Sons of the P (Explicit)

by Steve HueyIf it ain't broke, don't fix it: Sons of the P offers more of the loopy humor and P-Funk fixations that made Digital Underground's debut album, Sex Packets, an instant classic. And if Sons of the P doesn't quite hit the absurd heights of its predecessor's best tracks, it's still a strong, engaging listen and an entirely worthy follow-up. The group doesn't take the title Sons of the P lightly; their George Clinton obsession isn't just manifested in samples, it's everywhere from the extended, chorus-heavy song structures right down to the back-cover art, a P-Funk-style comic strip recasting DU as part of the Clones of Dr. Funkenstein concept. Once again, there are two great singles in the affectionate "Kiss You Back" and the Humpty Hump feature "No Nose Job," which rips black celebrities who surgically alter themselves to look less ethnic. In fact, the group goes in for some overt social commentary on several other tracks as well; "Heartbeat Props" are directed at still-living heroes in the struggle for equality, and "The Higher Heights of Spirituality" is a brief utopian dream. On the other hand, the album closes with "Good Thing We're Rappin'," a full-on pimp rhyme courtesy of Humpty Hump that's a little less genial and a little more Too Short than you might expect from DU. A few tracks don't make much of an impression, but on the whole, Sons of the P makes a convincing case for DU as the rightful spiritual heirs to the P-Funk legacy -- and George Clinton himself even endorses that idea on the title track.