All eyes have been on Houston ever since Mike Jones’ distinctive anthem “Still Tiepin'” made its slow, yearlong climb to national prominence. But the city’s rap scene runs far deeper than that single–as Punjab MC Deep illustrates. His debut album, “In Trunks Now,” features such hip-hop heavy hitters as David Banner, Too $hort and Big Pokey. It is an uneven yet intriguingly diverse release. Snatches of Punjabi musical tradition flitter in and out of Deep’s work, a Petri dish of cultures and traditions. He mixes bhangra and classic rap style with Houston’s own “screwed and chopped” production aesthetic, which slows down rap songs to narcotic effect. The album’s best track features Houston star Slim Thug and blends old school, hard-hitting drums and tinkling bells with a modern club-style shout-out chorus.
