21 and Up

Photographer: Chad Griffith.
South Carolina MC Lil Ru's serpentine path to his debut 21 & UP almost approaches Joe Budden levels for hardships and derailments. After label madness, uber-strip club jam "The Nasty Song" made the rounds for over a year as the record was pushed back further and further. Ultimately released in August 2009, the record is an interesting mess. "Nasty," a bass-heavy ode to strippers' charm, is featured, but is a bit of a misleading introduction to the album (other than Ru's clear and overwhelming affection for naked women dancing in blacklit rooms). While that song is a typical apple bottom jam, catchy but cookie cutter, much of the rest of the record is practically experimental hip-hop. Ru describes his sound as a "gumbo of crunk, snap, and other popular Southern rap styles," and that isn't mere Dixie whistling. Like his fellow Lil, Wayne, there are moments of pure genius.