On One Man Band Man, Swizz Beatz’s second LP and the first to feature him as a vocalist, the Bronx-bred, Jersey-based producer acts as more of a hype man than a rapper. But witty lyricism is hardly expected from the guy behind the boards on such rap hits as DMX’s “Ruff Ryders Anthem” and Busta Rhymes’s “Touch It,” and who more than anyone was responsible for hip-hop’s late-’90s shift from sample-based loops to keyboard-driven melodies. Instead, Swizz is content to rhyme primarily about how good his beats are (“Product Man”) and how much money he has (on just about every track, though “Big Munny” is particularly blatant), while relying on borrowed hip-hop catchphrases to get many of his points across.

The album focuses on anthems based around huge, radio-ready hooks (see the recent singles “It’s Me Bitches” and “Money in the Bank”) and slightly left-field beats that are actually worthy of his seemingly over-the-top boasts. It should be noted, however, that Swizz did not produce all 12 tracks on One Man Band Man; half of them were farmed out to colleagues like Neo Da Matrix and Nottz, making his claims significantly less impressive. But despite all of its obvious drawbacks, One Man is infectious; to a degree, it evokes the earnest, block-rocking vibe of early-’80s rap, while sounding fresh throughout.