Nelly

Suit

THIS is the multi-platinum one???

Review Score:

(4/10)
The second part of Nelly's Sweatsuit concept, Suit, was made with the ladies in mind. I decided to listen to it because I had already listened to Sweat and also because, well, I was bored. But after listening to it, I'm surprised as to why, after looking at both albums, this is the one that's moving the most copies and producing the most singles. I mean, Sweat isn't all that either, but it almost could be classic when compared to THIS.

A lot of the songs on this album are too formulaic. Take the Jaheim-assisted "My Place", for example. The song really isn't all that bad, but it feels too familiar to "Dilemma". Also, it uses the same idea of sampling classic R&B music for its similar backdrop (then it was Patti LaBelle; now it's DeBarge). And "In My Life" is your way-too-sappy love jam made worse by the cheesy chorus done by a young male crooner that nobody's ever heard of (in this case, Avery Storm).

"Woodgrain and Leather Wit a Hole" is a dumb song about cars, and it doesn't help that Nelly is doing about a minute and a half of talking before the song actually starts. There's also the obligatory Jazze Phizzle productizzle, "Pretty Toes" (also featuring T.I.), as well as the obligatory song featuring Pharrell, "Play It Off". And on the latter, for a Neptunes track, that's a really manufactured-sounding beat.

Like Sweat, this album is also littered with guest stars. And they really don't bring anything to the table, which is evidenced by Snoop Dogg and Ron Isley on "She Don't Know My Name" and Mase on the aforementioned "In My Life". And although Anthony Hamilton sounds good as usual on "Nobody Knows", he can't save the song, especially since Nelly is really speaking the lyrics rather that rapping them. One of the laziest (not to mention strangest) songs on here would have to be "Over and Over" with Tim McGraw. I think it's safe to assume that Tim wasn't in the studio at the same time that Nelly was, because it sounds like his contributions were prerecorded and then the song was pieced together (you can even hear a prerecorded sound track at the end of the song).

Nelly really isn't that impressive when he's rolling for dolo either (he just BUTCHERS Spandau Ballet's "True" for "N Dey Say"). Suit might be a hit with the ladies, and even some of the fellas, but if it were up to ME, I'd take that album title and change the "u" to an "h".

Anthony Rupert

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