Rating: 2.6 choppas out of 5 choppas
Plies' sophomore effort, while not horrible, is overall disappointing. While there are decent tracks throughout the album, there is no growth from his first album, which was somewhat novel in its brash bravado and anger. Definition of Real lacks the frank offensiveness that separates Plies from other rappers. Lyrically, not too much innovation or skill is expected out of Plies and true to expectations, he does not deliver any. Plies does not try to do too much with his lyrics, which prevents him from coming out looking like too much of an idiot. His straight forward approach is appealing for goons.
His flow and delivery on the album is quite good, but is not very unique. It cannot alone carry the album. In terms of content, Plies dropped the ball and missed the boat. He seems shy to preach to the goons and often turns to the ladies with vulgar bravado. Plies would be better off focusing on reaching all his goons and dawgs in prison (and all the suburban food court gangstaz who aspire to be goons.) However, he clearly did not get this memo. This leaves the album with a few good songs for what they are and a bunch of half assed collaborations with today's hot r and b artists. Plies refuses to allow other rappers to guest on his album, which hurts its ability to reach multiple segments of the rap listening population.
Highlights of the album include "Rich Folk" a lament about wanting to live like rich folks. Plies does demonstrate some depth when he raps about his seed's college plans: "Want my son to be the first one with a will/ Send him to college and pay it off fo fo year/ Let the streets be mad and tell him he ain't real." In addition, "Who Hotter Than Me," one of the album's single, works quite well because of Plies' simple bravado. He boasts with the best of them when the subject is realness and such, the supposed subject of the album. He raps: "Plies real, you preachin to the choiiiiiiir." This line, because of his simplicity works.
Definition of Real suffers because it does not do as promised. It doesn't define real as intended. Rather it flirts with real but does not seal the deal and take real home from the bar. Plies would be better off being as "real" as possible and let everything else fall into place. He softens up too much for the ladies on this effort.
-Timbo
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