Ludacris: Battle of the Sexes

Some things in life are awful: sitting in traffic when your stomach is on the other side of right, having wet socks, or hearing a bad album from a good rapper—-i.e. Ludacris’ Battle Of The Sexes.

There was a lot of hype around this project because it was going to be the first of its kind—a collaboration album between a male and female emcee. Not groundbreaking, but something fresh. However, Shawnna left DTP and has almost disappeared from the LP. And Battle Of The Sexes turned into the battle of who Luda could find to pull off what he intended. In doing so, his plans backfired and the album turned into a disastrous compilation. Luda sticks to his usual formula but the beats are second-rate and the lyrics are just the same. And Luda missed the mark by having very few cameos that represented the female energy that he needed to make this project work.

When an artist places an intro on an album, it’s wise to make sure it’s solid because it sets the tone. This album opens with a weak intro that sounds like the theme song to a Flavor of Love/I Love New York game show on VH1. And the “do my ladies/fellas run this…” chants in the background are as old as a TR-808.

The singles, “How Low” and “My Chick Bad” breeze in and give the album a boost. “How Low” is drenched in dirty south forte, strip club banter, and makes people dance and well, get low. The beat matches Luda’s bravado as he coasts through the drums and snare. And Luda made one smart decision when he recruited Nicki Minaj on, “My Chick Bad.” Minaj is killing the game with her over the top delivery that’s distinctive as it is rigid…“Now all these b*****s wanna try and be my bestie/ But I take a left and leave them hanging like a teste/ Trash talk to em’; then I put em’ in a hefty/ Running down a court/ I’m dunking on them Lisa Leslie.”

“Hey Ho” featuring Lil Kim and Lil Fate tackle the double standard between sexually free men and women—sounds good but fails to accomplish anything. Lil Kim comes off like a bootleg Minaj, when she doesn’t have to as she created some of Nicki’s formula. And Lil Fate and Luda deliver half-hearted verses that send this track to the dumps. “Party Ho Mo” featuring Gucci Mane sounds like a recycled Lil Jon track while “Can’t Live Without You” featuring Monica isn’t half bad as it breaks down the nasty realities of relationships. However, the beat is too formulaic and leaves no room for Monica to show off those impressive vocal chords. And Luda lacks the depth to make his verses believable.

“Sex Room” featuring Trey Songz  and “”Tell Me A Secret” featuring Neyo might confuse you as you try to understand how they fit in with the theme of the album. They get lost in translation and we’re left to wonder when the battling of the sexes is going to start.

“I Do It All Night” and “Feelin’ So Sexy” featuring Shawnna (the only songs she is on) both fail to give her the landscape she needs to paint the inexplicable pictures that she can create. Her flow is lethal but she is confined to spit bars that are simply beneath her capabilities. Please see, “R.P.M.” And Luda’s offering on both songs make you forget how witty he can be with lyrics such as…”You got me eager as beaver/see, this the type shit that get you keys to the beamer/or some cheese if you need it/cause you got that good-good/you love it how I beat it like you stole it when you throw it cause we keep it hood hood and I wish you would would.”

This project had an endless amount of potential because Ludacris and Shawnna fit perfectly. And had things worked out, they would’ve pulled this one off flawlessly setting a precedent. But that didn’t happen; as most of the guest stars don’t make sense and the premise dies once you hit play. Battle Of The Sexes sounds rushed, premature, and should’ve been reworked before its release. Luda is a solid emcee that maintains a sharp delivery and he knows his niche, but he is far better than what he presented. And his attempt to save face gave us a weak album that could’ve added to his discography instead of hindering it.

4.0/10

Sexting

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My Chick Bad Remix featuring Diamond, Trina, and Eve

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B.O.T.S. Radio featuring I-20

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