A pop-rap sensation weeks before his debut album was even released,
Chingy didn't really need a solid effort to move platinum-level units, as his massive breakthrough debut single, "Right Thurr," was certainly enough in itself. The track borrows everything wonderful about
Nelly's "Hot in Herre" smash hit from the summer before. From the bouncy, bassy beats to the Southerrn dialect, and from the sexual overtones to the teen pop accessibility of the hook, "Right Thurr" is an instant party rap classic. The remainder of
Jackpot -- especially "Holidae In," featuring both
Ludacris and
Snoop Dogg -- is nearly as tailor-made for pop-rap appeal. Credit largely goes to
the Trak Starz, whose
Neptunesque productions fill the album (they produce all but one song). On the downside, the quality of the hooks sometimes doesn't match up to that of the beats, and
Chingy himself lacks the substance to match his style. Still, there are enough well-crafted songs on
Jackpot to make it an entertaining listen from beginning to end, provided you skip past a few songs here and there. ~ Jason Birchmeier