|
|
|
Jim Jones - Pray IV Reign
| Allmusic |
| The three years between Hustler's P.O.M.E. and Pray IV Reign saw a slew of Jim Jones releases -- mixtapes, Christmas EPs, plus LPs with his Byrd Gang crew -- but there's little doubt that this is the proper follow-up to the album that gave the world the massive hit "We Fly High." One listen to the epic intro and it's obvious it also aims higher artistically, influenced by the passing of Byrd Gang member Stack Bundles, beefs with members of the Dipset crew, plus the creation of the man's off-Broadway production, The Hip Hop Monologues: Inside the Life and Mind of Jim Jones. Reign is basically the soundtrack to Monologues but it stands alone just fine, successfully mixing straight-up club anthems like "Pop Champagne" and "Na Na Nana Na Na" with much deeper numbers. Bundles is mourned on the moving "My My My," which features the perfectly Jones aside "I hope there's a Harlem in Heaven." A question mark must have been dropped off the title of "This Is the Life," as the rapper's unsure "There's no regrets in life/How's that sound?" rides over the background singers' hook of "Is there a Heaven for us?" Since it's directed at his son ("A miracle on Flatbush Avenue/I still made it back to say 'Push!' when she was havin' you"), "Rain" doesn't question these contrasts and presents them as the cold hard facts of life. It's affiliate NOE who really lays it on the line during "Rain," offering "Had to be a felon/Hated bein' pauper/Read the book of life/Satan was the author." Even with special guest Ludacris on the cut, NOE also wins on key track "How to Be a Boss," and as "Frienemies" addresses Jones' volatile relationships with Cam'ron and Max B, the grand victory of Reign becomes how well it shakes the past and presents the current Byrd Gang crew as true players. Success has always been Jones' revenge, and while his ringleader ways allow this autobiographical album to sometimes go wildly off concept, it's clearly his most inspired set of songs to date....full text |
|
|
| Billboard |
| Jim Jones may be rolling out his fourth studio album (and first major-label release) with off-Broadway plays, documentaries and a movie, but don't get it twisted—the Harlem-born rapper hasn't lost his grime. On "Let It Out," Jones tries to justify his past penchant for street hustling, rhyming: "It started with sneakers" and "we got the cars that the chicks dig" over looping guitar riffs. "How to Be a Boss," featuring Ludacris and NOE, finds him claiming the "fast life" is all he knows over an epic, violin-laden production. Even when addressing the ladies, Jones is gritty: On "Medicine," over double-speed drums, he rhymes about having intercourse with a different woman every night and boasts about his sexual prowess on "Precious," which features singer/songwriter Ryan Leslie. But Jones proves his mind isn't always in the gutter on tracks like the reflective "Rain" and "Frienemies," on which he seems to address his recent feud with former partner and childhood friend Cam'ron. —Mariel Concepcion...full text |
|
|
| Vibe |
|
Forget America; only in hip hop can a glorified hypeman leapfrog to headliner in a few short years. Such is the case for Jim Jones. Since the Dipset Capo started dropping solo albums with certified hits—most notably “We Fly High” from 2006’s Hustler’s P.O.M.E. (Koch)—the Harlemite’s become, if not a household name, certainly a brand unto himself. Now, with his fourth solo album, Pray IV Reign, Jim Jones stands on the brink, poised to either step fully into the role of the superstar or further cement his reliable role player status. In the end, Jones playsthe latter, relying on swag over substance. He’s improved, but not yet the main attraction. The album’s intro illustrates Jones’ strategy: Lock into a resounding groove engaging enough to make up for any rhyme hiccups and ride out. In this instance, No ID provides the bluesy harmonica wails, and Jones provides the signature flow—imagine a congested OG street cat slyly pulling a youngblood’s coat. But while the formula works and Jones’ wordplay is improved (“The aesthetics of being a Black man, you was either athletic or selling the crack grams,” he raps), there isn’t anything here you haven’t heard done better before. Jones is no lyrical king, but that doesn’t stop him from slinging shots at thrones, whether old rivals (Jay-Z) or former friends (Cam’Ron). Cam in particular catches Jim’s wrath—as well as one-time Diplomat Max B—on the guitar driven “Frenemies,” which namelessly but obviously excoriates those former allies....full text |
|
|
Go to "Jim Jones " lyrics