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"Old School Hip Hop Vol. 2" (09/11/2001) R&B Various Artists, Thump Records

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"Love Songs" (01/15/2002) R&B Jackson, Michael, Motown RecordsPersonnel includes: Michael Jackson, The Jackson 5. Producers include: Bobby Taylor, Mel Larson, Jerry Marcellino, Hal Davis, Brian Holland. Compilation producers: Harry Weinger, Anthony Ellis. Recorded between 1969 and 1975. Includes liner notes by Brian Chin. All tracks have been digitally remastered.

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"The Emancipation Of Mimi: Platinum Edition" (11/15/2005) R&B Carey, Mariah, MonarC/IslandPersonnel: Mariah Carey (vocals); Trey Lorenz (vocals); Nelly, Snoop Dogg, Twista (rap vocals); Chops Horns (horns); James Wright (keyboards); Randy Jackson (bass instrument); Charles Drayton (drums); Fatman Scoop, Jermaine Dupri, Johnta Austin (background vocals). Recording information: Right Track Studios, New York, New York; South Side Studios, Atlanta, GA; Honeywest, New York, NY. With the lofty title THE EMANCIPATION OF MIMI, it's clear that Mariah Carey wants listeners to know she's releasing an important record. Here she aims to reveal an aspect of herself that has previously been held back by career missteps and tabloid-worthy drama. It's refreshing, then, that 2005's EMANCIPATION returns the focus to Carey's remarkable voice, as the singer makes her most accomplished record in over a decade. Carey opens the album by exhibiting some of the most sincerely soulful vocals of her career on the one-two punch of the up-tempo "It's Like That" and the beautiful ballad "We Belong Together." Her able voice expertly complements both the hazy hip-hop of Snoop Dogg on "Say Somethin'" and the acrobatics of Twista on the dream-like "One and Only." In her early years, Carey would have adorned the latter track with vocal tricks to show off her five-octave voice, but she has wisely learned to rein in her frills. In fact, restraint is the key word on THE EMANCIPATION OF MIMI, a straightforward and satisfying pop-R&B collection.

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"Get Rich or Die Tryin' [PA]" (02/04/2003) R&B Cent, 50, Aftermath Records (USA)Personnel includes: 50 Cent, Eminem, Young Buck, Tony Yayo, Nate Dogg, Lloyd Banks. Producers include: Dr. Dre, Eminem, John Freeman, Red Spyda, Terence Dudley. 50 Cent was nominated for the 2004 Grammy Award for Best New Artist. GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN' was nominated for Best Rap Album. "In The Club" was nominated for Best Male Rap Solo Performance and for Best Rap Song. This Limited version includes a bonus documentary DVD disc. Personnel includes: 50 Cent, Eminem, Young Buck, Tony Yayo, Nate Dogg, Lloyd Banks. Producers include: Dr. Dre, Eminem, John Freeman, Red Spyda, Terence Dudley. 50 Cent was nominated for the 2004 Grammy Award for Best New Artist. GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN' was nominated for Best Rap Album. "In Da Club" was nominated for Best Male Rap Solo Performance and for Best Rap Song. Provocative 2003 official debut from Queens gangsta-poet, includes anthemic #1 hit "In Da Club." With its inclusion on the mega-successful 8 MILE soundtrack, 50 Cent's "Wanksta" blew up in late 2002, calling out the hypocrisies of wannabe gangstas who boast of criminal exploits that exist only in their imaginations. If anyone has the right to speak it's 50 Cent; he made his mark in the streets (not to mention newspapers) long before Eminem inked the Queens rapper to his Shady Records. In between the occasional single and album, 50 Cent has been involved in many notorious hip-hop confrontations. The too-aptly titled GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN' (which includes "Wanksta") introduces his brash, talk-it-like-he-walks-it rap style to the world at large. 50 Cent blithely cites the Bible in "Many Men (Wish Death)" while crowing about the rival who famously shot him in 2000 only to be shot himself ("cuz he got hit like I got hit and he ain't...breathin'"). From that slice of ultra-reality, he shifts to the dance-pop anthem "In Da Club." Throughout GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN', 50 Cent presents a strikingly original, raw worldview, even by the well-traveled genre's bleak and violent standards.

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"Old School Booty Jams [Edited]" (10/23/2001) R&B Various Artists, Lil' Joe Records, Inc.Includes bonus CD.

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"20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Michael Jackson" (11/21/2000) R&B Jackson, Michael, Motown RecordsProducers include: The Corporation, Fonce Mizell, Mel Larson, Jerry Marcellino, Brian Holland, Bob Gaudio. Compilation producer: Harry Weinger. Includes liner notes Tom Terrell. Digitally remastered by Suha Gur (Universal Mastering Studios East). This is part of MCA's 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection series.

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"Fired up!" (01/27/2004) R&B Various Artists, Razor & Tie MusicCompilation producers: Craig Balsam, Cliff Chenfeld, Michael Anderson. Pulling high-energy tracks from as far back as the early 1990s, including "The Bomb! (These Sounds Fall into My Mind)" by the Bucketheads, FIRED UP! unleashes 18 sizzling hot club and dance tracks on one compilation, with each track memorable for its hooks and pulsating beats. Club superstars, such as Deborah Cox ("Nobody's Supposed to Be Here"), Melanie C ("I Turn to You"), Jocelyn Enriquez ("Do You Miss Me") and Ultra Nate ("Free"), are well represented, showing off the disc's discotheque roots. From Aqua's "Barbie Girl" to Groove Armada's "I See You Baby" (made even more popular by a car commercial), these songs will definitely get the blood pumping and the energy flowing, whether you're sweating away in a hot nightclub or in the gym.

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"Old School: Rap Party" (05/14/2002) R&B Various Artists, Thump Records

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"Hot Dance Hits 97 Vol. 1" (1997) R&B Celebrity All-Star Jam (The), Platinum Disc Corp.

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"Greatest Hits: History Vol. 1" (11/13/2001) R&B Jackson, Michael, Epic (USA)Includes a 28 page booklet. Personnel includes: Michael Jackson (vocals, percussion); Paul McCartney, Siedah Garrett (vocals); L.T.B. (rap vocals); Vincent Price, Andres McKenzie, Ashley Farrell (spoken vocals); Steve Lukather (guitar, bass); Slash, Eddie Van Halen, Eric Gale, Larry Carlton, Danny Huff (guitar); The Seawind Horns (horns); David Paich (piano, keyboards, synthesizers); John Barnes (piano); Greg Phillinganes (Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards); Steve Porcaro, Bill Wolfer (keyboards, programming); David Foster, Teddy Riley, Glen Ballard (keyboards); Nathan East, Terry Jackson, Bobby Watson (bass); Jeff Porcaro, Ndugu Chancler, John Robinson, Bryan Loren (drums); Paulinho Da Costa (percussion); Kevin Gilbert (programming); James Ingram (background vocals). Producers: Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Bill Bottrell, Teddy Riley. Engineers include: Bruce Swedien, Humberto Garcia, Matt Forger. Includes liner notes by Elizabeth Taylor, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Steven Spielberg, Michael Jackson. Digitally remastered by Bernie Grundman. Having spent most of the '90s laying low, Michael Jackson spent much of the latter part of 2001 reintroducing himself to the public with a studio album (INVINCIBLE) and deluxe reissues of his Epic Records canon. Also released was GREATEST HITS: HIStory VOL.1, essentially Disc 1 of the similarly named 2-CD 1995 anthology HIStory: PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE BOOK 1. Regardless of how obvious the strategy of flooding the market with past and present material may have been, there's no denying how the contents of the GREATEST HITS package go a long way towards supporting the moniker of the self-proclaimed King Of Pop. Amid rumors of rampant eccentricities, MJ plowed ahead crafting memorable numbers ranging from infectious dance numbers ("Wanna Be Starting' Somethin'," "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough") to heartfelt pleas for peace ("Black Or White", "Heal The World"). Jacko's pure chart dominance found him breaking MTV's glass ceiling of color behind the THRILLER juggernaut and its slew of smashes: - "Billie Jean," "The Girl Is Mine" (with Paul McCartney"), "Thriller," and "Beat It" with its blistering Eddie Van Halen guitar solo-cum-crossover hook. Thankfully, the greatness of this 15-track set supersedes any tabloid innuendo.

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"Hard" (10/14/2003) R&B Jagged Edge, Columbia (USA)This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files. Jagged Egde: Wingo, Brian, Brandon, Kyle (vocals). Additional personnel includes: Jermaine Dupri (vocals, drums); Major Damage, Big Boi, Street Katz, Woonie, Jazze Pha (rap vocals); Kevin Hicks, Ray Holton (guitar); Melvin Coleman (keyboards); LaMarquis Jefferson (bass); Tiffany Beaudoin (background vocals); Bryan M. Cox. Producers include: Jermaine Dupri, TK, Jagged Edge, Jazze Pha, Bryan M. Cox. This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files. Fresh off a 2002 GRAMMY nod for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, Jagged Edge once again brings plenty of harmonies and attitude on its fourth outing, HARD. Working with a coterie of producers that include So So Def founder Jermaine Dupri, the men of JE continue down a path that's equal parts thug and lover. Making like Boyz II Men with swagger, these Atlanta natives easily shift gears from silk-sheet-and-champagne slow jams like "Walked Outta Heaven," "Visions," and the acoustic-guitar kissed "I Don't Wanna," to more up tempo fare, including the call-and-response "Girls Gone Wild" (featuring Major Damage) and the thumping "Tryna Be Your Man." As if all this singing about wooing the ladies wasn't enough, Jagged Edge take it up a notch with a pair of bonus cuts--"Car Show," (featuring a cameo by fellow Georgian and Outkast rapper Big Boi) and a remix of "They Ain't JE" that finds Street Katz and Woonie rapping in their two cents. Providing a musical bed for any type of romantic liaison, Jagged Edge prove the only thing HARD they bring to the table are the looks they're sporting on this collection's cover.

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"Now & Forever:: The Hits" (06/21/2005) R&B TLC, LaFace (USA)TLC: Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes, Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, Rozonda "Chili" Thomas (vocals). Additional personnel: Lil Jon, Sean Paul (rap vocals). One could have been forgiven for pegging TLC as a flash in the pan when their debut single, the deliriously silly, decidedly raunchy "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg" ruled MTV's airwaves, with the threesome frolicking in a cartoonish graffiti world. While the song bordered on novelty, it showcased the other elements that placed TLC among the more appealing hitmakers of the 1990s, with Chilli's soulful vocals playing off Left Eye's distinct, somewhat coquettish raps, and the sex-drenched growl of T-Boz bringing it all together. TLC would later prove diverse as they skulked sinisterly on "Creep," delivered a message song smoothly with "Waterfalls," and riffed hilariously on "No Scrubs," all of which deservedly topped both the R&B and pop charts. NOW & FOREVER: THE HITS compiles all the hits from the talented trio, and many lesser-known tracks spanning their too-brief career. The collection also features two new tracks; TLC brings a welcome new flavor to crunk (with Lil' Jon's aid) on "Come Get Some," and delivers some trademark hip-hop-drenched, harmonized soul on "Whoop De Woo."

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"Songs" (09/20/1994) R&B Vandross, Luther, Epic (USA)Personnel: Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, Darlene Love (vocals); Dann Huff (acoustic & electric guitars); Walter Afanasieff (acoustic guitar, Hammond B-3, keyboards, Synclavier, programming); Dan Shea (keyboards, programming); Gary Cirimelli, Ren Klyce (programming); Tawatha Agee, Paulette McWilliams, Brenda White-King, Phillip Ingram, Johnny Britt, Fonzi Thornton, Robin Clark (background vocals); Alex Brown, Cindy Mizelle, Cissy Houston, Mari, Lisa Fischer, Phil Perry, Jim Gilstrap, Lynn Davis, Tower Of Power Horns. Recorded at The Hit Factory and Right Track Studios, New York; The Record Plant, Hollywood, California; Abbey Road Studios, London, England. Includes liner notes by David Nathan. "Love The One You're With" was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, "Endless Love" was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Collaboration, "Always And Forever" was nominated for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, and SONGS was nominated for Best R&B Album in the 37th Annual Grammy Awards. SONGS is a 1994 Luther Vandross collection of hits that were originally recorded by other artists. Luther's trademark smooth-crooner voice effortlessly works through such hits as "Love the One You're With," "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now," and "Always and Forever." On smash hits from Lionel Richie ("Hello"), Burt Bacharach ("What the World Needs Now"), and Roberta Flack ("Killing Me Softly"), Vandross and producer Walter Afanasieff update the production, giving the songs a contemporary studio-fresh sheen. One of the album's best cuts is "Endless Love," in which Vandross is joined by Mariah Carey. SONGS makes plain the versatility and power of Luther Vandross.

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"Soul Hits of the 80's" (2000) R&B Various Artists, Sony Music Special Products

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"Happy People/U Saved Me" (08/24/2004) R&B Kelly, R., Jive Records (USA)Personnel include: R. Kelly (vocals); Kelly Price (vocals); Donnie Lyle (guitar, bass instrument, background vocals); Rodney East, Kendall Nesbitt (keyboards); Abel Garibaldi, Nathan Wheeler (programming, background vocals); Steve Bearsley, Andy Gallas, Ian Mereness, Jason Mlodzinski (programming); Uncle Life (background vocals). Recording information: The Chocolate Factory, Chicago, Il; The Studio, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. R. Kelly's music is sometimes hard to separate from his borderline-absurd real-life misadventures, since his alleged misdeeds inevitably inform his recordings. While most artists are influenced by life unfolding around them, few people's private worlds bleed into their creative work in such a public and chaotic way. Heart-on-sleeve emotion has been a hallmark of Kelly's music, and as scandal has surrounded him, so have heartfelt pleas of forgiveness and repentance. His ambitious 2004 double record, HAPPY PEOPLE/U SAVED ME, can be seen as a reaction to/against all this drama. The titles reflect the music within to perfection, the former containing infectious celebrations of life and love, the latter every inch a traditional gospel/soul record. When freeing himself to party on HAPPY PEOPLE, Kelly lets loose a torrent of catchy, groove-laden love songs, most notably the clever "Love Signals." On U SAVED ME, he gains gravity with a solemn grace that transcends his troubles, making a credible artistic conversion.

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"AWOL - Version 1.5 [PA]" (11/08/2005) R&B AZ (Rap), Fast Life Music, Inc.Personnel: AZ ; Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, J-Hen. Recording information: The Cutting Room, New York, New York; Chung King House Of Metal, New York, New York (2005). Despite a knack for well-written street narratives packed with poetic and potent lyrical observations, skills approaching those of his one-time mentor Nas, and a precise delivery akin to the master Rakim, AZ has rarely caught the ear of as wide an audience as he deserves. In 2005's AWOL, the Brooklyn MC's fifth record, AZ is at the top of his game; after forcefully reintroducing himself on "So Sincere," he expertly unfolds a eulogy for a fallen friend, complete with unique and unforgettable hook, on the sadly stirring "Never Change." Arresting tracks such as the simple throwback "New York," the hip-hop history-citing "Still Alive," and the DJ Premier-produced "The Come Up" bolster AZ's best album to date.

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"Tha Carter 2 [PA]" (12/06/2005) R&B Lil Wayne, Universal Records (USA)A one-time member of New Orleans's Hot Boys, rapper Lil Wayne attained a new level of confidence and skill on 2004's THA CARTER. That album featured only a few guest shots (as opposed to typically star-studded hip-hop records), and this 2005 sequel once again keeps things focused on Wayne, with the MC flying solo on almost every track. This uncluttered scenario, which relies on a spare, yet distinctly Cash Money-style musical backdrop, gives Wayne the freedom to let his laid-back rhymes stretch out, as best revealed on the ominous "Fireman" and the boastful "Best Rapper Alive." Clearly Wayne knows how to work a winning concept, since THA CARTER II stays true to both its predecessor and the relentless, unapologetic spirit of Southern rap.

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