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Fiend was THE preeminent rapper on (what I'm assuming we should be calling the "Old") No Limit Records. He needed to blow up bigger, he needed higher album sales, and he definitely needed a bigger fan base. He pushed over a million units, collectively, with "There's One in Every Family," his No Limit debut, and the record in question, which was to be his final album for the backsliding label. Although Fiend wasn't a particularly NEW rapper when he signed to No Limit Records (he released "I Won't Be Denied" on the New Orleans-based indie label, Big Boy, in 1995), he did, however, solidify and improve upon his charismatic sound when he signed with P and company.

Fiend's arrival on the scene announced a new age for No Limit. Along with Mac, he was the undisputed talent of the label. Much like Mac's NL debut, Fiend's was also mortally conscious, as well as vulnerable. It also crept into familiar upbeat, thuggish territory not far removed from that of the other No Limit soldiers’. Though "There's One in Every Family's" starkness and perfect production is what has truly withstood the test of time all these years, Fiend held his own on the mic well considering he was always considered a faceless stem on the No Limit plant. Regardless, "TOiEF" has remained one of the most satisfying No Limit releases of all time despite increasingly aging production and, likewise, the equally aging pop culture references. So what does that say about "Street Life?" Not much, really. But it does set some fairly hefty expectations for it.

The most notable difference between "Street Life" and its excellent predecessor is beat quality. That's not to say that Beats by the Pound don't put in some serious work here. On the contrary. Of the so-eloquently-named "backslide era" No Limit releases, this is one of the better produced (rivaled only by C-Murder's "Bossalinie," though Beats by the Pound had very little to do with that one). "There's One in Every Family," though, was very heavy on the N’awlins machine gun bounce No Limit had become synonymous with, whereas "Street Life" is much more experimental (saxophones, pianos, and industry... that's all I'll say) in comparison. Granted, "TOiEF" is the better album by far, but "Street Life" earns its points by allowing the BbtP crew to expand themselves a bit further in their compositions.

I did appreciate the different approach the BbtP crew took here, but the familiarity that plays a large part in many No Limit releases is virtually absent throughout "Street Life." I did, however, welcome the rare sung hook, few guest appearances (17 tracks, 16 songs, and only six guest appearances... that must be setting some kind of record for an NL release), and a very solid, cohesive sound. With the BbtP crew focusing on one distinct sound, the record flows much better as a result. And with only 16 songs there is rarely a moment wasted, lyrically or beat-wise.

Despite the very experimental production, Fiend hasn’t changed much. Even with the inclusion of a lighthearted sex joint, everything else is either loud & boisterous or reflective & meditative. As I previously mentioned, Fiend gets much more time to shine without with little interference. Fiend proves, very effectively, that he is one of the few ex-No Limit acts that could’ve carried an album by his lonesome and he does so here with stunning results.

When Fiend doesn’t decide to go it for dolo, enlisted are cats like Holloway (of the Ghetto Commission), Magic, Skull Duggery, and a few others. These rappers complement capital F-I well (especially Magic) and have always been the more talented rappers on the large NL roster. But the moments where Fiend performs solo were most appreciated by me. “Street Life” is one of the rare moments where an NL soldier truly gets to craft an album representative of himself and not P. Fiend does not waste this opportunity.

Being a No Limit release, though, “Street Life” is certainly not without its flaws. It may only be 17 tracks in length (relatively short in comparison to other NL releases at the time), but it still has some blatant filler. The production is also far more experimental and, maybe as a result of that, less funky than anything Fiend has rapped over to date. Some may appreciate it, others may not, but it is ultimately up to the listener to decide that. Sure, "Street Life" does have its problems, but the fact that this feels like a Fiend album and not a No Limit compilation surely counts for something. It’s not as good as “There’s One in Every Family” but, then again, that’s not a fair comparison.

For a third release from an artist of Fiend’s caliber, there’s no reason not to expect a five-star release. But this will do the job until we can get another one of those. Appreciate it for the fact that this is a true solo outing and probably the sort of album Fiend has wanted to release all along. Despite its oddball production and the aforementioned filler, “Street Life” is still a very strong record from an artist that should have blown up a hell of a long time ago. Let ‘em know who you are, Sleepy Eyes.

7/10