Search - Juvenile :: Project English (Clean)

Project English doesn't contain an instantly recognizable chartbuster like "Back That Azz Up" or "Ha" from the 400 Degreez album, but that's not even the issue here. Like Master P and the No Limit camp before him, Juvenile and his Cash Money clique's fame clock will continue to run at 14:57 (and counting) until he diversifies his sound and subject matter. The reggae-tinged "Sunshine" repositions Juvenile and his crew as rap innovators, introducing listeners to some new slum slanguage ("sunshining" is a "bling, bling"-like slang term for jewelry). "Mamma Got Ass" is another notable yet unintentionally comedic tune where Juvenile explains how genetics influence the big bums he fancies. "Set It Off" and "Get Your Hustle On," meanwhile, contain the in-your-face misogyny and materialism that bog down portions of the release. On "My Life," Juvenile's fictional storytelling shines through as he crafts an action-filled tale of rising up from rags to bitches, er...riches. Ultimately, the lack of outside producers holds back Project English. Cash Money Records' in-house knob-twiddler Mannie Fresh's creative wellspring is running dry; the drum programming and keyboard stylings in the second half of the album start to sound way too familiar. In the end, "White Girl" (a metaphor for crack cocaine) is the kind of electrofunk with smart rhymes that will remind the Cash Money constituency why they should continue to buy Juvenile's albums. --Dalton Higgins