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Bow WowWanted Columbia/SonyBMG Not that long ago it seemed like he so young that his voice had yet to break. but with Bow Wow's forth album 'Wanted' it's clear that he certainly isn't lil' anymore. Now at 18 years, Bow Wow shows maturity and class as a rapper, honing his skills from his patron Snoop Dogg and adding life experience to his in-your-face hip-hop style. Reuniting with producer Jermaine Dupri, thus far Australia has been exposed to the tracks Let Me Hold You featuring Omarion and his duet with girlfriend and Crunk'n'B star Ciara in Like You. A seemingly surprising style choice for the self-proclaimed bad boy, they're actually a nice contrast to the remainder of the album, the opposite of these gentle and loving tracks. Big Dreams is by far the stand out of 'Wanted', demonstrating his growth with self-aware conviction as he shares the troubling reality of growing up in the 'hood. I initially interpreted Do You as both a blunt demand not to copy him, but I read somewhere he is urging listeners to be themselves. Nice sentiments, but perhaps as he tries to ensure fans that he is all about staying grounded, he could lose some of the shameless cockiness displayed from the album's start to finish. Boasting appearances by several artists including J-Kwon in Fresh Azimiz and T. Waters in Go, Bow Wow engages well with every guest and experiments successfully with different tempos. Snoop Dogg makes an obligatory appearance in the party jam Caviar, yet unlike with his other guests Bow Wow seems to fade into Snoop's background as the track is stamped all over with the senior Dogg's trademark. 'Wanted' may be too mainstream for some hip-hop listeners, but it's a playful album and suggest an extensive career for Bow Wow alongside his movies and TV shows.  |
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