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Cheeks
Back Again
Mr. Cheeks
Universal
Ranking 4.25/5

The former Lost Boyz front man is back again with his second solo album since the group disbanded. Back Again establishes Mr. Cheeks as more than just a one-dimensional rapper capable of club success with previous hit songs like 'Light, Camera, Action' and Lil Kim's 'The Jump Off.'

Back Again is a funky blend of old skool, R&B, and upbeat club bangers. Mr. Cheeks' accent makes his vocals distinctive and crisp - a refreshing commodity among the sea of similarity. Lyrically, Mr. Cheeks is able to seamlessly switch from love ballads, to hussling themes and back to pimpin' party lyrics. The production proves to be the album's strongest element as the beats are fun, captivating and perfectly complement Mr. Cheeks vocals (or vice versa).

Mr. Cheeks starts off on the right foot, as the first song, 'Supposed To,' is a laid-back introduction-style track featuring Floetry's soulful poetry. Then, he jumps straight to the old skool on 'Remininsce 03' sampling the classic 'They Reminisce Over You' and featuring Pete Rock, CL Smooth and Journalist. 'The Wire' is an upbeat tempered song, beautifully produced by Chuckie Madness. The title track is a disco-laden heart-pumper bound to get the party started. M.O.P. make a well-timed appearance to harden the captivating 'The Hussle.' Mr. Cheeks also satisfies the R&B enthusiasts with featured appearances from Glenn Lewis on the smooth 'I Apologize,' as well as Mario Winans, Floetry and Alexander O'Neal.

Although not a fan of R&B laced pop hip-hop, Mr. Cheeks somehow manages to reel me in on the handful of such songs. His distinctive vocals prove captivating, and with only 11 tracks on the album, he keeps it short and impressive. Back Again is diverse, funky, enjoyable and captivating. It's definitely worth a listen.

Click here to buy the album at amazon.com

www.brockwayent.com

(Originally posted on HipHopCanada.com)

This review was written April 23, 2003
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