The crimson-crowned represents a school of music that's so filled with Jamaican slang, so rough and raucous, and in many ways, so insider that his or crossover potential is limited. Give him a guest shot on your cut and he's a benefit, but it's only a matter of time before the man they call "Energy God" is going to need room to go supernova and into that chaotic style that makes him such a big star in his island homeland. Being that it's his first full-length for ' label, could have been a diluted, overly manufactured album filled with dishonest attempts to get on radio. A credit to all parties involved, it isn't that at all. Chalk it up to 's diverse taste -- his respect for seems as genuine as his fascination with and other music -- or chalk it up to the recent major-label shifting that allowed for and the veteran label to both be under the umbrella. carries both labels' logos and freely strolls from polished duets with ( ) to mile-a-minute with no concessions for the weak hearted ( or the JA hit which appears at the end of the album as a hidden track). The album kills when it skillfully mixes these two worlds, like when producer releases an avalanche of gangsta drums and synths on a particularly over-the-top making the unexpected edgy highlight of the album. With its infectious "Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!" hook and bold boasting from all involved, with and is the more smoothed out but just as successful marrying of tones. The wicked live bass/live drums construction lays on the cut is a welcome sound when surrounded by so much synthetic ragga, while singer 's guest shot on further diversifies, offering an island flavor that hasn't yet crossed-over like the work of the album's other tropical guests, . The only complaint to be made is that the album is definitely front-loaded -- leaving the second half to deal with all the B and B+ material. A little shuffling leaves the listener with a grand exercise in global blending and one of the most satisfying full-lengths in 's sprawling catalog. ~ David Jeffries