Underground, Vol. 3: Kings of Memphis

Triple Six Mafia includes: Koopsta Knicca, Project Pat, Lord Infamous, Gangsta Boo, DJ Paul, Juicy J.This third volume in Triple 6 Mafia's UNDERGROUND series makes it clear that this southern hip-hop collective is no flash in the pan. On the one hand, the unmitigated violence they depict in their lyrics and the unrelentingly confrontational tone of their raps bespeaks an abandon that seems hard to maintain. On the other hand, the carefully crafted arrangements--featuring imaginative synth work and cleverly syncopated rhythms--and the sheer consistency of the group's vision over the course of so many recordings proves them to be a long-lasting phenomenon. Project Pat, who took part in VOL. 2, appears to have departed to tend to his burgeoning solo career, but anyone impressed by the previous UNDERGROUND volumes should be satisfied by the sustained level of intensity on VOL. 3.