4.0 out of 5 discs

Alicia Keys
As I Am

3.5 out of 5 discs

Chris Brown is on a roll as of late. The rising superstar turned 18-years-old earlier this year, made his debut in the movie Stomp The Yard as well as the recently released film This Christmas, and he's just released his highly-anticipated sophomore album Exclusive for his growing number of fans. And even though the road to superstardom seems to be well-paved, there are a few potholes on Exclusive that keep him from riding into the sunset. "Throwed" talks about going overboard with loving someone, while "Kiss Kiss" is a lighthearted feel-good song that seems to serve as the bridge between his eponymous debut CD and this new project. Chris gives a taste of his newfound grown-up status on "Take You Down" that goes above and beyond a few sexual innuendos. "With You" is a endearing groove that sounds just like Beyonce's "Irreplaceable" (both songs were produced by the Norwegian powerhouse production team Stargate). "Picture Perfect" is anything but with its suspect production from Will.I.Am who also gives a lackluster rap performance to boot. "Hold Up" is all over the place with it's production from Cool & Dre, coupled with an impractical use of Big Boi's feature on an already innocuous track. He goes for a simple approach with the elementary "You," a track that he could market to his teen fan base that certainly still exists since this is only his second album. "Damage" follows this same formula, and "Wall To Wall" was crafted to appeal to the younger crowd, much like it's counterpart "Kiss Kiss". "Help Me" is a decent mid-tempo dance cut, while "I Wanna Be" is a great slow cut penned by consummate songwriter Tank. A uncomplicated yet respectable rap from Lil Wayne leads off the free-flowing, Jazze Pha-produced "Gimme Whatcha Got." Swizz Beatz provides an innovative groove for the otherwise self-explanatory affirmation on "I'll Call Ya." The album closes with the dismal track "Lottery," the passable cut "Nice" featuring The Game, and the humdrum of "Down" featuring Kanye West. Even though Exclusive could have been better, it certainly isn't an album that will set him back. Like Usher, Marques Houston, and other former underage singers, Chris Brown has some years to grow into a respectable force in contemporary R&B.

5 out of 5 discs

Sakai
Dream Big

When you think of R&B songstresses, you think of the big names like Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Patti Labelle, and Mary J. Blige (just to name a few).  But Bay Area recording artist Sakai encompasses the essence of all those that have come before her, offering a unique blend of soul-stirring music that any true fan of R&B can enjoy.  Listening to her sophomore album Dream Big will be more than a casual experience.  The lyrics are both honest and heartfelt, the music is well-produced and arranged, and the overall ingenuity throughout the album is something you rarely get from any of today's R&B artists.  "I Like" is a feel-good track featuring the familiar guitar work of Tony Toni Tone's own D'wayne Wiggins.  "Dream Big" is probably her most inspirational cut, giving any listener something to think about with their own life. "Nothin' I Can Do" is a standout single for anyone in love, followed closely by the endearing "Friendship 2 Love."  "Know It By Now" is a song about cutting your losses while your ahead when it comes to a dead-end relationship,  "Tired" is an edgy angst song about not being more than some guy's fling, and "Don't Touch Me Like That" actually talks about not getting intimate with someone who isn't really serious about being in love, let alone being in a true relationship. And even though Sakai is truly rooted in R&B, she isn't afraid to incorporate elements from other genres in her songs.  "Get Up 2 Get Down" has a touch of rock and "Can't Bring Me Down" features moments where she's sings in French. But with her unadulterated lyrics and authentic delivery, Sakai brings out a groove in both songs that makes them just as good as any of her bona fide R&B songs.   Dream Big is an album worth adding to any music connoisseur's R&B collection.  Sakai is arguably one of the best unknown R&B acts of our time and one can only hope that Dream Big is only one of many offerings in this singer's promising musical career..   

4 out of 5 discs

Jay-Z
American Gangster

3 out of 5 discs

Freeway has had one hell of a ride with Roc-A-Fella Records. After guest starring on numerous tracks and releasing his debut album Philadelphia Freeway back in 2003, Freeway was a Hip-Hop artist between a rock and a hard place in more ways than one. He was watching his friends become foes, his parent record company hang in limbo the entire time, and his burgeoning rap career slide down into the dark and murky abyss of uncertainty. His beacon of light finally came with the release of his highly-anticipated sophomore album Free At Last. Freeway starts out the album with the raw, unadulterated track "This Can't Be Real" with Floetry's own Marsha Ambrosius providing the background vocals. "It's Over" is a fast-paced song which incorporates snippets from Jay-Z's "Encore" in the chorus. Producer Bink, who produced "1-900-Hustler" for The Dynasty album Roc-La-Familia that served as Freeway's first mainstream appearance, returns for the thumpin' "Still Got Love." Things get a little questionable with "Roc-A-Fella Billionaires" featuring Jay-Z, namely the production by Dame Grease and his horrendous sample of the song "Big Spender" from the Broadway Musical turned Silver Screen movie Sweet Charity. On "When They Remember," producer Bink uses a great sample of Gladys Knight's "The Way We Were" that is coupled nicely with dynamic verses from Freeway. "Take It To The Top" featuring 50 Cent sounds too much like an attempt to be a MTV crossover cut, while "Spit That Sh*t" is only an okay offering. "Reppin' The Streets" does a good job of living up to it's title, while the title track "Free At Last" as well as "Baby Don't Do It" featuring Scarface both fail to live up to much of anything. The same can be said about the lackluster "Nuttin On Me," but things turn around on "Walk Wit Me" featuring Busta Rhymes and Jadakiss giving their man Freeway a much needed assist. Cool and Dre can only offer up a decent showing with their production for "Lights Down Low" featuring Rick Ross. Freeway closes the album with "I Cry," an emotional narrative that the Philadelphia rapper will most certainly be doing after people hear this album. With the promise of being a standout album, Free At Last fell short in many areas and could spell disaster when it comes to Freeway's mainstream career.

3 out of 5 discs

Scarface
M.A.D.E.

When people talk about true veterans of the rap game, most people acknowledge Scarface as one who has stood the test of time. With a career dating back to his shirtless days on the cover of the 1990 Geto Boys album Grip It! On That Other Level, Scarface has since gained the respect of music lovers worldwide and became a Hip-Hop luminary to many in the rap industry. So for someone who has little to prove, you can only discern that Scarface is releasing his latest album M.A.D.E. for the love of the game or to fatten his wallets. Unfortunately for fans (and for Scarface), half of the material is good, while the other half is suspect. Standout songs are the slammin' Lenny Williams-sampled track "Girl You Know," the straight-no-chaser feel of "Never," and the masterful storytelling of "Go" featuring Nina. Other decent tracks include "The Suicide Note" for its raw depiction of turmoil in the hood and the smoothed out ghetto tale "Boy Meets Girl" featuring Tanya Herron. The album slides with songs that either don't really gel well with Scarface's signature delivery or sound like they're straight out of left field and nobody (not even Scarface) should have even wasted time recording it. "Who Do You Believe In" is a decent cut, but the chorus is stripped bare and leaves the listener fairly distracted for stretches of time that could have been filled with more than just a instrumental. "Git Out My Face" is arguably the worst song ever recorded by Scarface, but "Bigg Dogg Status" featuring Wacko is a contender for second place. "Burn" featuring Z-Ro is okay at best, while the shameful chorus and juvenile production on "Dollar" should've been scrapped before they even finished the track in the studio. Had this album been released in his prime, Scarface may not have become the respected rapper that he is today. He still has the expertise to pull off decent joints with the right direction and the right producers. But he failed to pull off an entire album with that same formula. Luckily for Scarface, M.A.D.E. is being released at a time when he doesn't have anything to prove to anyone.