Rapper
Ak'Sent (aka
Krystle Johnson) launches her debut album,
International, with "My Life," an autobiography-in-rap that begins by revealing her birthday, May 29, 1987, before providing the basics of her short life. It's an appropriate introduction to the 19-year-old performer who, despite being fleet of tongue, doesn't turn out to have much to say beyond the usual boasting and self-regard that are typical of her genre. Happily, she has been paired with a number of different producers, primarily the Jugganauts, who are determined to emphasize her multiracial, multicultural appeal by providing her with musical beds rooted in dancehall reggae (the previously released single "Zingy," featuring
Beenie Man, which is repeated in Spanish at the end as a hidden track), Latin ("My Peoples"), and crunk ("Krunk"). Another attribute of the disc is
Ak'Sent's singing voice, which is impressive enough to suggest that maybe she should shift her emphasis away from rap. Still, it is the producers, particularly
DJ Quik on "#1," who make a mark on this album, more than the nominal star. ~ William Ruhlmann