'Politics of the Business'
What The Critics Say
Creatively speaking, Prince Paul reached a career high point with A Prince Among Thieves, but he had a monstrously difficult time assembling the follow-up. Preceded by a four-year wait and a change of labels, Politics of the Business is essentially a concept album about following up a concept album, one whose glowing reviews weren't matched by its sales. Aiming for the bottom line in response, yet with tongue planted in cheek, Paul's productions on Politics are mostly forays into the �hip pop" sound he alludes to in the liner notes. Lyrically, however, his guest rappers -- a mix of current underground heroes, neglected old-school figures, and up-and-comers -- spend their time blasting hip-hop's commercialism and easy betrayals. There are bits of effective satire along the way (Dave Chappelle is hilarious as a label exec), and a handful of terrific moments that offer sly twists on current urban-radio trends. But as a whole, Politics of the Business never quite jells into the cohesive statement it wants to be. Too much of the music sounds strangely dispirited -- not that it's awful, it just lacks the spark and energy you'd expect from an artist who, even when he's off, is rarely anything less than interesting. Speaking through his mouthpieces, Paul sounds weary and bitter; even if you agree with his observations on the rap industry, it's hard to relate when his concerns get so insular elsewhere. The liner notes sigh about 9/11 and his neighbors' annoying dog in the same breath, and the title of "Chubb Rock Can You Please Pay Paul the $2200 You Owe Him" feels more awkward than bitingly funny (what's more, it recycles the backing track from De La Soul's "Pease Porridge"). It's touches like those, along with too many tracks that just don't register all that much, that make Politics of the Business feel depressingly cynical and half-hearted. Prince Paul is still one of hip-hop's most overlooked geniuses, but it's disheartening to hear him so disheartened. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
'A Prince Among Thieves'
What The Critics Say
The concept album has been something of a rare beast in hip-hop. There have been plenty of rap albums with a cinematic feel, but very few actually tie things together with a coherent narrative throughout. Leave it to Prince Paul, long one of hip-hop's most imaginative producers, to assemble the first successful rap opera in A Prince Among Thieves. Not only does it maintain a coherent story line via skits that actually aren't filler, it manages to stay musically compelling and focused throughout. And that's no mean feat, considering the array of guest stars and the huge range of styles Prince Paul employs for their characters' supporting tracks. Perhaps the most daring aspect of the record is that it frames the story as fiction, with no pretense of the realism (or illusion thereof) that hardcore prides itself on. The story concerns a young rapper named Tariq (played by the Juggaknots' Breeze), who needs $1000 to complete a demo tape for a pending record deal. For quick cash, he turns to his friend True (Sha), once his mentor in the rap game but now a drug dealer who secretly resents Tariq's good fortune. As True immerses Tariq in the underworld, a tragedy of cinematic proportions unfolds. The star-studded cast features Kool Keith as a weapons dealer, Big Daddy Kane as a pimp, Chubb Rock as a gang kingpin, Chris Rock and De La Soul as crack addicts, Everlast as a crooked cop, and Sadat X and Xzibit as prison inmates. Yet the much lesser-known Sha and Breeze shine even in this select company, which is part of the reason the album works. The main reason, however, is that Prince Paul sounds like he can do anything, and do it well. A Prince Among Thieves touches on every sound he's ever tried on record, and it's conceptually airtight; in both senses, it's his magnum opus, and the crown jewel of a brilliant career. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
