July 31, 2010

Trey Songz has already established himself as the premier horndog of his generation. But on the lead single to his upcoming "Passion, Pain and Pleasure" album, the self-proclaimed Mr. Steal Your Girl switches subject matter from sexing up the ladies to the not-so-stimulating topic of getting intoxicated. The end result? Songz' bar song chorus fades into the background, while guest artist Nicki Minaj steals the spotlight with a layered, almost cartoonish 16-bar verse that injects the track with much-needed liveliness and creativity. Catering to the ADD generation with spit-fire fast, schizophrenic rhymes and even some breathy singing, Minaj shows more personality in 45 seconds than most rappers do in an entire song, balancing an aggressive attitude with her gentler side. It all goes to show that a little personality goes a long way. —Mariel Concepcion

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