Based On a True Story

Remove the swearwords from Based on a True Story and it would probably run somewhere between ten to 20 minutes. Skinny Pimp's style is definite and heavy-handed and no cuss words escape him. It's a limited delivery, and the numerous guest rappers don't add a whole lot, but it's enough to sustain interest through the whole album. All the usual hardcore rap topics are covered and the only thing that separates it from the competition is an extra helping of misogyny. "Twerk for Your Boy" includes a foul-mouthed cartoon voice that delivers an especially catchy hook, but like the bulk of the album, it's so mean-spirited it's hard not to feel filthy afterwards. A touch of G-funk separates "Never F*cked Up" from the rest of the album and the eulogy for a friend, "My Homie," finally adds some pathos. Like Skinny Pimp, producer DJ Trick doesn't bring much new to the table, using the same banging beats, grand pianos, and synthetic strings that have been hardcore rap clichés for years. It would be easy to dismiss the album as a filthy and tired affair, but DJ Trick and Skinny Pimp are at least skilled enough to make it merely common.