Jim Jones Pray IV Reign CD

Never hailed as the strongest lyricist out of the Diplomats clique, Jim Jones has always made up for it with the weight of his street credibility and his distinct vocal presence that exudes restrained menace. On his fourth full-length LP (and first for Columbia), the self-proclaimed Harlem Capo shines, thanks in large part to inventive street-hop beats from a production team including Chink Santana, Supa Dave West, Triple-A, and Ron Browz. While many of Jones's concepts are recycled, as he muses on backstabbers ("Frienemies") and brags about his lavish lifestyle ("This is the Life," "Pop Champagne"), he still executes them well. PRAY IV REIGN is a rare hip-hop album in that the intro--which sees Jones taking in O.G. wisdom from a Harlem old-timer over a `70s soul-drenched beat by No I.D.--is by far the tightest track.

This biography of the hip hop artist set to music takes you on a journey through Jim's life: from his childhood in the streets of Harlem and his triumphs and close calls as a young hustler, to his fears and hopes when becoming a new father and his swagger and confidence as a trendsetter and influencer. The music from this biography is part of an off-Broadway production, Hip Hop Monologues: Inside the Life And Mind of Jim Jones, co-written by Jim. Essential a narrative set to music from the album, the production transcended the traditional idea of a listening session and allowed the audience to truly experience his music.Rolling Stone (p.69) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[H]is open-armed commercialism mostly works: 'Na Na NaNa Na Na' turns a kid's chant into a catchy cash-flaunting song..."
Spin (p.86) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "New York hustler Jim Jones is, despite his own best efforts, effortlessly charming."
XXL (Magazine Publisher) (pp.101-102) - "With even more adventurous choices and evident spurts of maturity, Jim displays the chops to maintain his status as a compelling hip-hop figure."