Hip-Hop Island

Huey comes out barking on the intro to his album, Notebook Paper (Jive Records), promising to be different and attempting to stray away from the rapper stereotype. Unfortunately, the St. Louis representative lacks in the lyrical department. However, thanks to a great production team, Notebook Paper is actually a bearable listen. Tight beats and unoriginal lyrics fill this weak album.

Huey’s going to have to fight one-hit wonder status with the popularity of “Pop, Lock, and Drop It.” Bakery Productions produced a slamming beat that is already a club favorite, but as for the rest of the album, Huey’s sound is redundant and overdone. On “2 Nite,” Huey attempts to create another party popper as he boasts about his player status and macking abilities, “Maybe later on 2 nite we can get us a room/She can have a couple of friends that come with her too/Let’s drink, get drunk, and see what it do.” Luckily, this song is saved by its energetic bounce and Huey’s double-time flow.

Notebook Paper has a high production value, and it’s too bad Huey couldn’t follow suit lyrically. Song like “Closet Full of Clothes” and “Money Ova” have perfect precision rhythmically, but with lyrics like “Money ova bitches/Getting rich is what I live by,” Huey needs to spend some more time actually writing in his notebook. Huey’s collaborations with Lloyd and T-Pain show some promise for success. On “When I Hustle,” Lloyd’s smooth R&B voice and Huey’s precise flow seem perfect together. And on “Glad 2 Be Alive,” T-Pain and Huey combine their mindful lyrics about getting out of the ’hood with a soulful rhythm—a refreshing sound compared to a mostly fast-paced record filled with heavy beats.

Perhaps the best song on this album is “Nobody Loves The Hood.” It’s one of the few songs where the music is outshined by lyrical abilities. Huey raps about “out of control” ghetto and the lack of hope in its children, “Some say they’ll die before they do time/Because jail ain’t the place to be/Might be the place for you/ But ain’t for me.” It’s the latter part of Notebook Paper where Huey keeps his word to be different. Cluttered with tired lyrics, Huey’s got a lot of work to do if he doesn’t want his notebook’s entries to fade out of the scene.

Originally Published @ http://allhiphop.com/blogs/reviewsmusic/archive/2007/07/01/18207589.aspx