The Voice (Bonus Track Version)

The Voice (Bonus Track Version)

Following the now-common round of label woes and unnecessary delays, Mike Jones’ sophomore effort has finally arrived, a full four years after his debut. The Voice stays grounded through its connections to Class A Southern hip-hop. The venerable Houston producer Mike Dean delivers “Houston Oilers,” “Happy Birthday” and “Hate On Me,” three tracks that embody all the fat, syrupy goodness of Texas rap music. New Orleans maestro Mannie Fresh brings to the table “Give Me a Call,” in which the good-natured lackadaisical flows of Jones and Devin the Dude blend as if they were long lost brothers. While several tracks err a bit too close to the winning formula of Lil Wayne’s smash Carter III (including “Swagger Right,” “On Top of the Covers” and “Boi!,” the last of which is an obvious, if awesome, re-tread of “A Milli”), all is resolved on “Cuddy Buddy,” a song that shows Jones fits easily within the hit-making tag team of Wayne and T-Pain. Mike Jones is a hybrid of gangsta, jester, and everyman, a rare combination that immediately separates The Voice from the pack.

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