Good things take time. In an era where half-baked rappers release multiple albums to invisible masses, Percee P bares 20 years of rhyming excellence known mostly to cult twelve-inch collectors and from hand-to-hand album sales in front of New York’s Fat Beats. Decades after lung-collapsing lyricism on microphones shared with Big L, Pharoahe Monch, Large Professor and Aesop Rock, Percee P makes his formal entrance with Perseverance (Stones Throw) with the once-seemingly unlikely complement of Madlib production.Perhaps one of the reasons Percee P was waitlisted so long for release is his dense lyrical delivery. Rhymes within rhymes, this Bronx MC gives the listener a relic in “Throwback Rap Attack,” a drum-heavy track guided by Percee’s signature syncopated delivery. Other tracks such as “Raw Heat” and “Legendary Lyricist” follow this trend. Unlike Percee’s previous catalogue (made available on self-released Legendary Status) Madlib’s musical influence on the project allowed the MC to show depth in content to match ability. “The Lady Behind Me” is a metaphor-peppered ballad, while “The Dirt and the Filth” uses dark imagery to create an apocalyptic reflection of both New York and later California from P and fellow CA transplant Aesop Rock.Like any masterful producer, Madlib found his own zone with Percee P. Unlike Madvillainy, another “reintroduction” of an underground New York MC (MF Doom), Perseverance uses more conventional rhythms and smoother Funk cuts. “Legendary Lyricist” and “Last of the Greats” channel the ‘70s spacey loops Madlib is known for. “2 Brothers from the Gutter” is not as clever, crutching a fuzzed out Nintendo loop, that carries more stoner appeal than actual nod factor. Harder tracks such as “Watch Your Step” and “The Dirt and the Filth” seem uncharacteristic from Madlib’s recent work, but show his accessibility to MCs beyond his usual scope.Perseverance is just that. This album recreates the 20 years and shifting styles that Percee P lived through. It’s then and it’s now. It’s Bronx lyricism with Southern California soul. There’s old friends like Diamond and Prince Po, and new disciples such as Guilty Simpson and Aesop Rock “. Fifteen years later, Percee P doesn’t feel a minute overdue, as this lyrical icon finally makes it to the party. Percee P “Put It On The Line”
Percee P “Throwback Rap Attack”