Styles P Albums (7)
'Phantom Gangsta Chronicles, Vol. 1'
Release Date 11/11/2008
Tracks 15
Label KR Urban
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What The Critics Say
Whether you look at it as an aboveground mixtape or a disjointed compilation of loose tracks, Phantom Gangsta Chronicles, Vol. 1 is a minor entry in the Styles P discography. The liner notes are minimal, the running time is short, and the highlight of the set isn't a Styles P cut at all. It's Straw & Trav's gangsta party number "I'm Your Pusher" that steals the show with its infectious "You don't want it with me" chorus plus a tight loop that combines funk with Duane Eddy-style guitar. Throw it in a Tarantino film and it'll blow up. Styles' big moment is the "no regrets" number "Nuttin Come EZ," which features a piano line straight out of the Bruce Hornsby playbook, but this stark look into the past has its impact blunted by all the other lesser and like tracks included. Mega-fans of the rapper and his D-Block crew already have most of these cuts on underground mixtapes, but they may find the bonus DVD filled with videos and live performances of some interest. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide
'Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman)'
Release Date 12/4/2007
Tracks 19
Label Koch
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What The Critics Say
Styles P's third solo full-length, Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman), was not titled haphazardly. The album, like the rapper's others, is a mixture of synth-heavy hardcore rap -- with enough gun and drug references to satisfy the hardest of all listeners -- and more soul-sample-driven contemplative (but nothing near backpack) hip-hop. The Phantom's a self-professed thug ("There's a part of me that loves being a gangster," he admits on "Alone in the Street"), bragging about his toughness throughout the entire record and bringing in guests like Jadakiss and Sheek Louch on "Gangster, Gangster," Ghostface Killah ("A twin ghost experience!") on "Star of the State," and Green Lantern on the excellent "Holiday" -- which includes the kind of line Styles is best at, simple but pointed: "I get ya, get the picture?/I'm the painter, you're the painted" -- to help keep things intense, both in production (beats are from Hi-Tek, the Alchemist, and Akon, among others) and lyrics. But he's also quite thoughtful, conscious of his and his music's image, and tries his best to address this: "Hard being the gangsta rapper/You don't know the half/You ain't got to condone this, but you was never homeless," he rhymes on "All I Know Is Pain." It's this type of careful reflection that separates the MC from most of his contemporaries, and makes tracks like the aforementioned "Alone in the Street" or "Cause I'm Black," with guest Black Thought, which explores racism ("genocide, Jena Six, guilty till we're innocent," the Roots' frontman spits) and acts as a kind of sequel to "I'm Black," not seem out of place amid the harder, more violent pieces and even the couple of club- or radio-friendly tracks (Hi-Tek's "Let's Go" -- which features a hook from none other than Brandy's little bro Ray J -- the Swizz Beatz single "Blow Your Mind"). SP never pushes too far in one direction so that he creates an unbelievable persona; instead, he's multifaceted, both cocky and aware of his faults, introspective and angry, and so even when things get a bit repetitive, or even miss ("Green Piece of Paper" for example, variants of which have been done too many times before), there's an air of honesty about it all, which makes Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman) a very solid release. ~ Marisa Brown, All Music Guide
'Live in New York City'
Release Date 10/9/2007
Tracks 22
Label Streetcore
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
While the title became more and more ironic with every pushed-back release date, Styles P's long-delayed Time Is Money feels immediate, like an excellent mixtape with extremely high production values, and certainly not what you'd expect from a "four years in the making" album. This vital slab of street music pops from the get-go with "G-Joint," a vicious stab at rival gangs -- G-Unit included -- with producer Huu Banga crunching a sample of Asia's "Only Time Will Tell" into an amazingly fresh loop. Old-school soul -- with Talib Kweli and Gerald LeVert stopping by for some worthwhile collaborations -- dominates the next three cuts, then Styles' old crew the LOX appear and the radio-friendly section of the album begins. T.I.'s favorite Crystal Waters loop is featured on "Favorite Drug" and Akon adds his usual hooks and swagger to "Can You Believe It," and while it's been a standard exercise in how to make a solid thug album up to this point, "I'm Black" is a different story altogether. As Time Is Money was seeing release, blogs were all over the track claiming radio wouldn't touch it, then radio claimed they weren't shipped it. It really was perfect blog-age marketing, since who would think a single with "Even tho' my skin is kinda light/That just means my ancestors were raped by somebody white" would be sandwiched into the drive-time playlist? The song's use of "Black" instead of "African American" was also at issue, but as James Brown gets name-checked and Marsha Ambrosius from Floetry lays the serious soul on the chorus, it becomes apparent that Styles is recalling an era where Panthers roamed America and "Sing it loud/I'm Black and I'm proud" was the slogan. Somehow, the track blends well into the album, and while there's a case to be made that G-Unit beefing and club tracks don't mean much from a rapper who has grown significantly and can now bring a revolution, when Styles paints a picture of partying, irresponsible gangster living, or hanging with your crew, it's just as vivid, just as exciting. Add solid production from Hi-Tek, the Alchemist, Scott Storch, and Lil Jon with a tight track list that has no tolerance for filler, and you've got a knockout full-length. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide
'A Gangster and a Gentleman'
Release Date 6/25/2002
Tracks 24
Label Interscope
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
As one-third of the intrepid street rap trio LOX, Styles Paniro had seen hip-hop go through a number of awkward phases since the death of friend and mentor the Notorious B.I.G. Biggie Smalls and Sean "Puffy" Combs were the first to recognize the talents of Styles and fellow Yonkers natives Jadakiss and Sheek Luciano. After Biggie's passing, the LOX released their debut, Money, Power & Respect, in 1998, and Styles was always the MC who listeners looked forward to hearing on the track. After the LOX became fed up with Puff Daddy's glammed-out approach to the rap game, they rediscovered their gully roots and resurfaced with DMX, Swizz Beatz, and the Ruff Ryder camp in early 2000, releasing the far-more-edgy We Are the Streets later that same year. After fellow LOX member Jadakiss found solo success with his summer 2001 release Kiss tha Game Goodbye, it was only a matter of time before Styles, every bit as talented a lyricist as Jada but perhaps a little less marketable, came forth with a solo venture. The buzz for this album was spurred by two singles in particular: the soulful memoir "My Life," featuring Pharoahe Monch (originally released on Rawkus' Soundbombing, Vol. 3), and the herbalist's anthem "Good Times." But this album is more than just a two-track wonder, as Styles divides equal time between his bipolar persona. On the gangster side, Styles offers thuggish joints like the kettle-drum-laced "Styles," the stirring "Lick Shots" featuring the LOX crew, and the party banger "Soul Clap," which loops a snippet from the classic Native Tongues remix of "Scenario." Styles shows a more humanist side on the laid-back "Black Magic," featuring Angie Stone, and expends heartfelt lamentation on the death of his older brother on "My Brother." The album's haphazard track sequencing detracts from its overall quality, as the songs don't transition well from one to the next. Also, despite Styles' made-man, one-foot-in-the-spirit realm approach, the MC fails to carry a couple of tracks (which may be the result of some spotty, soulless production). These minor glitches aside, Styles' debut hits hard like a double shot of Glenlivet or a haymaker to the thorax. ~ M.F. DiBella, All Music Guide
