Release Therapy (Clean)

In the two years since the release of The Red Light District , acclaimed rapper Ludacris has gone through more than a few personal changes. From dealing with "haters" to his role in the Oscar winning film Crash to being a father to his daughter, 28-year-old Luda continues to mature as a man and an artist on his fifth disc, Release Therapy .

Ludacris doesn't pull out any real surprises here, but he also wouldn't have lasted this long if he didn't have a talent for consistency. What's missing here are big singles. His first attempt, "Money Maker," was too color-by-numbers. There's nothing on Release Therapy that achieves the anthem status of older Ludacris singles like "Stand Up" or "Pimpin All Over the World." Yet, even lacking a stand-out radio hit, Release Therapy is a satisfying listen, working what's now become a standard blend of playa/pimp songs ("Girls Gone Wild") and a few trap anthems ("Grew Up a Screw Up") and dispensing grown folk wisdom ("Freedom of Preach"). Along the way, he manages to take a slap at former protégé Chingy ("Tell It Like It Is"), rap about young mothers with Mary J. Blige on "Runaway Love," and hold it down for brothers in lock-up alongside Pimp C, Beanie Siegel, and C-Murder on "Do Your Time." Though not spectacular, Release Therapy stays the course for Luda to continue ruling as the Mouf of the South. --Oliver Wang