Big Boi Makes Big Noise: Sir Lucious Left Foot Review

When news came at the dawn of 2010 that Eminem, Drake, Game, Kanye West, Nas & Damian Marley, B.O.B., and possibly Lupe Fiasco would release an album this year, hip-hop fans were ecstatic. But many overlooked one major player in the hip-hop game that would also be dropping an album this year, Big Boi. It's common theme for Big Boi, real name Antwan Patton, who has been overshadowed most of his career by his OutKast partner, Andre 3000. Take a listen to Big Boi's "Royal Flush" however, and you'll have reason to be excited. With such a strong single, does Big Boi give listeners more in Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty?

The answer is an emphatic YES. From the second track, "Daddy Fat Sax", you enter Big Boi's world. A world full of funk, crazy beats, and some of the best lyricism done by any artist this year. Patton stays true to the OutKast formula, being creative and experimenting with new sounds that most of us have never heard before.

"Daddy Fat Sax" is a great example of this. The second track of the album sounds like something you'd hear straight off an OutKast album, but excludes Andre. This isn't a bad thing though, since Big Boi holds his own extremely well. I always knew Patton was a talented MC, especially after his section on Speakerboxx: The Love Below. However, just his first track in "Daddy Fat Sax" surprised me in how good he really is lyrically. Just look at the second verse for proof:

Patton moves onto the track "Turns Me On", which just like the previous track, has an OutKast feel. The appearance of Sleepy Brown on the chorus is a great play by Big Boi since he flows with the song so well. This is a more of a track to lay back to and Organized Noise provides a stellar beat. Big Boi is solid again on this track when on the mic and does something that Eminem failed to do on Recovery. Instead of singing his own hooks, Patton leaves those to Brown and Joi to handle. This makes the track easy to listen to throughout the whole way.

The next cut may take some time to grow on people, "Follow Us (ft. Vonneggutt)", since the beat sounds a little whack at first. However, as you listen to the song further, you'll notice that Salaam Remi's beat begins to connect together, ending in an above average production. At this point, you'll also start to realize that Big Boi is staying consistent and doesn't seem to have any glaring weaknesses as he raps. While Eminem's album contained more meaning in songs, although sometimes not correctly aimed, Big Boi sticks to what made him and Andre 3000 so good in OutKast. The words are like one big wave that slowly builds up at the beginning of each track and then hits landfall by each chorus or hook.

At this point, many albums will start to lose focus or stray away from the working formula. Not Big Boi. He keeps us guessing, continuing to drop lines that sound as fresh as the song before it. "Shutterbug", the fifth track of Sir Lucious will give you sounds that you rarely ever hear. Patton decides to use a voice box to record part of the beat as well as some lyrics toward the end of the song. It's a great song to just bounce to, and you can thank the producer Scott Storch for that. Big Boi destroys it when on the mic. It's got a catchy chorus too, so you'll want to play this one multiple times.

The next track, "General Patton", is a stroke of pure genius from Big Boi. This song is a statement of the MC's skills as big as the announcement of where LeBron James was going to play. Patton creates a song that will literally make you want to throw things or punch a wall. Patton threatens any MC's that enter in his path with lines like:

Get the south dick up out yo mouth …
We know everythin you about, try another route
Papper boy, you can’t …
Pick on somebody your own size, fuck around get killed

"Tangerine", which follows "General Patton", isn't as powerful, but will be a great song for clubs. The appearance of T.I. works well and Big Boi continues to be strong lyrically.

Big Boi's hit streak unfortunately comes to an end with the next set of tracks. "You Ain't No DJ (ft. Yelawolf)" doesn't lack in lyrical content, it just doesn't have the greatest production behind it. "Hustle Blood (ft. Jamie Foxx)" isn't a bad song either, but it slows down the momentum that Big Boi had earlier in the album. Big Boi has only one major misstep on his debut, and that's with the song "Be Still (ft. Janelle Monae)". Again, this isn't a terrible song in any way, but it doesn't fit with who Big Boi presents himself as early in the album. An MC who is threatening other rappers to not fuck with him at one point doesn't piece well when he tries to make a more heartfelt song about a lover. "Fo Yo Sorrows (ft. George Clinton)" is also another forgettable cut from Big Boi.

Just as you think Patton may be heading for disaster, he flips the switch in the right direction. "Night Night (ft. B.O.B.)" is a tremendous track that describes how Big Boi will be coming for all the other rappers in the game. It's got a great beat to it, thanks to DJ Speedy and Big Boi himself, and the chorus by B.O.B. blends extremely well. The song title fits too, as Big Boi even says "Night night, I recite as I step up to this mic." He even pauses after the first chorus and says "This is where the second verse is supposed to go. Man, I don't even know if I need to hit you with another verse but, I think I will 'cause I like to destroy shit". If that's not any indication of an MC who loves what he does, then I don't know really what is.

"Shine Blockas (ft. Gucci Mane)" is another standout track from Sir Lucious. It continues to amaze me how well Big Boi incorporates guests into his songs. Just by listening to the beat at the beginning of "Shine Blockas" is something you would probably hear on a Gucci track. Yet, Big Boi makes it his own and makes sure that Gucci doesn't block his shine. In fact, with Gucci's verse and chorus, the song blends so well that it makes Patton even shine brighter. This is something that you could play on repeat for a long time in the car and it will keep you upbeat.

The final two tracks aren't ones that you'll be dying to show off to friends, but with them being placed towards the finish of the album, it works. "The Train pt. 2 (ft. Sam Chris)" and "The Back Up Plan" are slower songs, but still have meat in lyrics. It's a good way to slow down the Patton train after "Shine Blockas" and concludes the album on a high note.

Is Patton flawless in his debut? No, but he's still pretty damn good. I knew that the MC would release a solid debut, but Sir Lucious surprised me and many other critics. Big Boi displayed how he is one of the most underrated rappers in the game right now and he will certainly be a force to be reckoned with if he releases another solo album. This album should also be heard by every MC that is still hitting the mic today as well. Not only should they pay attention to Patton's words, but they should model their guest appearances after his. True, there are tracks that are sub-par, but there isn't one that doesn't utilize the guest appearance to its fullest. With B.O.B. on "Night Night" or Gucci on "Shine Blockas" or even T.I. on "Tangerine", Big Boi shows that you don't have to have the best MC's to appear on a track to make it a good one. He also makes sure that the star of the show is himself, not the guest.

I praised Eminem last month on Recovery for his lack of guest appearances. However, I also mentioned that Slim should have left some of his hooks to other singers. Shady's singing was one of the major flaws of Recovery, but Big Boi didn't make the same mistake. Instead, he knew he needed help on some of his hooks and choruses, so he intelligently picked the perfect pieces to fit the puzzle of Sir Lucious.

This is straight up, a well-done hip-hop album. It's not a classic and it's not as good as another OutKast album, but it's a great disc to have in your library. It's the best solo album to be released by any MC this year yet, and it will be tough to top. Big Boi delayed this album for two years and for good reason. "Patience is a virtue" and when MC's follow that, everyone benefits.

Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty (*indicates definitely worth a listen)

1. Feel Me (Intro)

2. Daddy Fat Sax*

3. Turns Me On (ft. Sleepy Brown and Joi)

4. Follow Us (ft. Vonnegutt)

5. Shutterbug (ft. Cutty)*

6. General Patton (ft. Big Rube)*

7. Tangerine (ft. T.I. and Khujo)

8. You Ain't No DJ (ft. Yelawolf)

9. Hustle Blood (ft. Jamie Foxx)

10. Be Still (ft. Janelle Monae)

11. Fo Yo Sorrows (ft. George Clinton, Too Short, and Sam Chris)

12. Night Night (ft. B.O.B. and Joi)*

13. Shine Blockas (ft. Gucci Mane)*

14. The Train pt. 2 (Sir Lucious Left Foot Saves the Day) (ft. Sam Chris)

15. Back Up Plan

OVERALL - 4 and 1/2 out of 5 stars

June Review & July Preview

What up everyone. It's almost the end of the month and it has been a memorable one. Hip-hop had two major releases in June with Drake's Thank Me Later and Eminem's Recovery. Drake made history as his debut album was the highest selling ever for an MC. It sold over 450,000 copies in its first week, defeating the previous record held by Kanye West's The College Dropout. Eminem was also successful; Recovery peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200, making it his 5th consecutive to do so. Perhaps the most critically acclaimed album though, came from The Roots. They're ninth studio album, How I Got Over, currently holds an 86 rating on Metacritic. That's 8 points better than Thank Me Later and a staggering 24 more than Recovery. How I Got Over also holds the top rating of the month on HipHopDX.com for June.

Hip-hop seems to be picking up steam after a big June, but will it continue into July?

Sir Lucious Left Foot: Son of Chico Dusty
Artist: Big Boi
Label: Def Jam
Release Date: July 6th

- What a way to kick off July. Big Boi, one half of the critically acclaimed duo OutKast, will release his debut solo album, Sir Lucious Left Foot. B.O.B. released a preview of what this album could be like in 2008 with "Royal Flush (ft. Raekwon and Andre 3000)". The song was named by Henry Adaso, hip-hop blogger for about.com, as the top hip-hop track of '08 and was also nominated for the Grammy "Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group". His song "Shine Blockas (ft. Gucci Mane)" was named the 8th best song of 2009 by Adaso as well. That's the only taste of what Big Boi has in store, but it was one that will make any hip-hop lover salivate in envy. Remember, Big Boi is experienced going solo already, since the first section of Speakerboxx and the Love Below was a complete solo effort from him. Just listen to "Ghetto Musik", "I Like the Way You Move", and "Church" from that disc and trust me, you'll be getting the same jitters I'm having in excitement for Sir Lucious Left Foot. It hasn't gotten as much attention, but this could be a potential rap album of the year candidate when the smoke clears.

Pilot Talk
Artist: Curren$y
Label: Def Jam
Release Date: July 13th

We saw the debut album of Drake drop in June, so why not check out another? Curren$y, who has been a rising star in the hip-hop underground, will try to impress listeners with his debut album, Pilot Talk. Curren$y was featured on Wiz Khalifa's last album, Deal or No Deal, and was even featured on the cover of XXL Magazine in February of 2009. He left Young Money in late 2007 to team up with Roc-a-Fella records and Def Jam. Almost the entire album is produced by Ski Beatz, but Mos Def helps out with producing the track "Breakfast". Guest appearances are strong here as you will hear lines from Mos Def, Snoop Dogg, Jay Electronica, and Devin the Dude. It won't sell anywhere near what Drake's did, but it's definitely worth checking out. Curren$y seems to have the right people behind him to make a critically successful debut, its just up to the MC himself to come through.

Heart of a Champion
Artist: Paul Wall
Label: Warner Brothers
Release Date: July 13th

- This was an album that was supposed to be released June 29th but was pushed back two weeks. I didn't spend much time talking about this album in my June preview post, so I won't spend much more here. Wall was unsuccessful sales and critics wise with his 2009 release of Fast Life, so here is his chance to make a rebound. He has some great guest appearances lined up for Heart of a Champion who include: Chamillionaire, Bun B, Jay Electronica, Devin the Dude, and Raekwon. Travis Barker is on the production, as well as The Neptunes so expect the beats at least to be on track. It could be a hit, but it has just as good a chance of flopping as well.

Teflon Don
Artist: Rick Ross
Label: Maybach Music Group
Release Date: July 20th

- If you're looking for star power, look no further than Rick Ross and his newest, Teflon Don. Kanye West, T.I., Jay-Z, Ne-Yo, Raphael Saadiq, and Drake have all been confirmed as appearing on the album already. Kanye is also producing a track, but most of the production is left to J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Lex Luger, and No I.D. "Super High", the album's first single sounds pretty good, at least from a production stand point. Ross has yet to deliver an album of any lyrical significance, and I doubt that this one will do that. However, I'm willing to bet it will be a fun one to cruise to and it will sell very, very well. Who knows, maybe the one they call "The Boss" could surprise critics, myself included, with a good album.

Hip-Hop's Antidote: Recovery Review

There are very few hip-hop legends left today, meaning that there are only one or two albums released by them each year. Fortunately, Slim Shady is one of them, and he's back once again to reign terror on mothers and any hip-hop haters.

Or is he? With Eminem's latest single, "Not Afraid", he sounds like a changed man. Does this mean we will see a wiser, more classy Shady? Is this the end of the old Eminem as we know him?

If "Not Afraid" scared you, breathe a sigh of relief and recover. Eminem's Recovery is still hard-hitting, just not as hard as his previous albums, including Relapse. The opening track off of Recovery, "Cold Wind Blows", is the old Eminem at his best. For starters, the beat is fantastic for his delivery here. It resembles something you would hear on Relapse, but much better. Eminem, real name Marshall Mathers, blows this track away lyrically, adding elements that made him so successful. There's humor such as the line "I set the world on fire, piss on it and put it out" and others that are creative, for instance "So butt the buddha light a bong but take a look at Mariah next time I inspire you to write a song come on."

As strong as the opening track was, Mathers follows it with a forgettable one. "Talkin' 2 Myself (ft. Kobe)" will sound good the first run through, but after, it quickly loses its luster. The production is done by DJ Khaled here, who actually produces multiple tracks on this album. Although Khaled can produce memorable beats at times, the one here is not one of his best. The guest appearance of Kobe is also a mistake by Slim. We've come to expect hardcore hip-hop from Eminem by this point, not a song made for an apology, which is exactly what it is. Are the lyrics well developed? Yes, but they're ones that apply to the current time and will die within the year.

"On Fire" gets the album back on track with a strong, slower beat that suits Slim well. He also sounds angry again, which is a good thing. What's weird is that this song would've fit perfectly on Relapse, just as the first one. There are few other tracks on the album that follow this pattern, but it shouldn't be a surprise. Remember, the original plan was for the album to be released last year and under the name Relapse 2. "Won't Back Down" continues the momentum for Shady with a little help from his guest, Pink. This was a brilliant move by Mathers as Pink is a rebel herself. She adds a pop element but also keeps the song rough. Mathers drops a few good verses on this and the song flows well. I'm willing to bet this will be the second single of the album, and I hope it is. It would go down as one of Em's best singles if that happens.

One of the things that Eminem should deserve a great deal of credit for is his lack of guest artists on this album. He has two guest appearances in the first four songs, but only two more in the next 12. This is a breath of fresh air, as many MC's have been getting "guest happy" lately. This is also Eminem's sixth album, so he doesn't have to prove anything to anyone. Yet, he probably feels he does, something that separates him from rappers such as Lil Wayne or 50 Cent.

The Slim Shady train gains speed with the fifth track "W.T.P." and hits full throttle on the song "Going Through Changes". "W.T.P." is a great song to bounce to and it could become a hit being played through clubs soon. Just because it's got a club feel, doesn't mean it's not good lyrically though. Slim describes in great detail different party/club scenes, something that can be humorous and fun to listen to. There's a quick change of pace when "Going Through Changes" comes on. However, you won't want to skip it, because its the best song on the album.

Where to start here? First off, you'll notice that the chorus is a sample from Black Sabbath's "Changes" which is brilliant. The guitar in the background, accompanied by rain, makes for a powerful and moving track. The production is great, but Eminem is even better with his delivery. His verses complement the beat very well and his tone, which is more laid back, just fits. The song begins with Em contemplating rather he should get high or do pills to him being in the hospital to him promising to make changes. Unlike "Talkin' 2 Myself", this sounds much more real and from the heart. Just read the lines from the second verse:

My friends just can't understand this new me,
That's understandable man, but just think how bananas you'd be,
You'd be an animal too, if you were trapped in this fame and caged in it like a zoo.
And everybody's lookin' at you, what you want me to do,
I'm startin' to live like a recluse and the truth is,
Fame startin' to give me an excuse, to be at a all time low.
I sit alone in my home theatre, watchin' the same damn DVD,
Of the first tour, the last tour, he was still alive.
And it hurt sore, fast forward, sleepin' pills'll make me feel alright.
And if I'm still awake in the middle of the night, I just take a couple more, yeah you're motherfuckin' right, I ain't slowin' down for no one, I am almost homeward bound.
Almost in a coma, yeah homie come on, don't look now,
Daddy, don't you die on me, daddy, better hold your ground.
Fuck, don't I know the sound of that voice,
Yeah baby hold me down.

This song is one of his best in a long time and it succeeds where "Beautiful" (his attempt to be emotionally moving on Relapse) failed.

It's a shame then that "Not Afraid" follows this. Many may say that this is a great track and its so moving, but after listening to "Going Through Changes", it's not nearly as powerful. Understandably, Mathers had to make a few songs that had a more pop feel to help album sales. "Not Afraid" however, is still the weakest single on the album, as I will explain a little later.

"Seduction" is right after "Not Afraid" and is, again, a track that sounds like it was made for Relapse. It discusses Slim's ability to, you guessed it, seduce women. This is a filler track, and so is the one that follows it. "No Love (ft. Lil Wayne)" uses a well-known sample, "What is Love", but that's about the only highlight. Pairing Wayne with Eminem is a mistake, as much as Slim will try and defend it. The old Eminem would've NEVER let this happen. With changes to Em lately though, he decided to try it. The chorus is sung by Em, which was another misstep. The only way from saving this song from being a disaster is his Em's verse, a verse that he lyrically destroys.

Fortunately, Mathers delivers the next track "Space Bound". This could be a single, but it would be a damn good one. The beat has a spacey feel and its a very chill one to kick back to. Surprisingly, Mathers comes out hard instead of a more laid back delivery like the one on "Going Through Changes". The verses aren't as long as most of the tracks on the album, but they don't lack depth. It talks about how Em has become a person who doesn't trust others and how he's had "an emotional hole in his heart" for some time. This may be referring to his family problems or his childhood. Regardless, it's another hit just waiting to happen for Slim.

The next song, "Cinderella Man", is another filler and you won't spend much time on it. Which brings you to "25 to Life". Another song that uses guitar, as well as piano, it's really well produced and the story is very deep. It's about Em's ex, the infamous Kim, and for once, he doesn't talk about killing her. Instead, he raps about how he tried to stay faithful to her and how she never appreciated the effort he gave. This is a song that the old Slim would've never made. However, this is a also a song that I think needed to be made, and I'm glad Em has finally cleared up this past demon of his. It is one you will be able to replay a lot too, which is always a good thing.

Dr. Dre makes his return to producing for Eminem on "So Bad". It's not the strongest song on the album, but it's still a good one. Dre and Em have always been a great combo and any of the old Eminem fans will love this track. "Almost Famous" has an interesting beat that will take some time to grow on people. The good thing though, is that the first verse is hilarious and the rest of the song follows suit. There's a line about Ben Roethlisberger, Austin Powers, and even Abraham Lincoln. It is a song that still proves that Slim shows no mercy and lyrically, it's genius. The chorus is the only thing that hurts the track, but it's definitely worth a listen.

Remember that guitar tied into the beats that I've been mentioning? It's back on "Love the Way You Lie (ft. Rihanna)". If you're a hardcore Slim fan, you will probably detest this song to no end. Lyrically though, it's really not that bad. In fact, Em has some good lines here that you won't usually hear from him. Check out these lines from the third verse:

Now I know we said things, did things, that we didn't mean
And we fall back into the same patterns, same routine
But your temper's just as bad as mine is, you're the same as me
When it comes to love you're just as blinded

Rihanna works well as a guest here too, making this another successful "poppy" track for Em.

The final track is well produced and the lyrics aren't bad, but somebody really needs to tell Eminem to stop singing. I praised Eminem for the lack of guests earlier, but this is a track that needed one to do the chorus. It's a song that doesn't have much replay value and it's unfortunate that it ends the album. If Em hit one home run way out of the park on Relapse, it was his closer "Underground", which left many listeners with chills. Em probably should have spent more time on developing a stronger conclusion to the album, but it won't be a huge black mark at the end of the day.

Recovery has its high points and low ones, like many albums today. There are some of Eminem's best songs on this album, such as "Going Through Changes", "Cold Wind Blows", and "25 to Life". There are more memorable and stronger tracks here than Encore and Relapse combined. However, Shady has some major errors on Recovery. "Not Afraid" and "No Love" really hurt this album in the long run. Em clearly can make singles that are much stronger than "Not Afraid" after listening to "Won't Back Down (ft. Pink)", "Space Bound", or "Love the Way You Lie (ft. Rihanna)". These tracks, along with a few other fillers, prevent it from achieving the status of his first three albums (Slim Shady LP, The Marshall Mathers, The Eminem Show). Did those albums have fillers too? Yes, but even as fillers, they were much better than the ones presented on Recovery.

Overall, this is an album that any Eminem or hip-hop fan must pick up. It's the best solo rap album to be released yet this year. It also will give Slim some big praise because it's a step in a different direction for the trouble MC. On a personal level, I was very hesitant to listen to this album after hearing "Not Afraid". I worried that Slim was throwing away everything that made him unique and one of the best. He blew my expectations away however, once I listened to this a few times through. Will Recovery catapult Eminem to one of the top 3 or 4 MCs ever? No, but it will help him nonetheless. If he wasn't considered one of the top 6 or 7 MCs of all time before this, he should be now. Recovery is hip-hop medicine for the mainstream, something we should all thank Mr. Mathers for.

Recovery (* indicates definitely worth a listen)
1. Cold Wind Blows*
2. Talkin' 2 Myself (ft. Kobe)
3. On Fire
4. Won't Back Down (ft. Pink)
5. W.T.P.
6. Going Through Changes*
7. Not Afraid
8. Seduction
9. No Love
10. Space Bound*
11. Cinderella Man
12. 25 to Life*
13. So Bad
14. Almost Famous
15. Love the Way You Lie (ft. Rihanna)
16. You're Never Older

OVERALL - 4 out of 5 stars

Hip-Hop Jumps Into June

The temperature is quickly rising and so is the number of hip-hop albums. After a quiet May, with the exception of Distant Relatives, hip-hop seems to be ready to make an explosion with a month filled with releases. Here's a look at the upcoming releases this month that you should be on the watch for:

Thank Me Later
Artist: Drake
Label: Young Money
Release Date: June 15th

- Drake will kick off the summer months with his debut album, Thank Me Later. Drake became incredibly successful after his mixtape, So Far Gone, produced the hit "Best I Ever Had" last year. Although Drake achieved a great deal of notoriety with So Far Gone, many have began to question how he can be taken as an MC seriously because of his love for R&B. To me, this makes Drake's debut even more interesting to check out. Which side of Drake will we see? The one that can be extremely strong lyrically when focused, or the one that wants to appease to the female crowd and produce pop hits? With this being his debut album as well, Drake will need to be inspired to sway critics. Still, it should be an album that many will have playing in their stereos for weeks on end.

Recovery
Artist: Eminem
Label: Interscope
Release Date: June 22nd

- So now that Eminem has gone into Relapse, he needs a Recovery. This will be Eminem's sixth studio album, and there's no doubt it will sell incredibly well. It's strange that Eminem is releasing the album on June 18th in Europe and waiting to release until June 22nd in the U.S., and it's a decision that could hurt him. It won't be a surprise if this one is leaked because of the early release date in other countries. "Not Afraid" was release back in April as the first single of the album and it may excite, or worry you. It might be refreshing to see a change in Eminem to where he doesn't hate his life as much, but that's also what made him so good. Will a well-behaved Slim Shady work? Everybody will be listening in just a few weeks.

How I Got Over
Artist: The Roots
Label: Def Jam
Release Date: June 22nd

- After a two-year hiatus and becoming the late night band for Jimmy Falon, The Roots are back. Just as Eminem's latest may not be as dark as previous albums, so is The Roots'. Game Theory (2006) and Rising Down (2008) were both critically acclaimed, praised for each of the album's deeper meanings and political messages. Roots' fans shouldn't be worried though, because they've been very consistent through their career. The first single "How I Got Over" was released last year and it sounds just as fresh today. There should be much to look forward to in The Roots' new release and it may just be your cure for how to get over the mainstream airwaves.

Success & Failure
Artist: Chingy
Label: Real Talk Entertainment
Release Date: June 22nd

- If you aren't too concerned with what an MC raps about, than Chingy's latest may just be a success. The man who made "Balla Baby", "Right Thurr" and "Pullin' Me Back" returns with his latest this month. This is his first release in three years and Chingy has fallen off a little bit. Success & Failure could be his chance to try and re-create the noise he made early in his career. I've checked out the first single "Iced Out" and it's a great tune to bump to; I just won't be hailing it as a work of art anytime soon. You may want to listen to this album through before considering a purchase.

Other albums dropping this month:

Lil Jon - Crunk Rock (June 8th)
Plies - Goon Affiliated (June 8th)
Crooked I - Hood Star (June 15th)
Juelz Santana - Born to Lose, Built to Win (June 15th)
Curren$y - Pilot Talk (June 15th)
Grits - Quarantine (June 22nd)
Chamillionaire - Venom (June 22nd; there is still a lot of unconfirmed information so a possible delay is likely)
Paul Wall - Heart of a Champion (June 29th; most of the production done by Travis Barker, should be pretty creative)