The Houston rap scene made a big splash in 2005, pushing out numerous acts from Slim Thug to Paul Wall to Chamillionare. But the one who arguably led the uprising was Mike Jones, known for his repetitive boast “Who? Mike Jones.”
His popular phrase and knack for catchy hooks on songs like “Back Then” and “Still Tippin” helped him surge to platinum status on his debut “Who is Mike Jones?” And his strategic marketing scheme of giving out his personal phone number to the public also played a part in his claim to fame.
That worked four years ago. Now with his new album “The Voice,” Mike Jones returns with some premiere guests (Lil Wayne, T-Pain and Trey Songz) and producers (J.R. Rotem and Mannie Fresh), but his new disc falls short with subpar wordplay by the Houston emcee.
Though there’s decent production, Jones barely shows any growth since his last outing, displaying very simple rhymes and unappealing hooks on “Happy Birthday” and “Swagg Thru Da Roof.” He even brags during almost every song about selling 2 million records on his last CD. With material like this, it’s doubtful he’ll be able to make such boasts on his next record.
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Mike Jones
“The Voice” (Swishahouse/Asylum Records)
Genre: rap
Grade: C-