Nelly really gives 110 percent for The Longest Yard. He's one of the film's co-stars, he exec produces, he contributes to its soundtrack, and he releases it , too, via his Derrty Ent imprint. Yes,
Nelly in 2005 is a triple-threat media mogul, playing on all sides of the ball. His "Errtime" single kicks off the set. It doesn't have the subconscious staying power of a killer summer jam. But
Nelly's consonant manipulation and punchy phrasing make it pretty catchy (even if it's meaningless); the
Jazze Pha production mixes vibrant, chattering percussion with Southern rap's familiar mechanistic whistle, and new
Nelly lieutenants Jung Tru and
King Jacob are eager enough. A lot of The Longest Yard takes its explicit content warning to heart -- it's a movie about jail, after all, even if
Adam Sandler's in the center giving guards wet willies.
Ali (
St. Lunatics) and
Big Gipp (
Goodie Mob) team for the chest-beating "Let 'Em Fight,"
WC "comes out swingin' like Ron Artest" on "Whip Yo Ass," and
Taylor Made (Jung Tru, Gube, and Ghost) get help from
Nelly on the slowed, slurred bravura of "Datz on My Mama." This is about how
The Longest Yard goes, with raps about football --
D12 and
Eminem's "My Ballz" being a goofily crass example -- spliced to jail cell and pop culture references. Derrty regular
Murphy Lee,
King Jacob, and Prentice Church rock some ridiculous word-jumble verses on the terrific "Stomp." (
King Jacob gets credit for rhyming "2040" with "Bacardi" instead of the usual "party.")
T.I.'s "Bounce Like This" is also a
Longest Yard standout. The soundtrack has some filler, too --
Nelly takes a knee on the believe-in-yourself pop-rap ballad "Fly Away" -- but it's mostly a solid set, particularly if you're a fan of the Derrty roster. It figures out a way to win. ~ Johnny Loftus