Cham: Ghetto Story : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Cham's down-tempo music and earnest lyricism offer a stark contrast to the Jamaican dancehall scene, where hard riddims dominate and toasters rarely get personal. And yet, somehow, he's become a star in his native country and stands a reasonable chance of being one of the few Caribbean MCs to make an impact in the States this year. The first single from this U.S. debut, "Ghetto Story," recounts Cham's hard-luck upbringing in Kingston: "I remember those days when hell was my home/When me and Mama bed was a big piece a foam," he starts off. (Remixes featuring Alicia Keys and Akon take the song in cool new directions.) In "Rude Boy Pledge," backed by steel drums, he swears, "I cannot forget where I come from" and "I don't worship money/That's not what counts." And while Cham isn't above bawdy sex tales -- "Boom, Boom," featuring Rihanna, should be blasting from clubs across the world -- the casual homophobia and empty violence of his contemporaries are thankfully absent.