The best word to describe Atlanta rapper Ludacris is fun. No other rapper looks like he has more fun doing what he does than Luda whether he has giant-sized arms in the video for "Get Back" or dresses up as various Austin Powers characters in the video for "Number One Spot." Filled with a naughty sense of humor and clever one-liners, Ludacris has delivered consistently since his 2000 major-label debut Back For The First Time. However, Luda hasn't gotten much respect in some hip-hop circles and has been criticized as being "goofy" and a "nursery rhyme rapper."
Things started to change for Ludacris in 2005 when his acting career got off to an auspicious start with serious roles in Hustle & Flow, Law And Order: SVU, and the Academy Award-winning Crash. These roles helped people see Chris "Ludacris" Bridges as more than his hip-hop persona and gained him acclaim. Seeking more respect for his music, Ludacris takes things a little more seriously on his new album Release Therapy. While there are few differences between this album and Ludacris' previous four albums, there are enough to convince his detractors he is talented enough to stand with his peers.
The most notable difference between Release Therapy and Ludacris's previous albums is the lack of skits. This album comes in at a lean 14 songs which includes an intro. This is significant because the skits on Ludacris' previous albums were quite good and usually on par with (or sometimes better than) the music. Fortunately, Luda doesn't need skits this time around.
The songs closest to what we normally expect from Ludacris are found in the first half or so of the album. The Neptunes, who produced Luda's hit song "Southern Hospitality," return to work with Luda on two tracks of differing quality. The hit single "Money Maker" is actually one of the album's weaker songs. Luda's lyrics here are generic come ons that are devoid of the cleverness of previous songs. The Neptunes' beat is equally generic with the powerful orchestral opening being the best thing about it. The Neptunes and Ludacris fair a lot better on "Girls Gone Wild." Ludacris rides the dark, electronic beat like no one else and the lyrics are clever and much better than "Money Maker."
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