Ex-Three 6 Mafia member Lord Infamous (arguably the best MC in the group), branched away from the legendary Memphis collective in 2005 in order to form his own label, Black Rain Entertainment. The move came at an appropriate time. This was right on the cusp of Three 6’s burgeoning, long-awaited pop success. They subsequently won a Grammy, and began releasing a slew of radio-friendly hits, the latest of which was this past summer’s club-thumping “Lolli Lolli (Pop That Body).” Now, the macbre southern MC has torn a page straight from the notebook of Jay-Z, and released a compilation album featuring the Black Rain artists, thinly disguised as Infamous’ third solo album.

Unike The Dynasty: Roc La Familia 2000, the numerous guest appearances on After Sics do not seem to get in the way. In fact, they give life and variation to a sound that is in an ever-increasing need of an upgrade. The dark beats and occasional psychopathic lyrics are still enjoyable – it is, after all, the brand of the Three 6 Memphis sound. Infamous is still on point with his flow, switching up from deliberate staccato to rapid-fire delivery as effortlessly as always. The production leans a little more toward the mainstream-southern keyboard sound at times, signs of a need for commercialization in order to stay relevant. Tracks like ‘You Know How I Ball’ featuring a chopped and screwed hook, make this apparent. There is something comforting in knowing that for the most part, one of the lesser known, but widely acclaimed, hip hop icons has not yet lost his touch. The real question is: should he lose it?

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