Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E. 2)

The sequel to his star-studded breakthrough album of 2001, Fat Joe's JEALOUS ONES STILL ENVY (J.O.S.E. 2) uses the same formula to almost the same effect. The "Porn Star," "Cupcake," "Ice Cream" sequence of tracks is the big tip-off that this is a more singles-geared release for the rapper with the high-profile collaborations stacked as high as the hooks and slick production running the show. The Akon feature "One," plus "Aloha" with Pleasure P and Rico Love, are empty-headed, fun weekend numbers with choruses that stick in the head. "Porn Star" with Lil' Kim is the naughty club cut you'd expect, and even if the T-Pain cut, "Put Ya in Da Game," is the textbook definition of "predictable," Joe's swagger here fits perfectly with the top-hatted one's ultra-polished production. The only big surprise comes right up front as producer Ron Browz gives "Winding on Me" a slowly slithering bassline, creating a wonderfully bizarre backing track for Joe and Lil Wayne's strip club stories ("She got it in the front/I took a step back"). The track list is right-sized and the rhymes are amusing the whole way through, making the title the only thing left to gripe about. The album is actually capping off a trilogy that started with 1995's JEALOUS ONE'S ENVY, meaning this is a sequel to a sequel and would be legitimate with "still" or "3" in the title.