Pretty Ricky, a quartet of related young men who could be filed under R&B or rap, fly so over the top that they can no longer see the top. They're the kind of guys your mother wouldn't think to warn you about. That's how outrageous they are, fitting somewhere between
Usher and
the Ying Yang Twins at their most lecherous, but they're not nearly as effective as either influence. "Get a taste of the salami, knock you down like tsunami" is not an atypical come-on. A comedy troupe couldn't possibly come up with some of the lines here. Jim Jonsin produces most of the tracks, switching from pared-down Southern bumps to contemporary R&B backdrops. The group has more talent than they lead you to believe. Maybe they won't be so hungry for street credibility on album number two. [A clean version of the album was also made available.] ~ Andy Kellman