I probably listen to A Grand Don't Come for Free more then OPM, the impact of Empty Cans in the context of listening to the whole album is huge. Fit But You Know It and Dry Your Eyes are great too, maybe too commercial for some tastes.
Saw The Streets last year at Alexandra Palace! Banging gig..
OPR felt like he was singing about a time and a life he knew. I figure the label wanted a second album and he gave it a go.
"A Grand Don’t Come for Free was an ambitious rap opera that wrapped a tale of romance and remorse around the disappearance of £1,000 belonging to the protagonist. To write it, he attended a workshop with the Hollywood screenwriting guru Robert McKee, who taught the likes of Kirk Douglas, Paul Haggis, Joan Rivers and even David Bowie."
The later stuff, though, and particularly the material since the 2017 revival is... not great.