Review Roundup: Ludacris - 'Battle of the Sexes'
Ludacris goes to war with the opposite sex on his seventh studio album Battle of the Sexes, but did the rap veteran win the battle with critics? Find out below.
USA Today: Social commentary has never been Ludacris’ strong suit, so it shouldn’t surprise that the lighter, cheekier tracks on Battle of the Sexes tend to be the most inviting. And despite enlisting some noted female voices to serve as sparring partners, he tends to emphasize the male perspective, or make it more sympathetic. 2.5 out of 4
Los Angeles Times: Some of the production work feels slapdash, as in the sopping-synth “I Know You Got a Man,” and aside from the undeniable banger “How Low,” it’s hard to hear the next obvious hit on Battle. But the album is another welcome occasion to listen to Luda enjoying the real love of his life—the sound of his own voice. 2.5 out of 4
People: You can always count on Ludacris for some laugh-out-loud, oh-no-he-didn’t moments on his albums. On his seventh disc, the Grammy-winning rapper saves his best zinger for last: the bonus track “Sexting,” which, with its references to sex rehab and tawdry texting, hilariously lampoons Tiger Woods over a banging Neptunes beat. 3 out of 4
The Washington Post: There’s a ton of sexed-up, party-oriented music—catchy but hardly groundbreaking. “Sex Room,” featuring Trey Songz (who else would one feature on such a song?), is filled with hilarious freakiness, but it’s a one-sided account.
Newsday: Not only does Luda know when a song needs an R&B crooner or a female voice, he knows when he needs to speed up a flow or rough up a rhyme. It’s that combo that makes “I Know You Got a Man” sound fresh, that makes “Sex Room” with Trey Songz a success, and makes the Tiger Woods-inspired “Sexting” so funny. B
Rap-Up’s Favorite Tracks: “How Low,” “My Chick Bad,” “I Know You Got a Man,” “Hey Ho”