CD Review: Percee P, Perseverance
Nov 27, 2007 12:38 PM Max Herman (Writer)
Since his earliest
appearances on wax circa '88, The Bronx's Percee P has been known best for his
machine-gun flow and impeccable breath control. In that regard, things haven't
changed much for the Rhyme Inspector on his long-overdue debut, Perseverance. But what's surprising
about this album is how well his lung-collapsing lyrics work with Madlib's
offbeat production.
While Percee has worked
with everyone from Lord Finesse to Jurassic 5, few have thrown so many sonic
changeups at the MC like Stones Throw's ace beatsmith does here. The standout
"Who With Me?" is a swelling, lo-fi banger featuring Madlib's
signature smoked-out style, and Percee's free-flowing braggadocio falls right
in line with the choppy rhythm. While Madlib does slip up slightly when he
sloppily lifts a loop from a classic Nintendo game on "2 Brothers From the
Gutter," Percee doesn't seem phased by it. Yet he sounds most comfortable
on one of the album's final numbers, "Raw Heat"—a sparse but rugged boom-bap
track that has the MC declaring, "Yo Madlib! You took me back to the BX on
this one." Surely, longtime Percee fans will nod happily in agreement.
| Want to use this article? Click here for options! |  |
