Mike Jones

A Houston heavyweight down with the Swisha House camp, Mike Jones was a regional star for many years before finally breaking through on a national level. Who Is Mike Jones? is a New South classic, with trunk-thumping production and plenty of smooth rhymes about the life of a baller. Slim Thug, Big Moe, Paul Wall and Bun B also represent.

Houston producer DJ Screw died five years ago, but the influence of his slo-mo beats and
narcotized, chopped-up vocals still runs thick like Robitussin through his hometown's
hip-hop scene. Thanks to the success of Screw's protege Lil Flip and rapper Mike Jones,
Houston's idiosyncratic hip-hop now has a bigger national profile than ever. Who Is Mike
Jones? is a fine introduction to this Texas mess. Jones -- who made his name on... More >

Marvel mildly yet again at the sonic variety of criminality ("What You Know About . . . ," "Back Then"). (Grade - *)