Boss of All Bosses - Slim Thug

“Boss of All Bosses” is H-Town rapper Slim Thug’s sophomore album, coming long after his debut “Already Platinum” (2005).

Returning after four years and keen to show he’s still got it since releasing “Already Platinum”, Slim Thug has produced a steady reminder of his caliber, with many familiar topics of love and lust, while bringing in some newer sounds with main production from Mr. Lee and Jim Jonson. The album features a number of guests including Mike Jones, UGK, Scarface and Paul Wall to name a few.

“Boss of All Bosses” has its best tracks early on, starting with “I’m Back”, produced by Mr Lee, as Slim Thug devotes the track to convincing us that he doesn’t need rap to move forward, before nobly paying tribute to Mr Lee.

Next up, the lead single “I Run” features sampling from “I Ran (So Far Away)” by A Flock of Seagulls and is finely reworked by Jim Jonsin who employs a stirring synthesizer. The single peaked at No. 30 on the U.S. Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 chart and adds a real taste of diversity to the album.

Closely following is “Show Me Love”, an upbeat track featuring Mannie Fresh that warms up for “Smile” a song with even more musical levity that also appeals to the female fancy. Another stand out track is “Hard”, taking a sample from the soulful “Hard Knocks” by Marc Broussard and features Scarface in vintage style, while J-Dawg also makes an impact with his distinct verse.

“Boss of All Bosses” draws to an end with a marathon track, “Welcome 2 Houston”, which enlists almost every rapper Texas has ever produced, from UGK, Mike Jones and Chamillionaire to Trae and Mike D. Although unsurprisingly it doesn’t flow much, the backing pays tribute to Slim Thugs’ continuing rise around the south.

“Boss Of All Bosses” was released 24 March on iTunes (check it out here), marking an eternity since Slim Thugs’ last LP and showing he still has his flair after storming up to No. 2 on the U.S Billboard Top Rap Albums chart and No. 4 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart.

Rating: 4/5