By Jason Randall Smith

Detroit’s own Guilty Simpson is that MC you’d love to hate but can’t, always getting you to nod your head in approval due to a one-liner he dropped at just the right time. Ode to the Ghetto marks his full-length debut and it’s much more varied than some would guess.

Bragging profusely does not an MC make (you’d think some would have learned this by now), so Mr. Simpson takes time to weave tales from the Motor City, including relationship drama, finding Guilty dealing with a stalker (”She Won’t Stay At Home”) as well as a woman whose moods change with the weather (”I Must Love You”). Cops are shown no love on “Pigs”, a criminally short Madlib-produced banger infested with lyrical middle fingers towards the boys in blue.

The production all around is five-star caliber, with beatcrafters such as Mr. Porter, Black Milk, Oh No and the late J Dilla all blessing Guilty with some serious heat. However, it’s the uncompromising honesty of Mr. Simpson that makes this album a strong. One listen to “The Real Me” or the title track and it’s clear that the brother’s not blowing smoke — not the fabricated story type of smoke, anyway.