I NEED MINE - LIL FLIP
If you thought the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Stadium Arcadium” pushed the boundaries of the double-CD thing, behold Lil Flip’s “I Need Mine,” an intimidating 37-track collection designed, ostensibly, to plant Flip back in the pile of people making money off Houston’s roaring hip-hop scene. The thing is, with a little editing, “I Need Mine” could have been great. As it is, it’s a stronger-than-expected collection with several hit-sounding singles (”Busta Clip,” “Starched and Clean”) and some genuinely melodic moments, like the acoustic-flavored “Find My Way” and “Single Mother.” Flip boasts a great Texas rasp and there’s some good rhymes here, but it’s nearly impossible to stay focused enough to catch them. The Houston sound is all about intoxicating, druggy soundscapes, but there’s a fine line between hypnotic mood creation and unchecked repetition. Billboard
