Mr. Lif, Mo’ Mega

Mr. Lif’s third album, Mo’ Mega, is the latest blast at the government from the undie-rapper’s undie-rapper. Lif may be right to be afraid of government interference, considering that he’s one of the most unabashed political commentators in rap, but the biggest development on Mo’ Mega is that he’s finally started talking about himself.

That said, though, this reviewer isn’t sure it’s a good thing Lif has suddenly decided to start revealing the depths of his soul — if a friend told me about how he was going down on some girl and she tasted really nasty like Lif does in “Washitup,” I guarantee I’d be shouting “Too much information!” He also opens up about his desire to go commercial — on “Murs is My Manager,” he’s all worried about business and looking for his first corporate sponsorship. He’s particularly worried about the deal with Herbal Essences falling apart because he hasn’t washed his hair. Thanks for sharing, Lif.

Politics, however, is still what he breathes. Even on the track that’s supposed to be a goof (“Murs”), he still can’t keep away from politics: Lif hatches a plan for Kanye West to distract government attention from his records and rejects Al Gore as a guest rapper. And the rest of the record is his typical blend of social criticism and conspiracy; even “The Fries” wraps a condemnation of the fast-food industry with some conspiracy theories (although you’d think that the fast-food industry would be an easy enough target in and of itself).

The producers come up with some top-notch beats, too — El-P sets a new standard for himself, from the abrasive guitar riff that drives “Collapse” to the electronic orchestra on “Ultra/Mega” to the spooky piano of “Lookin’ In.” Edan digs up a couple of great samples, a bouncy bassline and brash horn section that make “Murs” a huge amount of fun (and make it the catchiest song here). And Lif himself comes up with a fun Caribbean beat that perfectly matches the lighthearted “Washitup.”

Have no fear, mind you — Lif won’t ever turn into a weepy confessional rapper. He’d still rather watch CNN than reality TV. But his desire to open up turns out to be good for not only himself, but for the fans, as well. In this case, it looks like the nice guy is finishing first.