Believe it or not,
Changin' the Game is a title filled with meaning -- it signals that
Luke, a rapper obsessed with the juvenile (particularly sex), is making a change and becoming mature. Of course, mature is a relative term. For some, it means cool, relaxed jazz or gentle folk songs. For others, it may mean soothing new age soundscapes or highly polished blue-eyed soul. For
Luke, mature means he's not singing about asses all the time. That, and his new obsession with proving his material worth, are the primary differences on
Changin' the Game. Musically, he hasn't changed at all, but you wouldn't want him any other way.
Luke without Miami bass music is unthinkable, and he doesn't disappoint here. Working with producers
Tony Galvin,
Aaron Hall, and So So Def's
Lil Jon,
Luke has created his best album in years, a collection of deep bass grooves that are funky, freaky, and infectious. Lyrically,
Changin' the Game is another matter -- there are fewer sex rhymes, but he's as profane and inane as ever -- but those who want a
Luke record aren't going to care about that in the first place. They'll care about the beats and the bass, which
Changin' the Game delivers in excess. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine