Styles P. has the reputation of being one of the hardest MC on the scene but P is actually a true artist that can do it all. He proves this on his latest album TIme Is Money that came out in December 2006 after a year and a half delay. This will most likely be his last album on Interscope but he's a free agent that didn't embarrass himself before he left. This album has a few tracks for all his fans and is less aggressive than A Gangster And A Gentleman , his first LP.

The album starts with "G. Joint", a Huu Banga track featuring Jae Hood that is straight spitting off the cuff, something you'd expect to hear on a mixtape.

The second track, "Testify", features Talib Kweli on a Hi-Tek beat. Styles P and Kweli drop that knowledge about the hood and P asks questions like why did Malcolm get killed by the Nation of Islam and explains his mental makeup.

"How We Live" is produced by Havoc of Mobb Deep and Styles talks about how you don't want to deal with him on or off wax. The flutes and beat pattern are hot and Styles does his thing on the Middle Eastern sound.

One of the last songs Gerald Levert did was with Styles and it's called "Real Shit", a track that lets Styles say that he doesn't talk about something he doesn't do and question why other do? Levert does his usual strong job on the chorus and on the ad-libs and adds a definite flavor on the track.

Let's skip the "Who Want A Problem Remix" track produced by Swizz Beatz and featuring the Lox (I don't need to say a lot anyway) and go to the "Favorite Drug" song featuring Rashad. This song uses the same Crystal Waters sample and track T.I. used on "Why U Wanna Do That" but Styles actually made that track first. Styles talks about his lady like the addicting drug she is and what he does and what wants to do with her. This is a great song for the wind up with a nice lady.  

Akon and Styles P. have done their thang together before and they join up to do "Can You Believe It", a dance track that contains elements of "Every Little Step" made famous by Bobby Brown in the 80's.

Jagged Edge does a good job on "Kick It Like That", a track about being a side confidant while a woman has a man and wondering why. The beat for this song was produced by Neo and it is very sensual with strings being played while the group sings.   

"I'm Black" was one of the best tracks in Hip Hop in the last five years and wasn't given a 20 th of the play it deserved. Marsha of Floetry sings on the track with passion and Styles talks about what he thinks being Black means good and bad, from the perceptions and the truths. It's a song that should have been a rallying cry of the Black nation and instead was just a footnote. As Styles P. said in the song himself: "They focus on the negative attention. Do something positive and it never gets mentioned!"

Sizzla is featured on "Fire and Pain" and Styles talks about his life and how some much has happened to him for the good and bad.

"Burn One Down" is a declaration statement to all MCs who want some drama. He's going to burn you down lyrically.

"Leave A Message" is for those who persist to do them despite people telling them it's a death trap. Styles give people messages to the people he loves and his fans and hood neighbors.

Overall this album showed Styles P. can hold an album down once again and he's better than a mixtape monster that has to talk about drugs, murder and woman to survive in this game.

I'll give the album 4 GeoGlobes. He's really one of the most consistency artists in this game and while he doesn't want to be poor he's not going to sellout for money. He'd rather be respected and I dig that.

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