Lloyd SOUTHSIDE (EXP.)

Personnel: Lloyd (vocals); Taniya Walter (vocals, background vocals); 4 Ever (vocals); Lil Wayne, Scarface (rap vocals); Chink Santana (various instruments, guitar); Carroll "Palmo" Paryo (guitar); Greg "Neo" Anderson, Shawn Smith (keyboards); Wirlie Morris (drum programming); Lloyd Jr. Polite, Joyce "Fenderella" Irby (background vocals); Ashanti (vocals).
Audio Mixers: Mr. Leslie Braithwaite; Ken "Supa Engineer" Duro; Alvin Speights; Brian Springer.
Recording information: Backroom Studios; Blue Jay Studios; Crack House Studios, New York, NY; Darp Studios, Atlanta, GA; Groove Factor Studios, GA; House Of Blues, Memphis, TN; Larrabee Sound North, Los Angeles, CA; Take Note Studios, Atlanta, GA.
Photographer: Michael Blackwell.
R&B crooner Lloyd began his career at a young age as one-fourth of N-Toon, a pre-teen vocal group that became popular on the Disney Channel. That future arrived for the Atlanta singer in a most powerful way with his debut, SOUTHSIDE. Signed to Irv Gotti's Murder Inc. label, the 18-year-old Lloyd smoothly works his way through hip-hop-infused songs of seduction.
The album's title track (and lead single) finds Lloyd paired with the sultry Ashanti on a serenely soft ballad that includes a touch of vocoder. Lloyd shows that his youth should not be mistaken for ignorance on a deft interpolation of Slick Rick's classic "Hey Young World," here titled "Hey Young Girl." And on "Sweet Dreams," Lloyd coyly and expertly mixes the innocence of nursery rhymes with darker passions. This duality defines Lloyd and makes his debut an intriguing listen.

• Format: CD
• Genre: R&B