Lil' Flip

Lil' Flip's self-admitted "lazy flow" and basic rhyme schemes draw criticism, but there's a charm in his simplicity, and I Need Mine is an accessible and fun rap album, a rarity these days. There are dumb dance anthems ("Playa for Life" and "Flippin"), syrupy H-Town rap tracks ("Starched and Clean"), weed anthems ("Addicted") and even a class-struggle ballad ("Ghetto Mindstate"). "I Get Money" features one of the catchiest hooks in a minute, while "Single Mother" recalls Tupac's "Keep Ya Head Up." If nothing on here is exactly revolutionary, at least everything is solid.

The latest from Houston's Lil' Flip is more than abundant: The initial limited edition spans
two CDs and thirty-seven tracks. One disc would have easily sufficed. But Flip is as H-Town
as oil rigs, and his deep-country drawl and casual braggadocio make for Southern rap that's
hard not to like on tunes such as "Busta Clip" and the languorous "The Souf."