J-Live
All Of The Above (Coup d'État)

Back in '99, J-live laid the foundation for his musical destiny with the completion of his now highly sought after debut album, The Best Part. Lead by instant classics "Them That's Not" and "Bragging Writes", the album quickly spread the gospel of J-Live's incredible rhyme style. But when the album was shelved amid record label restructuring and other soap opera drama, restless fans of the New York school teacher-turned-MC turned to their prohibition-era historical manuals for some trusted advice about the bootlegging business. Now, after three years in musical limbo, J-Live returns with the follow-up album All of the Above, which comes only a few months after the 'official' release of The Best Part and demonstrates the great leaps this accomplished MC has made toward becoming a complete artist. Live steps up here with a number of self-produced cuts - with producers DJ Spinna, Joe Money and Richie Pitch providing the balance - and the album is a far more coherent whole than its predecessor. But it's the lyrics that carry the day here, and Live spits on everything from love and religious conflicts, to mortality, to the disturbing honeymoon period regarding social problems States-side following 9-11. When J-Live isn't ripping into unnamed rivals ("How Real It Is" and "MCee"), he's bearing his soul to past friends and future family ("A Charmed Life" and "Like This Anna"). This album speaks far more than Best Part would have alone, and gives a far clearer picture of what J-Live is all about.
- Kevin Jones

Pretty Willie
Enter the Life of Suella (Universal)

From St. Louis, the land of Nelly, comes Pretty Willie, a.k.a. Suella (Suave Educated Luckily Ladies Ask). He has his own style, but he reminds one of Nelly in his combination of singing and rapping. Unfortunately, though he injects his material with a welcome dose of positivity, I don't see him garnering the same attention or success as Nelly. He's not without talent. His voice is not bad and his rhymes can be witty, but many of the songs he comes up with come off as pedestrian and uninspired. The production is sometimes enjoyable, but usually unimaginative. This is true also for his hooks - on certain songs ("She Got A Man At Home", "Designer Love," "Hard Times"), he comes up with catchy goodness, but other times it's drivel ("Lil Piggy").
- Chike Jeffers

Cee-Lo
Cee-Lo and His Perfect Imperfections
(Arista)

Goodie Mob's Cee-Lo is out of the box with his solo long-player, ready to cast a spell with his incredible lyrical skills and inventive mind. Like his southern counterparts - Outkast comes to mind - Cee-Lo is not afraid to push the borders of what is acceptable in contemporary rap. Whether it's the horned-soaked "Closet Freak" or the piano-driven "Gettin' Grown" Cee-Lo and Outkast among others would never shy away from giving props to George Clinton and his Parliament Funkadelic for laying the groundwork upon which they are now building. Dig the psychedelic "Bass head Jazz" or "Spend the Night In Your Mind" featuring Big Gipp & Backbone for further proof. Cee-Lo's sense of humor is also evident. Check "Big Ole Words." Favourite track is "Microhard" featuring Jahalla & Kirkland underwater).

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