January 24, 2005 @ 11:43 am

Mannie Fresh- The Mind of Mannie Fresh (Cash Money/Universal)

Alvin Blanco

With the producer-turnedrapper evolution becoming the norm, Mannie Fresh’s solo debut, The Mind of Mannie Fresh, was inevitable.

With the producer-turnedrapper evolution becoming the norm, Mannie Fresh’s solo debut, The Mind of Mannie Fresh, was inevitable. Though he’s created countless platinum beats for his Cash Money Millionaires constituents, the N’Awlins trackmaster doesn’t bring the heat here. The lead single, “Real Big,” personifies the album’s braggadocio theme over pulsing synth blasts and pounding kicks. Familiar allies (Baby, Lil’ Wayne) lend a hand throughout, while Mannie sounds awkward with lines like, “Your girl like an addict, ’cause she really like the pipe.” Though his other forays in rhyme benefited from irresistible beats, this album’s dependence on numbingly artificial keyboard concoctions becomes monotonous. The synth-loaded “Tell It Like It Is” and mundane “Day in the Life” offer even less variety than his subject matter—cash, chicks, and cars. Still, Mannie shines over the soaring electro groove of “Nothing Compares to Love,” as he ironically ponders the ills of material excess. Unfortunately, moments like those are fleeting, leaving his musical bling in need of polish.

Article tags: Mannie, Fresh, Mind, Mannie, Fresh, Cash, Money/Universal 

Page printed from:
http://www.vibe.com/music/revolutions/2005/01/mannie_fresh_mind_mannie_fresh_cash_moneyuniversal/

Return to previous page