This week’s entry is Prince Paul’s Politics of the Business. And this album really operates on two separate, distinct levels.
On one hand, it’s a statement to the state of hip-hop (in 2003), but on the other hand it’s dressed up as a contemporary album, for 2003. For Prince Paul it was a departure because his aim was to make his production sound as current as possible and in that mission he succeeds for the most part.
“Not Tryin’ to Hear That” sounds like a skim Neptunes production and “What I Need” has a beat that sounds equally conventional. Beatwise, the album is really nothing too impressive as it lacks the quirky Prince Paul signature.
But the quality of MCs Paul assembled for his project is impressive: Masta Ace, Dave (from De La Soul), Guru, Tash and The Beatnuts (on the same track!), Jean Grae, MF Doom and Wordsworth all do their thing to make this album memorable. Lyrically, this album doesn’t disappoint. And Dave Chappelle even contributes to the intro and outro.
What sucks is that the best song comes when the album is practically over. “Chubb Rock Can You Please Pay Paul the $2200 You Owe Him (People, Places and Things)” features Chubb, Wordsworth and MF Doom. It’s the most quintessential Prince Paul song on the entire album (save for the skits). Chubb’s rhyme is all about “places”, while Words tackles “people”, and they both kill it. But Doom rips the final verse, unleashing a rhyme that borders on never-ending. It’s the song that gets you pumped to hear more, but then the album ends with an outro and some bonus tracks.
I dig the album, but I’m a fan of irony. I understand what Prince Paul was trying to do, and for me, he achieved it.
