One of Houston’s hardest working lyricists, Chamillionaire has been working overtime these past few years turning out dozens of his own ambitiously wordy verses as well as ghostwriting for the likes of Paul Wall and a host of lesser known Houston MCs. On Ultimate Victory Chamillionaire crafts more slick, sing-a-long hooks to consolidate his newfound popularity but is careful to balance hardcore lyricism and thoughtful production against the occasional flash of commercial gloss. The standout tracks here are among the best that Chamillionaire has ever produced. “Pimp Mode” sees him trading artful boasts with UGK’s Bun B, while on “Hip-Hop Police” Cham and Slick Rick rail against what they see as the media’s hypocritical assault on Hip-Hop culture. Though these tracks prove that Chamillionaire can trade verse with some of the best MCs in the game, Ultimate Victory sports its share of filler, particularly the leaden “Party Like a Rockstar” knock-off “Rockstar” and the lazy lothario poses of “I Think I Love You”. Nonetheless, Ultimate Victory is a showcase for some of Chamillionaire’s finest verses and is well worth the attention of anyone interested in the Houston scene.
