Twenty-Two P.A. (Clean Version)

Twenty-Two: PA World Wide, DJ DMD's second album, almost fulfilled the prophecy of its title — if it didn't break Port Arthur World Wide, it at least broke it across the country. And for good reason, too. DJ DMD has created an album that usually sounds street, but isn't ashamed to have a strong sense of fun; it's as if he blended the best elements of Southern hip-hop (namely, the grooves) with the best elements of Puff's hit parade (namely, a good melodic sense). That doesn't mean that Twenty-Two is perfect — it bogs down a little bit and some of the lyrics seem a little gangsta cliched — but it delivers what it promises, with more style, substance, flair, grooves and hooks than expected. And that is a true rarity in late '90s hip-hop. [Elektra released a "clean" version of Twenty-Two: PA World Wide, containing no profanities or vulgarities, in the summer of 1999.]