Bun B: II Trill

Most MCs seem to lose their way, lose their passion, and eventually lose their fans. But the women, cars and diamonds haven't been able to throw Bun B off his game. He is one of the few MCs who started his career on a solid note and managed to improve over the years. Bun B has now put out perhaps his best album yet with II Trill.

The southern legend has definitely made his rounds in the industry, in terms of features, and has undoubtedly stockpiled allies and traded verses. While this means a lot of artists make appearances on the album, these features all work for the best and help lift the album to higher levels.

Sean Kingston appears on the single "Gangsta," which finds Bun defining what it means to be a gangsta for all those who have mistakenly confused themselves for one. Bun then teams up with Lil Wayne for "Damn I'm Cold." The Prince of "lean" delivers a surprisingly coherent verse, sounding more sober than ever and helping Bun deliver another solid track. But where the album really starts to pick up is with "You're Everything," which features southern heavyweights Rick Ross, David Banner and 8Ball & MJG over a mellow yet hard hitting beat that is sure to give speakers everywhere a kick. An unlikely guest appearance comes later in the album from none other than Chicago's Lupe Fiasco, who makes himself at home on the trumpet laden "Swang on 'Em." Lupe delivers one of the best sixteens on the album, seemingly without breaking a sweat. Other appearances include Chamillionaire, Young Buck and Lyfe Jennings.

While there are features aplenty, there is one that no Bun album would be complete without -- Pimp C. With his fallen comrade providing a verse on "Underground Thang," Bun makes this album complete. But Pimp's presence isn't limited to this verse, as Bun remembers his long time partner in a way that only he can, enlisting Juvenile and Webbie on "Pop It 4 Pimp." This club anthem is arguably one of the best tracks on II Trill, which finds the three aforementioned rappers telling the ladies to shake their asses for Pimp C. Ass shaking aside, Bun also takes a more somber approach to remembering his onetime cohort in crime with "Angel in the Sky."

While this album doesn't necessarily find Bun B doing anything brand new, it's full with hot tracks sure to put speakers everywhere to the test. In a time of cookie cutter rap and albums fraught with fillers, Bun B defies the norm and brings an album you can listen to without worrying about hitting the skip button. Bun B isn't lying when he says this album is too trill.

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