After two decades of guest appearances and self-made mixtapes, underground legend Percee P now finds himself in the rarified position of capping his career with a debut LP. From the retrospective of Percee vocal samples that opens the record, it's clear that Perseverance is a victory lap for the long-tenured Bronx emcee. But despite track titles like "Legendary Lyricist" and "Last of the Greats," Percee doesn't just rest on his rep. Attacking the mike with his relentless internal rhyme schemes and ever-shifting wordplay, Percee proves his technical mastery once again.

Producer Madlib has just as gaudy a legacy to live up to, but he keeps things fresh with beats ranging from dusty funk breaks to cinematic string samples. Even guest rappers Chali 2Na, Aesop Rock, and Prince Po of Organized Konfusion manage to keep up with the old master.

Still, for all of his craft, Percee has never been heavy on charisma. He brings the same wicked array of skills to each track but does little to distinguish his lickety-split flows from each other. The result is an album that wears a bit thin by the end of its fifty-four minutes. But as a testament to Percee's blend of talent and determination, Perseverance delivers. It's the sort of record that any rapper, regardless of his credentials, would be proud to add to his name.

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Artist: http://www.myspace.com/perceep

Label: http://www.stonesthrow.com/

"Throwback Rap Attack" video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ_UOiV8okg