At the start of his fourth album, Atlanta-based rapper Chingy lets us know that he's "straight as a perm" —a curious metaphor that fits the slinky, circuitous course he takes on this return to Ludacris' Disturbing Tha Peace imprint. This diverse set ranges from the beat-driven fun of "Kick Drum" and "All Aboard (Ride It)" to the lush, Kanye-esque soundscape of "Gimme Dat," with Ludacris and Bobby Valentino, to such club joints as "2 Kool 2 Dance," "Spend Some" (with Trey Songz) and "Roll On 'Em" (with Rick Ross). Chingy teams with Anthony Hamilton on the socially conscious "How We Feel," while Amerie brings soulful vocal hooks to "Fly Like Me." And while the title of "Lovely Ladies" may sound like a playa anthem, it's actually Chingy's tribute to his female elders, promising his mother that "one of these days I'm gonna bring home a Grammy."—Gary Graff