If you ask the average Hip-Hop fan who Mims is, they’ll merely tell you the “This Is Why I’m Hot” star is your typical one-hit wonder. Ask Shawn Mims the same and he’ll tell you he’s a hungry rapper from NYC who just happens to have a hit. Still, no one can disagree that his rington-ed entrance wasn’t the most reputable of first impressions, even Mims himself. Which is probably why he decided to name his latest LP Guilt for the remorse he feels due to his success. But it’s not the spoils of success he should feel guilty from this time around. It’s his bland persona and forgettable track selection that should take the bulk of the blame for this sophomoric slump.

Guilt isn’t without it’s bright spots however, as Mims does manage to at least lick the creative envelope once or twice throughout. Jim Jonsin’s enigmatic sonic creation sets the template for the album’s most imaginative effort on “Rock N’ Rollin” where Mims and Tech N9ne build their story around name dropping every heavy metal act that comes to mind. And Mims isn’t oblivious to his fortuitous position in the game with “The Skit” poking fun at his character and the humbling “On & On” featuring lines like “Truthfully the beef ain’t for me/I ain’t saying I’m scared of niggas/but I’m just tryin’ to do my thing/I don’t care for niggas…”

And while the radio-ready expositions “Move” and the Letoya Luckett-assisted “Love Rollercoaster” fall well short of “This Is Why I’m Hot’s” accessibility, they do make a impression on the argument that Mims’ career still has legs.

But if they’re buckling and disjointed is another entity all together. Without warning, Guilt shifts its focus to ghetto philanthropy and general rapper fodder midway through. “One Day” (featuring Ky-Mani Marley) is a chant down Babylon to the pits of hell with Mims and Robert’s son singing for freedom like the Emancipation Proclamation never happened. Likewise, the Marco Bosco produced “Chasing Sunshine” and “In My Life (Why Oh Why)” mesh Rock and R&B sensibilities with Mims spitting about “life” in typical fashion with no apparent aim. And sadly, there was no resisting celebrating the joys of spending advance money on the “Jockin’ Jay-Z”-jack “Makin’ Money” where Mims boldly proclaims “Money so long/that it gets so boring.” Ditto for the song.

With a delivery that’s about as animated as the PGA Tour, fans will most likely ignore the majority of Mims epilogues — even when there’s glimpses of competence (see the fairly impressive title track). Shawn Mims’ best bet is to recreate some more Billboard magic or his biggest regret will most likely be standing in the rapper unemployment line.

2.5 CIGARETTES

BONUS


Mims – “Move (If You Wanna)” Video