C-Murder recycles rhymes in 'Bossalinie'

"Bossalinie" promises to be the next multi-platinum rap album to invade the car stereos and bedrooms of America's youth. C-Murder represents one of the most talented rappers on No Limit Records' roster. And just to make sure "Bossalinie" sells, superstar rappers such as Snoop Dogg, Master P and Silkk the Shocker have been added to the album's lineup.

Yet even with a lineup of rap superstars, "Bossalinie" ends up being a poor quality, diluted album. One or maybe two of the 28 songs can even be described as good when compared to rap albums such as Dr. Dre's "The Chronic" or Wu-Tang Clan's "Wu-Tang Forever." It's saddening to think that an album of this quality will surely sell millions of copies on brand name alone.

One of the album's weaknesses involves the ridiculous number of songs. The fact that none of them reach the five-minute mark reveals their lack of craft and progression. Even the basic verse-chorus-verse format seems to be a chore for C-Murder and his producers. Many of the songs consist of little more than a mumbled introduction, a verse by C-Murder, an occasional chorus, some random babbling and a second verse performed by a guest rapper. All of this occurs over a repetitive loop of simple drum beats and the occasional recycled sample.

Even with a total of 19 different rappers displaying their lyrical skills, the same clichéd ghetto motifs get recycled song after song. The ideology of these ghetto superstars suffers from predictable homogeneity, a promotion of violent self-destruction, derogatory sexism and illogical thought. Every so often religious motifs appear, but these songs end up sounding like an apology or justification for the otherwise immoral content. One can only hope that the millions of impressionable youths embracing this album don't also embrace ghetto pride mentality of the No Limit collective.

Some rappers justify poor articulation or political ideology with their vocal delivery. For example, listen to Busta Rhymes showcase his command of the English language or the raw aggression emanating from the canine bite of DMX. These rappers provoke an emotional reaction much unlike any of the rappers on "Bossalinie." Master P does a respectable job on "Lil Nigga" with his drawn out pronunciations, but the rest of his crew sound like a bunch of 2-Pac imitators.

Even Snoop Dogg - once the hottest rapper in America - recycles his old rhymes at the speed of a sedated turtle. How many times can we listen to Snoop sounding a bit too burnt out, rapping about the "LBC" and preaching it's "still a G thang." It seems that he can't complete a rhyme sequence without inserting something from one of his old rhymes. When he starts repeating his rhymes from "Lodi Dodi" on the song "Gangsta Walk," it becomes questionable what's more ridiculous, the name of the song or Snoop's attempt to mine his past hits.

Musically, there isn't much to discuss. Other No Limit songs such as "It Ain't My Fault" and "Make Em' Say Uhh!" rate as high-energy songs worthy of a loud bumping stereo system. Unfortunately, there is nothing comparable on "Bossalinie." The '80s hip-hop beats of Public Enemy were more innovative than anything composed by No Limit's Beats by the Pound production crew.

So the question arises: If this is such a substandard album, why is it going to sell so many copies? The reason Master P and No Limit Records continue to reach platinum status at assembly line speeds week after week isn't because they make great music. The genius of Master P lies not within his skills as an artist but in his skills as a businessman. The marketing strategy of his label follows a proven formula.

If you think what Master P does is different than what Marvel Comics did with their roster of superheros or what Tommy Hilfiger does with his clothing, you're wrong. Like all successful products targeting America's profitable youth market, Master P puts much more effort into stimulating demand by creating a strong brand image than making a quality product.

The exploitation of America's youth in the name of greed may seem immoral to some. Yet this thought seems petty when one considers the corrupting brand image Master P promotes with his music. Songs such as "Ghetto Boy," "Ghetto Millionaire," "Nasty Chick" and "On My Enemies" glamorize virtues such as drug dealing, crime, violence, sexism and greed. Hopefully, these themes will be perceived by America's youth culture as entertainment instead of reality.

03-16-99