The Price is right

Every once in a while a rap album comes along that makes me re-evaluate my whole music repertoire and wonder why I listen to anything other than great rap music. Sean Price's Jesus Price Supastar is the latest in that category. Price, once known as Ruck in the duo Heltah Skeltah, is incredibly consistent on his 16-track sophomore solo effort.\nThis album has something for every fan of rap music. Lyrics lovers will delight in the intricate wordplay Price displays on cuts such as "Oops Upside Your Head," where lines such as "Rap like P, don't rap like P/I'll back smack a rapper backwards who try and act like me" will have backpackers reaching for the rewind button. Beat junkies will be impressed with the great music, which is produced by stars such as 9th Wonder of Little Brother and newcomers like Illmind and contains great soul samples as well as head-bobbing drums and keys. \nPrice, a member of the constantly underrated Boot Camp Clik, brings fellow members Buckshot and Steele to collaborate on "Cardiac" and "Oops…" respectively. Former partner Rock contributes verses to two songs, "P-Body" and "Church," and their exchanges bring some of the most exciting moments on the album. The most famous contribution on the album comes from Sadat X on "Da God," which is also its most fun and memorable track. On Jesus, Price is mostly concerned with boasting and tongue-twisting lyrics, but the self-proclaimed "Brokest Rapper You Know" isn't above selling drugs or committing random acts of violence if he can't gain wealth by rapping. However, the difference between him and many of the other MCs today who rap about similar topics is that his way of saying it comes off fresh and funny, such as his claims that "if my record ain't spun, I'll network with some guns" and that you can find him "selling crack after the show".\nAs is the problem with many rap albums today, it simply contains too many songs. This could've been a flawless 12-track album, but songs like "Violent" and "One" are needlessly included and bring down the overall tightness. Also, Price may have great skills, but his voice is too generic and even hard to distinguish amongst some of the lesser-known collaborators such as Skyzoo and Rustee Juxx. With that said, this is a solid effort that people with all different levels of rap experience can enjoy. \nFans of the latest "Young" or "Lil'" rapper of the week should challenge themselves by giving this a listen, and people who claim they listen to "hip-hop, not rap" should put this on to see there really is no difference and great music can evolve no matter the subject matter. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go listen all the other acclaimed rap I've neglected over the last two years.