Lil Boosie SUPERBAD: THE RETURN OF BOOSIE BAD AZZ

Audio Mixers: John Frye; David West.
Recording information: Hot Beats Studio, Atlanta, GA; Slip-n-Slide Studio, Miami, FL; Soap Box Mid-Town Studios, Atlanta, GA; Soap Studios, Atlanta, GA; Trill, Baton Rouge, LA.
Photographer: Diwang Valdez.
Before it was released, Baton Rouge rapper Lil' Boosie explained that SUPERBAD--which on the spine adds the subtitle "The Return of Boosie Bad Azz"--was recorded with the ladies in mind. He explained that women buy product and don't like any "static-ass-burnt CD," but skipping the sexist argument, it is worth noting that SUPERBAD is glammed-out Boosie by design and not some major-label repackaging of a naturally gutter artist. When the opening "My Avenue" declares "All I want is my paper/I don't care what they say," the slick, Runners-produced track gives the album's motivation right off the top. The mixtape Boosie--the darker and more vicious Boosie--is still recognizable on hardcore tracks like "No Mercy" and "Pain" but the bitter "Bullsh*t" is more in line with the rest of the album as it turns disgust into a singalong chorus with a wicked hook. The sugary sweet ballad "Miss Kissin' on You" is the only true dud on this 16-track album which, with the help of some well-chosen guests and a handful of exciting B Real productions, always entertains.

• Format: CD
• Genre: Rap & Hip-Hop