Ron Artest My World CD

Personnel: Juvenile, Mike Jones , Diddy, Big Kap, Capone.
One of the most feared, hated, and undoubtedly misunderstood men in pro sports in the early 2000s, Ron Artest dropped his debut rap album, MY WORLD, in 2006. While Artest doesn't attack the mic with quite the same precision and unhinged ferocity that earned him NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2004, there's enough thug-life bounce to Artest's me-against-the world narratives to earn him a spot, if not on the G-Unit roster, at least on the practice squad.
Many would expect that a rap album from a man who destroyed a TV camera at Madison Square Garden and sparked the infamous brawl at the Detroit Pistons-Indiana Pacers game to be nothing but hard-to-the-core beats and rhymes, and nobody would dispute his credibility, either. But, NBA bad boy Ron Artest serves a diverse plate of club tracks and slick productions on his solo debut, My World. Upon first listen, it might only sound like a bunch of dance filler -- and a lot of it is -- but Artest's flow does have some agility, especially shown on tracks where he can exchange the microphone with guest rappers like Mike Jones and Capone on "Get Low" or Juvenile on "Cash Money." He also is not reticent to get personal or offer social commentary ("No Good"). Instead of just reveling in his ball player image, he wants to explain himself, his actions, and his thoughts. Although one can appreciate the sincerity, it's difficult to digest his less-than-able rhymes, not to mention the occasionally bland production throughout the LP. For example, the political message of "No Good" is handicapped by its sloppy delivery and the uttering of too many bars without enough recognizably rhyming words. "Fever" bares an embarrassing resemblance to the infectious, Rich Harrison-produced "Crazy in Love" by Beyoncé, but it would probably work better for the baller if the resemblance were much closer. These club tracks, however, seem to be his strong suit -- relatively, that is -- and where he is the most comfortable. Artest gives a well-rounded feel for his musical palate and himself as a person, but his abilities still need to step up a notch in order to avoid the inevitable assumptions that come with a basketball player trying his hand at rapping. ~ Cyril Cordor