** 1/2 Master P, “Only God Can Judge Me,” No Limit/Priority.

Just over a year after his so-called retirement as a rapper, the multimedia entrepreneur returns with a sixth album (in stores Tuesday) that’s a dramatic improvement over last year’s double-disc disappointment, “MP Da Last Don.”

But it seems odd to call this a solo album. All but one of the 23 cuts feature at least one singer or rapper in addition to Master P--and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Innovation and lyrical polish aren’t the terms that come to mind when listening to the New Orleans native’s work. But in his me-against-the-system tirades, he’s good at making himself seem like a struggling neighbor who’s easy to identify with.

Guest artists Nas and such potent proteges as Magic and D.I.G. add lyrical punch, and Master P branches out from the riveting yet predictable production sound (from the Beats by the Pound crew) that helped propel No Limit Records to the top of the charts. Although some of the beats here still lean on past R&B; hits, they’re far more varied than those on the rest of the label’s releases.