By Norman Grubbs, The Crimson White (U.Alabama)
(U-WIRE) TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Ludacris, more than just Mike Tyson’s infamous word since the 2000 release of “Back for the First Time,” shows why he’s the “loud mouth of the South” on “Chicken-N-Beer.”
The third album in four years from the Disturbing Tha Peace/Def Jam South recording artist, is consistent with the club-like, trunk rattling explosive sound of the South. In two years, Ludacris, a former 95.7 Atlanta radio station personality, became a household-name artist with hits like the 2001 Grammy-nominated “Rollout.”
Preceding the release of “Chicken-N-Beer,” Ludacris already proved to be a formidable advisory in the hip-hop industry with acting roles in “The Wash” and “2 Fast 2 Furious,” as well as the release of “Golden Grain” and “Jackpot,” albums by Ludacris’ proteges DTP and Chingy.
Ludacris, formerly known as Chris Lova Lova, also has appeared on Missy Elliot’s album “Under Construction” and OutKast’s newly released “Speakerboxx/The Love Below.”
Though Ludacris continually succeeds to be profitable in his marketing of the down-South image, his lyrics haven’t contained enough substance to be regarded as one of the best of his time.
“Hard Times” shows how much further Ludacris has to grow lyrically to be synonymous with his region of the country and not just synonymous with Atlanta.
Some of Ludacris’ talent is showcased in “Screwed Up,” in which Ludacris and Lil’ Flip spit quick-witted similes and metaphors back and forth. Ludacris shows versatility on the track by rhyming over the slowed-down playback of the beat, a style better known as “screwed” for the late Texas native DJ Screw, and is humorous with lines like: “I’m so cold I think I see dead people / Naw, that’s just my homies passed out in the Regal.”
A noteworthy track on “Chicken-N-Beer” is “Splash Waterfalls,” which explains the different personalities women tend to show when it comes to sex, as Ludacris raps the hook, “I’m bout to throw some game / they both one in the same / Cupid’s the one to blame” which describes the essence of the point of view he is trying to convey.
The seesaw structure of “Splash Waterfalls” makes it stand out among other cuts on the album because after every bar comes a female voice singing what type of personality Ludacris is describing.
The hook Ludacris and Snoop Dogg try to sing drastically takes away from “Hoes in My Room,” but I think it is remarkable that the lyrics and strings exuberating the West Coast sound still make it a must-listen on “Chicken-N-Beer,” and it shows Ludacris’ potential for growth. Ludacris and Snoop Dogg rap back and forth on this track discussing life on the road and the backstage scene.
Though “Chicken-N-Beer” stands apart from his previous albums as preempted by the Isaac Hayes sample at the beginning, which merges into the “Southern Fried Intro,” it fails to stand apart in context and creativity from his contemporaries.
Ludacris gets a party started. No matter “What’s Your Fantasy;” he’ll make you want to “Rollout” to the club, get on the dance floor and “Move.”
