Born in Indiana but raised in Mississippi, Tha Joker has been putting in work since 2007, when he launched his own indie label FTE. He's released several locally popular mixtapes (including Before the Fame, Why So Serious, and nine installments of his We Do It for Fun series). On The Phenom, he shares the mic with likeminded homies such as Big Fruit, Lil Mal, Future, and Flawless, featuring a dozen tracks about his impending fame ("Limelight"), rocking the ladies ("Get They B*tches"), and getting/staying paid ("Early in the Morning"). The production is typical Southern skitter beats, and the Auto-Tune is in full effect on several joints, but there some great jams here. Most notable are the slower selections like "Home Again," "My Round," and "Right Thru Em."