Twista

The world's fastest rapper is back contemplating ‘The day after' on his new album. Starting eerily with a news report announcing that Twista is dead, the album proceeds to mix 80s r'n'b with Twista's rapid-fire flow. But even though the rapper recently helped create the 80s sample trend with his guest spot on Kayne West's hit single ‘Slow Jam', Twista's use of it on his new album already sounds tired. ‘Girl Tonite', which uses a sample of 80s r'n'b group Ready for the World sounds too similar to Kayne's ‘Slow Jam'.

Most of the tracks on the album are very explicit, humorously coupling slushy, romantic r'n'b with very dirty lyrics that would translate as hardcore porn on screen. ‘Do wrong' is a sexy duet with recently incarcerated Lil' Kim that uses a great Al Green sample. And ‘When I get you home' is very raunchy with a list of ideas I am too embarrassed to repeat.

A few songs stray from sex and the 80s. ‘Heartbeat' is a very dark track that has a beat like a life support machine and Twista sounding scary and possessed. Crunk is visited on ‘Out there' but it is not the best example of it. And super producer Pharrell creates ‘Lavish' the most original song on the album that is a gentle, floaty ride that I can only describe as new-age hip-hop.

Twista has produced a ‘safe album'. He is being consistent, rehashing what he knows has worked before (80s samples), but on a few tracks tentatively trying to push forward and be versatile both in beats and vocals. Notably he digitally slows his flow to a snails pace on ‘Holding Down the Game,' but it does not sound quite right.

Twista's verbal dexterity is exceptional and unique, with a lightening speed that never sacrifices lucidity for speed. But it has the danger of being a novelty that music fans will tire of. The album is good, but it is not great, there's far too much sex and too little originality. However the presence of his famous friends (Mariah Carey, Snopp Dogg and Jamie Foxx) who help out and some good samples means it is nice to listen too. Just don't expect anything groundbreaking.