King of Memphis

Kicking it cold and low like a Memphis version of Z-Ro mixed with Gucci Mane, Young Dolph is much more infectious than he is narrow. Still, those who find no attraction in the MC's straightforward style and mostly beastly lyrics ("Still work a bitch like I'm Ike Turner") might find this feature-less album an endurance test, but King of Memphis is a gift for fans. Brushing off all the unnecessary guest stars of his previous mixtapes and allowing the man room to get real, the late album highlight "It's Goin' Down" offers "I ain't never cared about shit until I had my son," and suddenly the only thing Gucci about the man is his tendency to slur and slide his words. His mixtapes certainly feel more "alive" and offer more variety, but couple them with this deeper, hard-hitting album, and the full Young Dolph picture becomes both clear and more attractive. ~ David Jeffries