Hip-Hop Island

Jay Sean -- the British import who crashed the Billboard charts thanks to Lil Wayne and Cash Money. Well, his first American solo album, All Or Nothing, is finally here and if you were expecting big things from the newbie, then you won't be so impressed. (Sorry, Jay! ::Fist Pound:: You're still a fellow Brownie and we're proud of you.) That aside, All Or Nothing has a few radio gems, some attempts at crooning, and the rest of the album is typical R&B.

Tracks like "Down" and "Do You Remember" are obvious hits -- we've heard them on nonstop radio play and danced to them every weekend. And with the hope of keeping his name alive on the charts, "Love Like This" and "Fire" sound pretty much same, but lack the heavy bass to be a real dance song. Funny how "Fiiire, Fiiire, Fiiire" sounds ridiculously like "Down, Down, Down." Sounds like Jay's still struggling to find his range and to fill a full-length album. "Ride It" a song Jay's well-known for overseas made the track list -- just through it in, why not?

Jay's beatboxing abilities and rapper qualities are mostly disregarded on this album. It seems the Cash Money and Universal team felt safer letting Jay be a lover and not a fighter. He's wooing his lady on "If I Ain't Got You" with the classic "Hush, Little Baby" lullaby paving the base for his hook. Jay is a true crooner and his sweet love songs "All Or Nothing," "Love Like This," and "Lights Off" are cute and fun, but in many cases, Jay sounds like the lost 6th Backstreet Boy. He sounds decent on his own, but you've got to wonder what five more cute guys dancing and harmonizing with him would sound like.

He begs for better days with his lady on "Stay" because he'd rather not be "Stuck In The Middle." Love is a tough and addicting game, Jay, but don't worry one day you'll find love. But until then Jay knows love is going to be full of "War" and "Cry"ing. As a new artist, Jay best tracks are those where he keeps us dancing. The love fest is nice, but All Or Nothing is an album you listen to alone on a rainy day.

Also, let is be known, Jay Sean, with a team, wrote every track on his album, yet publishes under his stage name and not his government. Why? Ain't no shame in Kamaljit Singh Jhooti! That is all.