By Marley Malenfant/reporter
Ludacris sticks to his niche with female-friendly songs on his new album Battle of the Sexes.
This is probably his most commercial album since his debut “Back for the First Time” which was released 10 years ago. His current single, “How Low” has had a huge response with more than 700,000 downloads.
The album title has nothing to do with most of the songs as the listener doesn’t hear much from the opposite sex. Much of the album caters to a female audience with mostly club songs and collaborations from current pop singers.
On the single “My Chick Bad,” Ludacris compares his anonymous girlfriend to other anonymous women.
“My Chick bad, tell me if you seen her. She always brings the racket like Venus and Serena,” he says.
On the intoxicating “Everybody Drunk,” Ludacris bores the listener with rushed rhymes on a lazy beat.
On “Tell Me a Secret,” Ludacris promises his girl he’ll stay quiet.
“I won’t tell nobody cause I’m an only child. I’ll keep it to myself cause all I want to do is see you smile,” he says.
Ludacris pokes fun at Tiger Woods’ humiliation on the humorous “Sexting.”
“So I’m getting treated for my sex addiction, in my private clinic. And I need you to be sensitive about my condition cause I’m in it to win it and I really don’t want to disappoint my fans, and my teacher’s a cougar so I wish she’d lend a helping hand,” he says.
Battle of the Sexes doesn’t put up much of a fight.
Long-time fans may enjoy the album, but between the club hits and the radio-friendly songs, there isn’t much substance.
Listeners unfamiliar with Ludacris’ work will feel shorthanded.