Master P has literally become the man other Rap mogul wannabes yearn to impersonate both in terms of success and wealth. Although his rapping skills were limited and his albums are practically all the same, P had limitless charisma and an undeniable charm about him.
The spare grooves provided to him by his No Limit in-house production team, Beats by the Pound, were the perfect match for his dark, starkly realistic tales of hood violence, retaliation, and coke deals. P was not an artist that seemed destined for stardom, but with one well placed single (that single being Make ‘Em Say Ugh, which can also be found on this album), Percy Miller became a household name. P has crafted many an album over the years, but none have had the lasting impression akin to that of Ghetto D. Cheap, independent and possessing a superior raw power to many, Ghetto D is the indie Rap album that all other indie Rap albums have modeled their game plan after… and with good reason.
P’s mid-90s albums were very raw, dense, and pessimistic; an earmark of this era for No Limit. Most of the material found on this record is either nihilistic gangsta/dope dealer rap or tells of the consequences of such a lifestyle. The dichotomy of P’s lyrics, although not necessarily the most lyrically robust, does offer up some much needed introspection in spots. He is still a very able rapper, but it is truly his charisma and charm that carries many of the song that would otherwise fall flat. Don’t expect a lot of upbeat material closer to what P records today, as that was clearly not what he was going for when recording this album. P’s straight-up-gangsta-with-no-frills material is often the most enjoyable (and also the most plentiful) as tracks such as "Let’s Get ‘Em," "Weed & Money," "Stop Hatin’, Going Through Somethangs," and "After Dollars, No Cents" are the true highlights. Whether speaking from experience or from a well planned façade, there’s no denying the abundant entertainment value.
P also finds time to cover more heartfelt topics, such as bidding one last goodbye to his fallen brother ("I Miss My Homies"), questioning God’s existence on a sin-ridden planet ("Eyes on Your Enemies") and even pleasing his significant other through monetary means ("Gangstas Need Love"). I’m simply scratching the surface, but it’s these moments, even if some of them are few and far in-between, that make the album as listenable as it ends up being in the end. Although there are a couple of sex songs here and there and "Make ‘Em Say Ugh" is your typical “No Limit gets it rowdy” club joint, it all manages to work for the benefit of the album. The variety in topics is much needed at times and I certainly won’t complain about it. Again, P is no rocket scientist on the mic, but he never claims to be and, because of that, you never mistake him for one.
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