The most popular track is the clear standout here with 'Sensitivity' only taking about half a listen to hook you in. The slow souly 'Do What I Gotta Do' is enjoyable as well and is on the next tier of songs. The album begins with the new jack swing 'Rated R', but like many of the higher energy tracks, they don't greatly succeed. Vocally, Ralph sounds like Michael Jackson and there is a link between the two artists with 'Alright Now' having MJ credited as a writer and as a background singer. It isn't one of the better songs though. The album makes for a consistent pleasant listen, but there isn't enough top tier material here for me to rate this higher. Best Tracks: Sensitivity, Do What I Gotta Do, Love Takes Time, Sensitivity (Ralph's Rap)

"Do do do do dooo do do do do do do do/Shut the fuck up bitch, you can't sing/Ya sound like a kid playing on a swing (Fuck you)" I couldn't not think of Tim Dog's scathing lyrics from 'Fuck Compton' as I played this. However, when Michel'le really sings her ass off, on songs like 'Something in My Heart', and the final minute of 'Keep Watchin'', she sounds amazing. There are some tracks that just meander through like 'Silly Love Song, 'Close to Me' and the shout-out track that were an unfortunate trend of the late '80s/'90s with 'Special Thanks', where we hear Michel'le's speaking voice that is very high which she is well aware of. - "Everybody say I sound like a baby, but I'm 100% woman." And then with the reprise of 'If', that is just an uninspiring instrumental, the album ends limply. The funky and new jack swing influenced production by Dr Dre and Andre "L.A. Dre" Bolton is all okay, particularly considering it's not in Dre's main wheelhouse of hip hop. It is though a front loaded album, and while I do enjoy Michel'le's voice, some of the songwriting isn't quite there with some tracks lacking enough change or build up in the songs and others like 'If' sounding forced. Best Tracks: No More Lies, Nicety, Keep Watchin', Something in My Heart

"You're an amazing person." Has a bigger lie been told on film? Charlie's daughter is so infuriating. It's to the point of wanting to turn the movie off. Her aside, this doesn't have a 4/5 narrative as the current rating suggests.

This is a mixed bag but is worth checking out for the best it offers. It starts strong and has a tail that contains some of the best tracks, but there are a number of songs in the middle, many with some hip hop influence, that aren't quite good enough. Best Tracks: Superstar, Thank You (Single Edit), See It in a Boy's Eyes, Life, Antidote

Nelly provides vocals with a melodic singing/rapping flow, but it doesn't change for the entirety of the songs making them get boring and the skip button receiving some pressure. There are some decent choruses that help some of the songs, but nothing is to a high enough level to save the verses. On the other hand, then there are lyrics on hooks like on the title track - "Shimmy, shimmy cocoa, what?". I can't sing along to that... It's a similar case with the chorus of 'E.I.'. 'Steal the Show' is like a posse track with basically five minutes of rapping backed by a beat that sounds reminiscent of Juvenile's 'Ha' with other songs giving off that Mannie Fresh production vibe as well. When the production brings some soul, and is quite likeable, like when it is sampling One Way's 'Don't Stop (Ever Loving Me)' on 'Luven Me', Nelly uses a verse to just shout out people making that song lose the momentum it created earlier. Maybe this was a new sound when it dropped which is why it did so well, and why it still has a decent rating, but there is nothing at all I like too much on this disc with a lot of the songs getting boring before they're done. I prefer his follow up, Nellyville. Beats: ★★☆ Rapping/Bars: ★★ Hooks: ★★☆ Best Tracks: Ride Wit Me, E.I., Tho Dem Wraps, Batter Up, Luven Me