Powerballin

Japanese pressing includes exclusive bonus track. Details TBA. To. 2004.

Can growing bank accounts and artistic integrity co-exist in Chingy's world? It's a question that begs for an answer on Powerballin', considering he's become a multi-platinum solo seller and not just a Ludacris accessory. A very large chunk of studio time is given over to expounding on his newfound wealth: on "Give Em Some Mo" he's a "young Donald Trump," and on "I Do" he reminds listeners about his new cars (Caprice, Range Rover with spinners, Impala). Fair enough--you have it, you flaunt it. But devoting a whole song ("26's") to the size of his car rims is a bit disturbing. The interesting thing is that numbers like "Balla Baby" are legitimate heat-seeking dance-floor winners, as his breakout smash "Right Thurr" was. But guest shots by R. Kelly and Janet Jackson don't add much to the effort, and when Chingy objectifies young women in the worst way--literally conversing with a body part on "Make That Ass Talk"--it's clear that he needs to refocus his lyrics to match the great beats that are here. --Dalton Higgins