Hailing from Baton Rouge, La., Young Bleed bubbled up in the late '90s, releasing his debut album, My Balls and My Word, back in 1998 when he was still repping for Master P's then-mighty No Limit empire. Unlike many of his contemporaries, who rocked super-aggressive, fast-tempo styles, Young Bleed came off cool, calm, and collected, with a thoroughly mellowed-out style and syrupy, laconic flow. Now aligned with Tech N9ne's Strange Music label, 'Bleed returns with his first full solo album since 2007's Once Upon a Time in America. Preserved gives us 18 joints of laid-back gangsterisms, hard-knocking beats, and synth squiggles. Features come courtesy of OG Sacramento murder rapper Brotha Lynch Hung ("How Ya Do Dat Again") and Juvenile ("Boot Up"), but for the most part it's a one-man show. And he impresses consistently, especially on the funky, guitar-propelled "City Uh God" and the exotic flute-laced single "Holla at Uh Dog".