Prince Po

Ignore the title because Prince Po's return isn't slick at all. It's rough and rugged, real and approachable, and you'll have to make plenty of room on your mixtapes for all the highlights within. It's been awhile since this former Organized Konfusion man has reared his head but his lyrical skills are anything but rusty. Instead he's hungry, getting the "I'm back!" stuff out of the way swiftly and staying on-point throughout. There's the fractured poetry of "Social Distortion" with MF Doom holding back, maybe in awe of Po's scattershot and scintillating delivery. MF Doom's not the only one; every guest on Slickness -- Raekwon, Jemini, J-Zone -- communicates with Po or just lays back. They're fine guest spots, it's just that this is Po's album first and foremost and he earns it. Keep your finger on the pause button during the awesome "Too Much" if you want to catch all of Po's stingers and then check "Fall Back" and see if you can find a more vivid picture of struggle in three seasons of Def Poetry Jam. With Danger Mouse, Madlib, J-Zone, and Jel at the controls, Slickness has a stellar lineup of producers, but once again, everyone sticks to their job, no showboating, just deliver the phat, fresh beats. A solid album instead of a showcase, Slickness is a victory for all involved. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide