The-Dream needs to dream good quality music

Born Terius Youngdell Nash, this singer, songwriter, and producer has penned some of the best pop songs of recent years. Together with Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, The-Dream has been responsible for hits like Rihanna's inescapable 'Umbrella', B2K's 'Everything', and Beyonce's huge anthem 'Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)'.

This success allowed him to step out into the limelight himself with his 2007 debut album 'Love Hate' creating a buzz. But it was the follow-up, last year's 'Love vs. Money', that saw him make his name as a performer thanks to the successful singles 'Rockin' That Thang' and 'My Love' with Mariah Carey'.

His third album in three years, 'Love King' clearly aims to keep that momentum going - by recycling lyrics and beats. The result: songs like the title track (and lead single) sound overly familiar without ever matching his best work.

Lyrically too, he is on well-worn ground, moving from light, inconsequential love songs to the explicit extremes of mimicking R Kelly.

On the relatively fresh-sounding 'Nikki Part 2' he explains the rollercoaster ride that is his love life. And while 'Make-Up Bag' (featuring an inconsequential rap from T.I.) could just be about a bag with make-up in it, when he starts singing "If you ever make ya girlfriend mad/ Dont let ya good girl go bad/ Drop five stacks on the make-up bag" it's clear there's more going on. Has he bought someone's love to keep them? Has he been a cheating dog?

Questions like these loom large over 'Love King', especially in the light of recent revelations from his not-so-private-life - filing Christina Milian with divorce papers nine days before their baby is due; caught canoodling with his assistant.

Personal lives do affect one's work - on several songs he plays the unfaithful lover rather too convincingly - and can reflect it in a bad light but, lifestyle indiscretions aside, The-Dream remains a talented songwriter and producer.

He does need to find a new groove though. Despite claiming - like Jay-Z - that this is his last album, his next offering should be a real tell-all about his love life. There's clearly plenty of material for him to work from and it's likely to sell millions like Usher did with 2004's 'Confessions.'

Victory

The name DJ Khaled is synonymous with hits like 'I'm So Hood,' 'We Taking Over,' and 'Brown Paper Bag'.

He's worked closely with Fat Joe aka 'Crack', the whole of Terror Squad team, and just about half of the hip-hop industry. And he's the president of record label Def Jam South.

Not bad for a man who broke into the scene in 2006. On 'Victory', his fourth album in four years, he proves yet again why he's been so successful: he sticks to one formula, the working formula. He can't rap to save his life but produces beats and sources some of the best talents the American music industry has to offer.

So even though his music is easy to recognise, his ego isn't so huge that he won't work with big producers (such as The Runners, The Inkredibles, Drumma Boy, and Schife) and big stars.

Take 'Fed-Up'. The album's first single, the 'hood-dedicated song that's all about hustlin' and being being sick and tired of being sick and tired features Usher, Young Jeezy, Rick Ross, and Drake.

'All I Do Is Win', in turn, features T-Pain, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, and Rick Ross. It's the perfect club song – unlike the poorly produced 'Put Your Hands Up' that should have been taken back to the studio and be reworked.

'Killing Me' is another highlight; a reggae track boasting a chorus that sounds like Lil Wayne's 'A Milli', it features heavyweights Buju Banton, Busta Rhymes, and Bounty Killer.

Past collaborators like Akon, Brisco, Trick Daddy, Fat Joe, and production duo Cool & Dre don't make a return, but that creates a space for the struggling Jim Jones and less established names like Ace Hood, Lil Boosie, and Young Cash.

Somewhat appropriately then, DJ Khaled has explained the album's title reflects the way he inspires people with his music.

Despite lacking female singers and rappers, 'Victory' is already a winner. 

Eminem - Recovery

Contributed by: Mmapaseka Modibane

Seven albums into his career, Eminem has delivered one of his best works yet. 'Recovery' finds the troublesome and talented rapper focused, relaxed, and back at the top of his game.

After breaking five years of writers block with last year's average 'Relapse', the king of disses, comebacks, and crossover hits is on a road to, yes, recovery.

The man born Marshall Mathers has changed - but not much. He still raps about his daughter, his ex wife, and problems with drug addiction, but 'Recovery' shows the familiar subjects in a new light. His most emotional record yet, it finally reveals what this talented man went through without judgment.

"I almost made a song dissin' Lil Wayne/ It's like I was jealous of him 'cause of the attention he was gettin'/ I felt horrible about myself," he even confides in 'Talkin' 2 Myself'.

"I just wanna thank everybody for bein' so patient/ Bearin' with me over these last couple of years while I figure this sh*t out."

Almost as refreshing as this admission of self doubt is his choice to collaborate with people outside his inner circle. Of course Dr Dre is still around, but Eminem has recruited other producers like Alex da Kid, Just Blaze, Boi-1da, Jim Jonsin, and DJ Khalil - as well as bonafide pop stars.

Pink shows up on the heavily rhythmic 'Won't Back Down' but it's Rihanna who really surprises on 'Love The Way You Lie', one of the best collaborations of Eminem's career. "[The song] I did with Rihanna is one of those tracks that I felt like only she could pull it off, only she could do it," he explained and, judging from the results, he's right.

Not quite as good is his collaboration with Lil Wayne - 'No Love' - which samples the beats of Haddaway's 'What Is Love', but the hard-hitting 'Cinderella Man' (about second chances and abuse), 'On Fire', 'Seduction', and 'W.T.P. (White Trash Party)' help explain why the album has sold over a million copies within three weeks in the USA alone.

'Recovery' truly lives up to its name.

Say Something or SHUT UP!!!

In the past, well who is counting. Ive went from rock bottom, teary eyes, dissapointing moments, temptation and lastly denial. All of that has changed, for good.

Im the strong friend you know you can lean on, call at 3 am to talk about "i think my man is cheating" an the friend who hides booze cause she has a big bag. Thats me, the team player. Now how do u tell my friend that her man is a creep, a good lying creep?

Im stuck between a rock and a hot place. The Creep has mastered his game to unmentionable perfection. Now as a friend do i step in n say "Ba ho ja direthe" or do i just SHUT UP n wait for all hel to break loose?

My instincts are strongly leaning to "SHUT UP" but my heart says tell her. What if all this drama stays with me? What if im the one who will be in kak? Im not ready for my debut warm klaap encounter.

In most cases like these, one needs to be aware!

MPK,1