About Stefan Halley
Location: Malmo, Sweden
Occupation: Editor-in-Chief
Bio: Stefan has been writing reviews for seven years and started Pop Syndicate out of need to voice his mis-guided opinion.
Posts: 719
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It’s a shame that all the attention for biggest rap album of the year is focused on two crappy CDs from Kanye West and 50 Cent. Just a week after both of those turds dropped and sold huge amounts, Wil.i.am releases his third album into the world and where Kanye and Fiddy get it wrong, Will.i.am does it right. Songs About Girls is a fun concept album where Will goes through the various stages of a relationship and girls.
Each song flows effortlessly from one track to another. It’s as if Will.i.am is having a big party and we’ve all be invited to hang out with him. After a slow ramping up with “Over”, a song about failed relationships, Songs About Girls takes off and doesn’t stop. The disco beats kick in with “Heartbreaker” and tracks range from the serious to the silly. If “Over” is about the end of a relationship, “I Got It From My Mama” is the opening pickup line. It’s a silly song that will be played ad nausea over the airwaves. Where Will objectifies women in “From My Mama”, he idealizes them with “She’s a Star” as he talks about his ideal woman. Then he goes back to objectifying women again with “The Donque Song”. Snoop Dogg shows up for what has to be a rare occurrence in rap CDs these days. He is the only guest voice on the CD. I know, it doesn’t seem possible but it’s true.
“Fantastic” samples Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” to good effect. “Fly Girl” is about the one that got away and how he laments it. “Ain’t It Pretty” has Will singing about obsession. Then there is the closer “SOS (Mother Nature).” After obsessing, objectifying and idealizing women for 14 tracks, Will.i.am switches focus and gets political. “SOS” is about the problems of the world and it’s a terrific closer. Where the rest of the album is a bit flighty, “SOS” shows that Will can be more than just a power pop producer. Hopefully, we’ll hear more songs like this in future releases.
Overall, Songs About Girls is a solid effort from one the better producers working today. Will.i.am knows how to crank out hits. After years of working with the Black Eyed Peas and Fergie, it’s nice to see Will step out of the shadows and show why they are so successful. He’s smart to not overload Songs About Girls with gust artists and relies on his talent to carry the project. This is easily one of the best pop rap albums of the year.
