The Mind of Mannie Fresh

Now that the Neptunes and Kanye West have proven producers can rock the mike without embarrassing themselves, everyone wants in on the act. Mannie Fresh is best known as Cash Money’s in-house beat guru, the man behind the low-down, dirty grind of Juvenile’s “Back That Azz Up,” among other grimy New Orleans–spawned hits. His solo debut is hardly airtight, but it’s refreshingly playful. “Chubby Boy” rides a fairly stately synth line but boasts the dance floor catchphrase of 2005: “Go, chubby boy/Make the block hot/Go, chubby boy/Make her pussy pop!” Mannie is hardly untouchable as a lyricist (sample line: “Now I’ma tell the truth, we ain’t gotta fuss/I ain’t own a car, we can ride the bus”), but his production usually bails him out. A stark, nasty beat taps behind the self-explanatory “Pussy Power”; “Go With Me” mashes a Dr. John–style New Orleans organ into Space Invaders effects; “Not Tonight” puts a hilariously bawdy spin on otherwise cheesy R&B. There are probably about 10 more tracks here than we really need, but apparently Mannie’s mind is a busy one.