Project English
Project Englishdoesn't contain an instantly  recognizable chartbuster like "Back That Azz Up" or "Ha" from the400 Degreezalbum, but  that's not even the issue here. LikeMaster Pand the No Limit  camp before him, Juvenile and his Cash Money clique's fame clock will continue  to run at 14:57 (and counting) until he diversifies his sound and subject matter.  The reggae-tinged "Sunshine" repositions Juvenile and his crew as rap  innovators, introducing listeners to some new slum slanguage  ("sunshining" is a "bling, bling"-like slang term for jewelry). "Mamma  Got Ass" is another notable yet unintentionally comedic tune where  Juvenile explains how genetics influence the big bums he fancies. "Set  It Off" and "Get Your Hustle On," meanwhile, contain the in-your-face  misogyny and materialism that bog down portions of the release. On "My  Life," Juvenile's fictional storytelling shines through as he crafts an  action-filled tale of rising up from rags to bitches, er...riches.  Ultimately, the lack of outside producers holds backProject  English. Cash Money Records' in-house knob-twiddler Mannie Fresh's  creative wellspring is running dry; the drum programming and keyboard  stylings in the second half of the album start to sound way too  familiar. In the end, "White Girl" (a metaphor for crack cocaine) is  the kind of electrofunk with smart rhymes that will remind the Cash  Money constituency why they should continue to buy Juvenile's albums.--Dalton Higgins