Thugs Are Us

03/19/2001 8:53 PM, Yahoo! Music
Soren Baker

The Miami rapper's approach has always been multidimensional, something he continues on his fourth album. When the former Trick Daddy Dollars sticks to message songs, as he does on "I'm A Thug" and the previously released "Amerika," his latest collection sounds like a call to arms. When he focuses on the females, as he does on "99 Problems," his new album sounds as though it was inspired by Too $hort. And when Trick Daddy kicks it party-style, as he does on "Take It To Da House," the vibe is festive.

Although this balance adds depth and character to his new release, it also highlights how much better his political and party songs are than his sexually slanted ones, even though he and regular vocal partner Trina are among the best male-female tag-team duos hip-hop has ever witnessed. But there's nothing as charged here as "Nann," the 1998 back-and-forth battle of words that put the spotlight on both Trick and Trina, making for a somewhat disappointing effort from an artist who definitely has something to say.