Defsounds

Christopher "Ludacris" Bridges has always been one of the most entertaining rappers to watch or listen to, being recognized more for his hilarious antics and outrageous punchlines than any redeeming lyricism. But this time around, Ludacris' sixth studio album to be exact, Mr. DTP tries his hand at a conceptual album, bringing us the theatrical Theater of the Mind. An album with no guests, but rather "co-stars". Ludacris is trying to provide us with the soundtrack to the blockbuster movie that doesn't exist.

Lyrics - 8.0

For some odd reason, with Theater of the Mind, Ludacris feels the need to prove the critics and the doubters wrong. What we've come to expect from a Ludacris album - tales of Southern storytelling with heartfelt pleas aimed at the urban youth and the hustlers - is gone, for the most part, unfortunatley being replaced with empty boasts and trap-a-holic bars.

It's not all cars and women, though ; on songs like "MVP," "Undisputed" and "Last Of A Dying Breed", Ludacris really showcases his lyrical ability. He is, after all, a punchline rapper, and the lines here are often laugh-out-loud funny and engaging. Full of personality as he is, Ludacris actually sounds hungry here, which is quite an accomplishment to a multi-millionaire on his sixth album.

Production - 7.5

The production here is done by your expected producers, such as DJ Toomp, Scott Storch, Swizz Beatz, 9th Wonder, etc. The production is well-rounded, if not predictable at times. I don't hear a genre-defining classic anywhere near the album, but there also aren't many tracks that you want to skip. The three jams meant for the ladies, "What Them Girls Like," "Contagious" and "Nasty Girl" are all forgettable, as is the lackluster production of "Wish You Would," which features fellow Southerner T.I.

The real gems here are the DJ Premier produced "MVP", where Ludacris spits over Primo's signature scratches and samples, and "I Do It For Hip-Hop," which co-stars hip-hop legends Jay-Z and Nas. "I Do It For Hip-Hop"'s mellow yet grandeur production, allows a Lupe Fiasco-esque ability to focus on the words being said rather than the thundering bass of a song like "Last Of A Dying Breed".

Songs - 8.0

The "co-stars" on Theater Of The Mind really take away from the main act - Ludacris. Only two of the available fourteen tracks feature Ludacris rapping alone, leaving you feeling ripped off. Songs which feature someone on the chorus are manageable. For example, "One More Drink" details Ludacris' hilarious drunken adventure to the club with an auto-tune-laced T-Pain, where they hook up with less-than-attractive women. On "Southern Gangsta", Ving Rhames provides the narratives (Ludacris is a "true entreprenegro" and has "expanded his empire into multiple profitable businesses, including his Thai food restaraunt") while Ludacris spits alongside his label-group Playaz Circle and Rick Ross.

The highlight of the record is the cinematically titled "Do The Right Thang" with a special appearance by Chicago emcee Common, which might be a bit more interesting if Common hadn't become hip-hop's go-to guy for "conscious" rap guest spots. The stark contrast between this song and the rest of the album makes for an immediate head-nodding, thought-provoking song that we know Ludacris is capable of. Acting as 2008's "Runaway Love," Ludacris begs the youth of America to do the right thang. When the song explodes into a barrage of dusty horns and 1970's-like funk jam, Ludacris triumphantly raps "I see sunshine gazing through the window pane / blazing like indo flame, it's time to wake up," is a track pulled straight from Ludacris' heart, and a fantastic closer to the album.

Overall - 8.0

Overall, Theater of the Mind is a solid album. With hip-hop as it is these days, we have come to expect Ludacris as one of the emcee's who will revive it. When Ludacris spits "top five, damn right, but it really just hit me/ that three of your top five's too scared to fuck with me," it proves to be a fantasic line, one of the album's most confident jams. But, it's probably not true. Ludacris definitely has the potential to be in your top five, but his albums don't have enough balance to solidify that though. Theater Of The Mind is most definitely worth a $9.99 trip to a store, but it is far from the classic status that Christopher was reaching for.