Legendz

Hip-hop purists may loathe him, but there is no denying the fact that Will.I.am of the Black Eyed Peas is a creative force. His pop-friendly beats and rhymes helped propel the Peas to the top of the charts and while on tour, he’s still managed to hit the studio and churn out beats that ended up on albums from Nas and Game last year. Not one to miss an opportunity, his new solo album Songs About Girls is all about capitalizing on his buzz as a producer -- and an outlet to show off his creative force once again.

While Songs is not his first solo outing (Will released two solo albums before), it’s conceptually more cohesive and vibrant than any of his work to date. Each of the 15 tracks on Songs is about women, ranging from celebratory (“I Got It From My Mama”) to sentimental (“Over”). Will’s signature upbeat drums are present throughout, accompanied by electronic keyboards, xylophones and such. There are traces of funk, disco, electronica and R&B genres on Songs, and they are fused well.

There is no mistaking it: 'Songs About Girls' is all Will.I.Am’s platform. Snoop Dogg is the only guest to make the cut on an album that is otherwise populated by Will and back-up singers and live musicians. At that, the Doggfather’s bars add the icing to the cake that is the dance floor-ready “The Donque Song.” While Will’s rapping is more comparable to Timbaland than Kanye, it seems as if it is by design. It’s the music that drives Songs, and lyrics are in the backseat. Even when the tempo slows down and the song seems to creep, such is the case with “Fantastic,” Will fills the space with quirky sounds that keep the ears tuned.

Ultimately, 'Songs About Girls' is a feel-good concept album that further cements will.i.am’s legacy as a cross-genre producer. It’s a refreshing listen from top to bottom

arosa1313

haha thats tight

sammie

this will only be nice if the beats are dope