Mix-A-Lot's compelling false-arrest scenario ("One Time's Got No Case") around a Stevie Wonder clavinet figure (from "You Haven't Done Nothin'") propelled by a taut, bass-driven groove. "I fought with the brain and not the gat," Mix-A-Lot declares at the surprise ending of the track. He also thanks his lawyers.
The title tune of Mack Daddy suggests that, for Mix-A-Lot and his crew, posing like pimps and talking trash is all part of a night out with the guys. "A Rolls Royce full of big, black men in the suburbs mixing with the citizens" – even set to a throbbing, testosterone-pumped rhythm track, it sounds funny and true, not intimidating. Mix-A-Lot proves himself a nimble freestyle tongue waggler on "Lockjaw," though his strong suit lies in the randy come-ons and humorous storytelling of traditional hip-hop. "Baby Got Back" celebrates a section of the anatomy long revered by rappers ("beggin' for a piece of that bubble" is a new twist). Asserting the perilous nature of his hometown projects ("Seattle Ain't Bullshittin'") or the insidious effects of dope ("I'm Your New God"), Mix-A-Lot sounds altogether less assured. When he has to strain his narrow vocal range for impact, Mix-A-Lot puts a spin on his rhymes that becomes irritating. And while the National Rifle Association probably won't sample his anti-gun-control rant "No Holds Barred," it certainly could.
Mack Daddy bottles two timeless rock & roll qualities: gross irresponsibility and shameless macho. Consumed in moderate doses, this party album provides a bracing and abrasive tonic. (RS 628)
MARK COLEMAN
