Out of all the top MCs on MTV’s list, and, generally, other’s lists, there is one MC missing. That man has dropped an album to try to see if he’ll be a household name. His name is Ludacris.Luda opens with his traditional “Intro.” As a true Luda fan, I’ve heard all of them, and this one was one of his weaker ones. I didn’t come away impressed at all. However, he made up for it on the next track.
“Undisputed” is his true intro track. Luda normally goes hard like he did on “Undisputed” for his intros. Don’t know what happened, but it was good to see Luda spitting bars that would knock most MCs senseless.
Then, the “surprise” track with Luda and T.I. appears next on the CD, with both delivering on their respective verses. It’s a nice bass-thumping track, guaranteed to make your head nod. The hook is pretty cool too, as I started rapping along with it after the first hook.
As the CD progresses, it seems to slow down a bit, as “One More Drink” talks about how Luda is quick to – um, get some – after he has a few shots of alcohol.
The Game makes an appearance on “Call Up The Homies,” and the song is also dope. Luda and The Game delivered, but the song seems to be missing something.
“Southern Gangsta” was a cool track, as the beat really did it justice. Rick Ross just needs to quit in my opinion. “Everybody Hates Chris” has Luda delivering some ill punchlines, so it’s a nice track to just sit back and listen to.
“What Them Girls Like,” “Nasty Girl” and “Contagious” all seem like the same track to me. They are cool, but I’d prefer a little change in the concept or spread the songs around throughout the CD.
“Last of a Dying Breed” is a hot track. I think Katt Williams was right though: Lil’ Wayne sounds like he’s sick when he raps. That was very annoying on this track. It took away from the song, but it’s still a good listen.
I really liked “MVP,” as Luda took it back to the old-school hip-hop with scratches and just plain spitting. DJ Premier scratches weren’t overdone or annoying, which is what most DJs do these days when they scratch.
“I Do It For Hip-Hop” is another fire track that definitely needs a video. Jay-Z and Nas add to the quality of the track, making this track nearly cement Luda’s name as a legend.
Overall, Theater of the Mind is a very good album. Is it Luda’s best? I highly doubt it. Luda has now made his case to be on the Top 5 MC list, although he’s always been on mine. MTV needs to get on their job.