Ludacris

Blessed with a knack for comic rhymes, a big voice, and a graphic artist's widescreen sensibility, Ludacris is one of the great singles artists of the new decade in hip-hop, and he's made some decent albums along the way, too. Originally released independently as Incognegro, Ludacris' debut got picked up by Def Jam South, who rejiggered and reissued the record as Back for the First Time. Massive success followed immediately after, thanks to the rolling "Southern Hospitality" and the sexy call-and-response with his buddy Shawna, "What's Your Fantasy?" Still, Luda wasn't yet consistent enough to carry an entire album, and he didn't vary his aggressive, Marv Albert-style of rapping enough.

Quick on the debut's heels, Word of Mouf brings more of the same crunked-up barrage, though brighter production and a far more varied sonic palette provide relief from Luda's onslaught. Singles like "Area Codes" and "Saturday" show marked improvement and make for great radio fare; "My Business" is all vibrant bounce, and "Move Bitch" is so much fun you can forgive its nasty sentiment. Still, ever wonder how many times an hour you can hear the word ho before you go nuts? Ludacris has your answer. (RONI SARIG)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide