Ponzo Houdini has been given ample opportunity by his company Cake Boss Life Entertainment LLC, to flaunt his rapping talent, and he did so on his 10 track album “Controlled Substance”. Ponzo is an American Rapper, Songwriter, Public Figure, Actor, Mentor, and not least, C.E.O. of Cake Boss Life Entertainment LLC from Buffalo, New York. He should command admiration from a wide spectrum of hip-hoppers: conscious to crunk to gangsta, as he handles all pretty well. This album is like candy for hip-hop lovers in a good way: sweet and satisfying.
Unguarded emotions are all over “Controlled Substance”, as Ponzo Houdini covers a serious amount of themes, and the result is more affecting than even anti-Ponzo cynics are probably willing to admit. He kicks off the proceedings, with his early struggles on “Came Along Way” telling everybody how things were for him, and where he is now.
But this album is not just filled with references to the economic troubles, as Ponzo tackles relationship struggles and other soul-searching. And he shows more heart than most rappers typically get credit for.
However Ponzo Houdini is also about partying and hustling like on “Lit” and “Santa Claus is Coming To Town”. With over infectious tunes like “Bet Dat”, “Take A Bath Feat OJ Da Juiceman” and “Stuck On Parole” Ponzo shows that he knows how to make the most of each beat.
He really comes into his own though, with what I think is the best all-round track on the album, “Gorgeous”. Hip-hop does not always need to address the wrongs in society – sometimes it is enough just to have fun. Ponzo’s off-the-cuff tale on this track is simply mesmerizing, as it is on “She Fell In Love”.
With the release of “Controlled Substance”, Ponzo Houdini shows his followers how to be independent and still make competitive, good music that has both art and club appeal, paid in full. At his best, Ponzo is an irresistible rapper whose ideal medium is the three-minute single, the guilty pleasure that sounds terrific in clubs or booming out of passing cars, and yet has enough substance to induce contemplation.
Intricacy and economy rarely cohabitate in a rapper’s flow, but Ponzo Houdini is a model of both, packing an obscene number of rhyming syllables into each line, and sustaining the effect for lengthy runs.
“Controlled Substance” certainly confirms Ponzo Houdini as one of underground hip-hop’s gifted wordsmiths, as he blends complex rhyme schemes with his distinctive imagery. This album perfectly encapsulates Ponzo’s eccentric New York style, showcasing his effortless flow and his flawless wordplay.
Add that to the more than solid music production, and the fact that Ponzo Houdini comes across as one of the more colorful characters in rap music, and more than likely Cake Boss Life Entertainment LLC has a winner in its hands here!
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