Despite many people questioning St Louis rapper, Huey's, artistic merit, he is getting plenty of radio spins off his "Pop Lock & Drop It" single. It's is the type of song that gets stuck in your head after one listen. It's a feel good song that gets the club moving and young chicks make the dance, which the song's title refers to, look hot. Now as far as his lyrics, that's a different subject.
Notebook Paper is mediocre at best. One of the hotter songs is his next release -- after the "Pop Lock & Drop It" remix -- "When I Hustle" (featuring Lloyd), and the production is what makes the track. It's one of those "Girl I'm a hustler, I'm out on these streets, but it's all for you baby girl" type of songs. Again, his lyrics here are not exceptional, however, the song is for the ladies. "I told you everything was gonna be alright in the end / We gotta grind, we gotta eat / That way I can take you on shopping sprees and all that good stuff." Oh yeah, this is definitely for the ladies, thanks to Lloyd's contributon. "Luv N Ya Life" is also another song that's soft as boo-boo. You can't knock Huey for including a couple of songs for his female audience. It's called strategic marketing.
Huey does broaden his range past bubblegum hip-pop. "Glad 2 Be Alive" is Huey's ode to his past life of crime. Now whether he actually threw "rocks down the street" while the police were chasing him is trivial. It is the type of song that any past knuckleheads relate to while reminiscing about his/her mischievous teenage years. What's troubling about Notebook Paper is Huey's lackluster lyrical ability. In this day and age, lyrics aren't as much of a factor as they used to, but maybe because all it takes is one or two hits and a hot follow up remix, and you are a success. Case in point, Huey has the "Pop Lock & Drop It" remix, which features T-Pain and Bow Wow. He had the right idea by putting T-Pain on the album for two reasons: he is hot right now and he is on everybody's remix. Don't get it twisted, the remix is equally as hot as the original version.
"Aye" is a tolerable track, because the production is descent, however, with lines like, "You ain't gotta be a vampire just to get slayed," it's hard to avoid rolling your eyes out your head. "Closet Full Of Clothes" is another listenable track, because, once again, the production saves the day. The track's chopped and screwed style, that the hook is laced with, is very addictive. As far as the lyrics, you know what you're going to get from the song's title. There's a certain appeal in a track talking about getting fresh. In the words of Huey: "It ain't got nothing to do with my Red Monkeys / Fresh out the zoo cause eww they so funky." "2 Nite" is your typical party track. It's Huey's description of a night at the club and how his night gets even better when he spots the pretty redbone girl with high heels and a thong on. On another note, rapper clichés like mentions of G5s and having threesome with chicks brings down the overall quality of Notebook Paper. Huey claims he has "bad ass bitches playing choo-choo train," and to top it off, he has an interlude where he plays his voicemail and, of course, there is a gang of chicks complaining that he hasn't called them back. Hmm, who would have known he had it like that?
Overall, Huey's album is, as mentioned earlier, mediocre at best. He lacks lyricism, but makes up for it with catchy production and celebratory hooks. This alone might be enough to carry him to another album, if he plays his cards right. Should you buy it? Hey, the kids like it, and you can't front on the hustle of "Pop Lock & Drop It" (version one and two).
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