Boss of All Bosses

As he admits on the great "I'm Back," "I released Already Platinum/But it only sold gold," a "problem" Slim Thug blames partially on his record label, Geffen, who had him "Rappin' with P/Instead of Mr. Lee." That "P" is Pharrell Williams, but Slim doesn't think the Neptunes superstar is at fault as much as his own hunger for more, as in more radio, more BET, and more crossover success. Even if it was received with above average sales and mostly good reviews, Already Platinum is to blame for the rapper's three years off and the inspiration for this return to form effort, which does a great job recapturing the dirty feel of the early underground years. The title track bangs as hard as the good old days while guests like Devin the Dude, Scarface, Z-Ro, and the late Pimp C keep things on the street level. Adding just the right touch of levity is "I Run," a redo of the Flock of Seagulls' hit "I Ran," now transformed into a pimp anthem. It sure didn't seem like Slim's career needed readjustment after the very good Already Platinum, but whatever the reason, this raw album is a welcome throwback that no longtime fan should be without.