Spiceberg Slim

by Jason BirchmeierAt this point in Spice 1's career, you begin to wonder what more he has to offer. He's released more albums than most independent labels ever survive long enough to release, and he's old enough to have fathered most of his fans. For these reasons and more, his popularity waned with each successive release beginning in the late '90s. Despite his waning popularity, which was inevitable after so many releases, Spice 1 continues to deliver heartfelt, meaningful music with Spiceberg Slim. The album is rather straightforward: minimal guests (Rappin 4-Tay, Jay-O Felony, the Outlawz, Tray Deee, Kokane, Spade), two producers (Wino, Tone Toven), only 13 songs (none of them skits), and nothing fancy. Granted, such a straightforward album isn't going to revive Spice 1's career, and it's not going to ignite some sort of second phase for him either. What it will do, though, is satisfy his fans and, in turn, retain them. If you've ever been fond of Spice 1's street-smart rhymes, you'll find much to enjoy here. Spiceberg Slim is for the longtime fans, the listeners who respect Spice 1 for staying true to the underground for so long without ever selling out or dropping off.