Loon

Personnel includes: Loon, Kelis, Missy Elliot, Carl Thomas, Trina, T.I., P. Diddy.
Producers include: The Natural Mind, Shaft, Aliaune "Akon" Thiam, Infamous P.O.P., Bink.
Like 50 Cent, Loon's sudden rise to success belies the long, winding, hard-fought path the Harlem rapper took to get there. Seven years before his debut, Loon was signed to Tommy Boy as a member of the duo Crime Factory before hooking up with Mase to be the key element of Harlem World. It was still a few years of hard work until he ascended to the level of sought-after guest artist, and he finally claimed fame stealing the show from P. Diddy & Usher on "I Need a Girl."
Loon's solo debut confirms why everybody wants the dulcet-toned, quick-witted MC for their tracks. Sporting a laid-back, easy delivery reminiscent of his Harlem World mentor, Loon spits out crisp lines that bridge the thug and underground worlds, balancing the streets with lighter pop culture. Though the tightly produced music fits safely within the Bad Boy world, Loon subtly cuts that formula with a steady dose of hip-hop history, referencing numerous classics, from Slick Rick's "Children's Story" to the West Coast Rap All-Stars' message song "We're All in the Same Gang." And going back even further, the beat-boxed out "Friday Night" pays tribute to the spare, early-1980s sounds of acts like the Treacherous 3. Loon's immersion in the hip-hop's past and present, coupled with his knack as lyricist, allows his debut to measure up to the hype preceding it.