rhymes on rhymes on “Balls and My Word”: “You hoes is sittin’ I made a decision to play my position/And this division’s some shit you can’t envision.” Meanwhile, Gotti 4 Real goes step-for-step in the gutter with P on the aforementioned “Too Many” and “Pop It.” Percy would have been wise to capitalize on the tape’s theme with some big-name trap rappers, but it’s possible he’s holding off calling in the favors for what he’ll deem an official album.
Until then, this calamari-and-marinara-sauce appetizer will certainly do. Tony Mantana is a ballsy affair that stays in the pocket and comes out a winner.
This review sounds fake and paid for.
It’s actually not too shabby
47 years old and still talkin about poppin pills and being up in the club? It’s just played out man. He’s been through enough where he has real things that he could be talking about, from a unique perspective, but instead, because southern rap never progresses, he’s talking about the same bs that these 18 year old rappers are Talkin about. It’s wack.
Nah man, It’s just good music. I don’t look to Master P to for any life changing tunes and to say southern rap never progresses complety ignores the music Cunninglyguist, Earthgang and J. Cole make
Who’s gonna make rap music for adults though? I mean if we can’t even expect anything thoughtful from a guy who is 47 and been around the world twice, so to speak, then who is gonna do it? Listen, I like Master P as a person. I think he’s a respectable guy and a G. That’s why it’s disappointing to hear him go down the same road as every other southern rapper. I’m not saying he gotta preach on every song but damn at least drop some grown-up game or tell us a couple stories. Poppin percs and shuttin down strip clubs? Still? His son is even too old to rap about that. Peace.
I agree with you. Though I respect him as a businessman, he’s 47 rapping about the same topics as a 19 with no real wealth. It doesn’t make sense.
Stay Hatin MASTER P stay droppin heat
WELL GOT DAMN P! fiyah
What year is this again? Master Pee? gtfo this mf been droppin trash for like 3 decades now
Why don’t you list the rappers you DON’T hate? Would save us all a lot of time.
Redman, Meth, Rae, Ghostface, Black Thought, DMX, Chuck D, Cormega, Prodigy, Nature, Apathy, Guru, Sticky Fingaz, 3 Stacks, Jada, Styles, Sheek, Ras Kass, Planet Asia, Evidence, DOOM, Roc Marciano, Beanie Sigel, Masta Ace, Big Twins, Scarface, Nas, i could go on for a hundred more now shut your ass up Aaron.
So we get a Master P review (who the fuck listens to Master P in 2018, anyway) and you guys review do a full review for a two-song Drake EP but haven’t reviewed the Black Panther soundtrack yet? Y’all buggin’.
The BP soundtrack just came out. Maybe they haven’t gotten to it yet. Calm down.
Well, Cozz’s album just came out today and there’s already a review for it. They do get early copies of albums for reviews, you know?..
LMAO! The Black Panther went up shortly after this one but unlike this and the Cozz, we didn’t get that one early. The labels were (understandably) on some Fort Knox shit moving the MP3’s around in a Brinks truck with 24/7 armed TDE surveillance and they politely denied our request. So we needed a bit more time to sit with it but that said, we gave you an inside look at the review process. Check it out.
Always got love and respect for P, but he needs to put some talented people around him if he is going to do a album, needs better production and writing, this is not good but also I haven’t heard anything good from P in 19 years, he can be good on features sometimes though. Some of the rappers that came out in his era have adjusted really well musically, like Wu tang, Bone thugs, Nas, Big boi, Common, Atcq, Mc Eiht, Quik, for some reason P really struggles to put together a average sounding album. As I think about it P and no limit run wasn’t that long like they got on top prob 97 and by 2000 it was over with. No way P should be making music like this.
Beats by the Pound gave them really good beats. Soon as they left, it was over.
GOAT P hasn’t missed a beat just keeps getting better
Game recognize Game P only make music for the Real Ones this music ain’t for everybody if u don’t get it don’t worry bout it ain’t for you. Keep doin You Boss
This is trash….from a Master P fan….He was always lyrically challenged…but at he songs with direction….this shit is all over the place…trying to mimic today’s flows…..
Whoooooooa! P came with that heat on this album. Kay Klover is going to have a hard album she can flow 4 real. Gotti 4 Real got them beats for your ass and it sounds like he can make something into making. This album bumps in the trunk 4 real. On the coolie high, check this album out. P is cooking something up for the future!