With a triumphant trumpet sample and some braggadocio, Styles P finally releases his long-awaited sophomore album, Time Is Money. That title is a bit ironic, considering this CD has been pushed back more times than D-Block fans would like to admit.

Since it was first rumored to come out (in early spring of 2005), there have been two drastically different bootlegs and a number of superb mixtapes. Styles has grown in these last years from a Gangster and a Gentleman to a true underground hero. Does this album live up to the hype and anticipation, though?

Yes and no. While Styles is always on point with his rhymes, it’s as if he did things on this album that he would never do on his mixtapes. He’s at his best over random samples and in packaging that has “for promotional use only” stickers affixed to it. His release here is 12 tracks deep, and 11 of them are featuring someone else. From the late, great Gerald Levert to Talib Kweli, Akon and Sizzla, Styles has a wide variety of collaborations on here and while they work for the most part, some come off sounding forced.

SP the Ghost and Kweli get their militancy on with the Hi-Tek funk-laced “Testify,” speaking on the ills of the streets and providing some ill lyrics over the smooth bass licks, accented by beautiful horns. Mobb Deep’s Havoc orchestrates some interesting strings and flutes on “How We Live,” but then lets Jadakiss do some ridiculous “singing” on the chorus, which seemed like it was an afterthought.

Jada does redeem himself alongside Sheek Louch on the single “Who Want A Problem,” an understated Swizz Beatz track. Again, the lyrics here are on point, as the LOX get back on their grind and show why they’ve been able to stay relevant for the last 12 years; however, the random hook leaves much to be desired.

“I’m Black,” the previously released single that received decent radio airplay, showcases the duality of Styles’ nature: While he is a street dude, he still has strong political views and racial identity — and for these times where Black people need role models they can look up to, you’d think a track like this would have taken off more. Lil’ Jon gives Styles some Crunk Rock to get jiggy with, while Akon does his trademark crooning over the track. This is another single and it's very disposable – you can smell the Billboard aspirations in this funk. On “Favorite Drug,” Styles rides the same sample that T.I. did on “Why U Wanna,” and even though he says that he did this a year and a half ago, the tone of the track, the theme of the lyrics…everything about it screams “TRL.”

At the end of the day, while Styles maintains his cool and is able to keep his street poetry alive over any kind of track, the intentions and wishes of some of the tracks lean a little toward Pop appeal. This is especially strange for a guy who has released albums entitled “We Are The Streets,” and has gone on major radio stations proclaiming how he speaks for the streets. When he drops a mixtape, he is undeniably one of the fiercest MCs to pick up the mic, able to speak his mind and enlighten yours while always maintaining his swagger.

Now, mind you, monetary aspirations are the name of the game when you are signed to a major label. But when you wear your hood on your sleeve like Styles does, it’s a slap in the face when you can just tell that he is reaching for “that” audience. It’s a shame that he has to water down some of his flavor to get paid, but this is not a perfect world. Life is short, and time is money.