"Theater of the Mind" is the seventh album by Ludacris. It has him work on an original concept, in which he chooses to set his piece as a theatre", and so this production is less of a music release and more of a performance, in which he gets co-stars, instead of featured guest artists. To fit in with this concept, amongst typical names of T-Pain, The Game and Lil' Wayne, the likes of Spike Lee, Jamie Foxx and Chris Rock also make such appearances with him.
1. "Intro"
2. "Undisputed" (co-starring Floyd Mayweather)
Until I heard this lead the album, instead of being just an indivual tune, I thought very little of it. However when you consider it in relation to the concept of the album, it is perfect as Luda knocks out MCs with his lines and has "Money Mayweather hype him up as he does so.
**Five Stars**
3. "Wish You Would" (co-starring. T.I.)
To signify the pair are completely over their half-hearted beef in 2006, Luda gets T.I. to co-star with him on this one, and this collaboration is a big one for them, as despite its significance for bridging once-rivals together, it also has them kill off a beat by Tip's lead beat-maker, DJ Toomp, and so they come up with a killer of a tune as the co-reigning kings of the south rap together.
**Four
Stars**
4. "One More Drink" (feat. T-Pain)
The club banger of the album comes in the form of this track as T-Pain predictably collaborates with the artist, and as always comes up with something incredible to make a large presence in the party venues. On it, you get him rapping whilst in this setting about how he will inevitably get with a girl by the rate that he is getting drinks down his neck.
**Five Stars**
5. "Call Up The Homies" (co-starring The Game and Willy Northpole)
In a collaboration with Willy Northpole and The Game, this one has Luda come up with the a banger of a track as he raps with some heavy beats from Clinton Sparks to give him just the right amount of energy to laze out his fiery lyrics. Its a big tune, and shows a tougher side to his character.
**Four Stars**
6. "Southern Gangsta" (co-starring Rick Ross, Playaz Circle and Ving Rhames)
Using artists from his record label, Playaz Circle, and one of the most hated rappers of 2008, Rick Ross., Luda goes into a Gangsta Rap cut where he refers to how he considers himself to be one of the biggest Gs of the south side, along with the artists chosen to work with him.
**Four Stars**
7. "Everybody Hates Chris" (co-starring Chris Rock)
As soon as I saw the title, I knew that I had to enjoy this one, considering it is the name of one of my favourite sit-coms of recent times. The input of the maker of the programme, Chris Rock, is a nice touch as it sets you up for a tune where Luda talks about all the haters in his life.
**Four Stars**
8. "What Them Girls Like" (co-starring Chris Brown and Sean Garrett)
Upon being leaked very early on whilst promotion of this album advanced, this one received a lot of attention as it strangely has Luda recruit not one, but two R&B singers to aid him in this club-suited cut, which has him talk about how how they know how to satisfy the girls, and since he has Sean Garrett and Chris Breezy to hand, I'd say this is correct.
**Five Stars**
9. "Nasty Girl" (co-starring Plies)
Showing that he still has it in him to go for something a little less mature than a lot of his more recent recordings, this one has him working with one of the big up-nad-comers form the south as the do one out to all the "Nasty Girls" who may be litsening out for them.
**Four Stars**
10. "Contagious" (co-starring Jamie Foxx)
Here you get the Oscar and Grammy winning perfomrer jamie Foxx lends his strong vocals to this track as he sings as part of one of the slower tunes on the track, chaging up the pace of the album.
11. "Last Of A Dying Breed" (co-starring Lil' Wayne)
On some heavy beats, you get a track about the lack of lyriscim in the gamer toady. It has Rakim on the hook to exaggerate the theme of the tune. Controvercially, you get the most inconsistent 'lyricist' in Lil' Wayne performing with the rapper. However in this case, he seems to prove himself worthy of such an honur as he MCs with great wordplay and gives his own perspective on the 'Hip Hop Is Dead' movement.
**Five Stars**
12. "MVP"
Thsi was a highly unexpected collaboration off the album, and it has Ludacris wokring with a non-vocal peformed who very few woudl have guessed to to do. DJ Premier lends his lively, scratch-based prodcution to Luda's track here nad completely changes things with his East Coast-inspired cut.
**Four Stars**
13. "I Do It For Hip Hop" (co-starring Jay-Z and Nas)
Using the beats which is foudn in Dr. Dre's "keepi Their Heads Ringin'", you get Luda wokring with some dark bea,s na dgiveing him just waht is required for a lyrical recording, in which he can get two of the bigget names in Hip Hop with Jay-Z and Nas both lending their talent to Luda's recording. It is a big track, and one of the best on the album.
**Five Stars**
14. "Do the Right Thing" (co-starring Common and Spike Lee)
Summarising the 1989 Spike Lee joint, and ending the album off, you get Luda and the Mid-Western MC Common coming together to provide some conscious lyrics towards all of those who need some direction in their lives.
**Four Stars**
For me, this album was a great improvement on "Release Therapy", which seemignly had him grow up, but it also marked where he began to produce less entertaining music. However It seems that he has brought it all back with this one, and has come up with a high-quality recording to show that he is back on the right tracks.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Intro Undisputed Co-Starring Floyd "Money" Mayweather Wish You Would Co-Starring T.I. One ... more
More Drink Co-Starring T-Pain Call Up The Homies Co-Starring The Game And Willy Northpole Southern Gangsta Co-Starring Rick Ross Playaz Circle And Ving Rhames Ev...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Nov 25th, 2008
exceptional by (6%):
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