• View Comments
• Share with Shortlink:

Hard punches, outrageous brags, menacing stature, and of course, the trademark lisp. These are the traits that made Brooklyn, New York’s Mike Tyson one of the most electric personalities in recent memory. And Sean Price’s Mic Tyson embodies all of it.

Over gritty bass and sped up looping samples, “Bar-Barian” sets the tone for the first round of word whooping. But, just like how the former heavyweight champion would toy with his prey, Price seems to toy with DJ Premier-sounding boom bap and scratches from upcoming producer Amp on the track “Pyrex”. One moment, he’s throw hard-hitting haymakers (“I pull a pound on a Ronald McDonald/you happy meal n***a with a toy in the box/ I clap a steel n***a put your boy in a box..P!”), and in the next verse, he throws some light jabs that might seem like freestyles (“I don’t even like you/…I don’t even want to fight you”).

By the time “Title Track” comes on, it becomes apparent that the first three tracks were only sparring sessions for the Brownsville bully. Over Eric G’s laser sound-effects and triumph keys, Price sends verbal blows designed to knock out ex-popping and bright color shopping MCs. Horror-core schemes strike at the seams on the Alchemist produced single “STFU”, and the Eric G-produced “Solomon Grundy” – which both sound as though they could be on the soundtrack to a Michael Myers massacre. On the latter, Eric G’s organ and harpsichord is beaten into a blood pulp with Pun-like multi-syllabics by Non-Phixon’s Ill Bill, which leaves goosebumps (“I’m the lightning that the Viking’s worship/Recital when the rifles bursting/Writes a versive I been a decisive person”)

But, as great as a fight Mic Tyson puts up, not all of its punches land.

The Buckshot assisted “Frankenberry” finds the Duck Down label mates trading light punches that require no rewind value, but Price finds his inner villain once again with “Barbecue Sauce“ and “Bully Rap”. On “Mic Tyson”, Price’s punchlines are menacing yet encased in a playful personality and lisps that pummels the eardrum. Listen with caution. Ears are likely to be bitten off.

Rating: 8/10