Worth
the
Cash
or
the blacker.
Representing 919
“Diary of a Sinner: 1st Entry"
- Petey Pablo
By John Cleveland
Finally, somebody in the wide world of
hip-hop is putting North Carolina on the
map. The Greensville native, Petey Pablo,
globalizes North Carolina's urban flavor by
producing club-thumping beats flourished
with his unique personal, saliva-slinging
lyrics. His rough tone and country dialect
properly insert North Carolina into the off
the record collaboration of states repre
senting the Dirty South.
This album is full of Carolina defining,
club jamming, head-nodding rhythms, and
anyone who has been clubbing lately
would know that Pab's latest most intrigu
ing club jam is titled, "919 M**** His
tendency of yelling “m**** after stat
ing the elite 919 area code, is damn near
contagious as it gets in your head and
becomes impossible not to reiterate the
profane word over and over. As a matter
of fact Petey repeats the blasphemous
word multiple times on every track.
Although the majority of the album is
comprised of club jams, Pab does reveal a
little bit of calmness with a couple of mel
low jams that are decorated with a lyrical
biography of his life. He makes an unsuc
cessful attempt to voice his poetic side by
talking to his audience, a strategy only
conquered by Ja Rule and DMX through
prayers. Clearly this is a tactic that isn't
made out for the innovative artist to uti
lize. Nevertheless, his track titled, "Didn't
I,” which resembles a remake of Juvenile's
ground breaking single, "Ha," is off the
chain.
So, don't be a little b**** by download
ing the CD. Represent like a true
Carolinian and buy the CD ”m'"' f****." As
the illustrious Petey Pablo might state it,
buy it at warehouse for only ^16.99
or even ^13.99, “m**** f****,' at ama
zon.com.
the better
Whatever Hater
"Invincible" - Michael Jackson
By Joy Mcneil
No one ever thought it was possible. He
went on a long hiatus, raised two children
and only popped up to make an occasional
statement to the press. All the while, he
was perfecting an album unlike all the oth
ers in his lifetime. That man is Michael
Jackson.
Out of nowhere, you turn on the radio
and television, and there he is with a mod
ern and hard-hitting sound that can make
even the most hardcore hip-hop heads
give respect. But is Michael Jackson truly
invincible?
"Invincible" is Michael Jackson's first
studio album in six long years. Like all his
other albums, "Invincible" is setting stan
dards in the world of music. As executive
producer of the album, Michael proves
that he can continue producing hits. With
"Invincible," Jackson confirms that he can
work with the hottest producers out there,
Rodney Jerkins and Teddy Riley, and
experiment with the hottest beats in the
industry to produce an ultra-modern,
ultra-smooth, ultra-cool album.
The first track on "Invincible" sets the
standard for the album. "Unbreakable"
sounds like a newer, fresher Michael with
lots of attitude, grunts and a message that
can't be confused: "Whatever, hater!" In
"Unbreakable" Michael sings "don't you
ever make no mistake/Baby I've got what
it takes/And there's no way you'll ever get
to me/why can't you see that you'll never
hurt me/ 'Cause I won't let it be, see I'm
too much for you baby." From
"Unbreakable" you can see that the album
is dedicated to all the haters out there that
thought it was over.
The second track, "Heartbreaker," keeps
in line with the same idea. Michael decides
in the track that he will play as he has been
played. The hip-hop edge to the track,
engineered by Rodney Jerkins, hits home
that Michael isn't just singing about bub
ble gum love or lust. He sings "but I hope
in time that she will finally realize/l'm onto
her game and she'll get played the same."
His first single from the album "You
Rock My World" is vintage Michael with
an ultra-cool, modern beat and a joy in his
voice that we haven't heard in a long time.
He isn't afraid to express his real feelings
about the woman he wants.
From fast to slow, Michael Jackson is in
rare form. His slow songs on "Invincible"
form the core of the album. The hottest
track on the entire album is "Butterflies," a
slow-to-mid tempo track. It makes you
want to call up that love interest and chill.
You can bop your head, dance, or just vibe
to "Butterflies." On this track, Michael hits
both ends of his range, the extremely
highs and lows, which ironically mirrors
the highs and lows of crushes and relation
ships. "Butterflies" is like butter; it melts
in your mouths, or perhaps just in your
ears. And, "Break of Dawn," another slow
jam on the album just talks about making
love. Michael sings "I don't want the sun to
shine I wanna make love/Just this magic in
your eyes and in my heart/l don't know
what I'm gonna do I can't stop lovin' you/ I
won't stop 'til break of dawn makin' love."
Yes, this is the new improved, invincible
Michael.
There are other songs, 16 in all, which
host Michael Jackson in the rarest, most
priceless of forms. He really has reached
his prime in the music world. Does this
mean he is invincible? Of course. Michael
Jackson cements his staying power every
day.
So if you're looking for an invincible
Michael Jackson with a hard-knocking
album, then look no further. "Invincible" is
one of the best albums of 2001.
Keepin' It Real
"Mahogany Soul" - Angie Stone
By Gahmya Drummond-Bey
o
How many of us have been through a
relationship that ended before we felt it
was time? Better yet, how many of us,
females, have wished that we didn't miss
[that man] anymore? The same man who
we were tired of giving chances to and
hearing say," I'm gonna change."
The understanding that Angie Stone
possesses of men is no doubt apparent in
her new album "Mahogany Soul" as she
belts out ballets in her husky, yet soulful
19
Black INK