Mavado, 'Mr. Brooks…A Better Tomorrow' (VP)

Jamaican street soldier tests the spiritual waters.

Gangsta personas have short shelf lives. Snoop Dogg: the only set he's believably rolling with these days is the PTA. and who's still afraid of big, bad 50 Cent? Post–"In Da Club," he became more of a thug cartoon than the genuine article. But on his stellar

Mavado, 'Gangsta for Life: The Symphony of David Brooks' (VP)

Jamaica's hottest gangsta is bummed - profoundly.

It's a good thing Mavado sounds so miserable. If he didn't, the dancehall don's debut -- a barrage of drum-and bass-heavy tunes about guns, guns, and more guns -- might become just another bloated, repetitive exercise in glorified clichés.

Collie Buddz, 'Collie Buddz' (Columbia)

He's earned the right never to be called "The Informer" again.

Yes, Collie Buddz, a.k.a. Colin Harper, is white. Yes, he's been tagged as the Eminem of reggae. But the New Orleans-born, Bermuda-raised MC/producer's debut album is all about the versatility of his undeniable skills.

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