From Me To U [PA]

Performer: Juelz Santana
Artist: Cam'Ron; Freekey Zekey; Monique Garnett; Jimmy Jones; Mike Peters; J.R. Writer; T.I.
Engineer: Eric 'Ibo' Butler; Carlisle Young; Artese Williams; Jazze Pha; Jimmy Jones; Shane Woodley
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel includes: Juelz Santana, Cam'Ron, Freekey Zeekey, Monique Garnett, Jimmy Jones, Mike Peters, JR Writer, T.I. Producers: Heatmakerz, Charlemagne, Self For Self, Chad Hamilton, Jazz Pha. Recorded at Sony Music Studios, Quad Studios, and Baseline Studios, New York, New York; Big Bud Studios, Atlanta, Georgia. "Dipset (Santana's Town)" was nominated for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group. Personnel: J. Dolla, Opera Steve, Razah (vocals); Mike Peters (guitar, keyboards, vibraphone). Audio Mixers: Eric "Ebo" Butler; Carlisle Young; Jazze Pha. Actor: Mike Peters . Photographer: Oluwayseye. It's entirely fitting, considering all the references to ejaculation, that Juelz Santana's solo debut full-length for Roc-a-Fella comes off as premature. Fresh off his filler-stuffed two-disc set with his Dipset (Diplomatic Immunity, released just a few months prior), Santana does deliver a small clutch of tracks that could've formed the basis for an outstanding LP. However, there's not enough strong material to make this 70-minute affair a significant one. This comes down to Santana's improving but underdevloped skills as a lyricist and productions that are almost equally inconsistent. "Okay Okay" and "Santana's Town" are two great instances where the eager MC's commanding delivery is enough to bolster the Heatmakerz' energizing production work. On both tracks, Santana amps up his conversational style (no doubt part of the effect Cam'ron's had on him) with fiery command; taut curlicues of swelling strings increase the suspense of "Okay Okay," while squealing symphonic samples push the MC into the red in "Santana's Town." Had this been a six- to eight-track EP, with the bum productions and innocuous rhymes lopped off, Santana's stock would've no doubt been raised. The promise he still holds is obvious, given the flashes of brilliance, so here's hoping the second album sees that through. ~ Andy Kellman It's entirely fitting, considering all the references to ejaculation, that Juelz Santana's solo debut full-length for Roc-a-Fella comes off as premature. Fresh off his filler-stuffed two-disc set with his Dipset (Diplomatic Immunity, released just a few months prior), Santana does deliver a small clutch of tracks that could've formed the basis for an outstanding LP. However, there's not enough strong material to make this 70-minute affair a significant one. This comes down to Santana's improving but underdevloped skills as a lyricist and productions that are almost equally inconsistent. "Okay Okay" and "Santana's Town" are two great instances where the eager MC's commanding delivery is enough to bolster the Heatmakerz' energizing production work. On both tracks, Santana amps up his conversational style (no doubt part of the effect Cam'ron's had on him) with fiery command; taut curlicues of swelling strings increase the suspense of "Okay Okay," while squealing symphonic samples push the MC into the red in "Santana's Town." Had this been a six- to eight-track EP, with the bum productions (a relentless, exhausting string of '70s soul samples hit overkill) and innocuous rhymes lopped off, Santana's stock would've no doubt been raised. The promise he still holds is obvious, given the flashes of brilliance, so here's hoping the second album sees that through. ~ Andy Kellman Cam'Ron's protege Juelz Santana goes it alone after debuting as part of the Diplomats crew on DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY. Here he steers clear of that crew's obsession with drugs, guns, and money--well, at least the drugs and guns part. The key here is the keyboard-inflected "Why," where Santana runs down the reasons he's in the game, like watching ROCKY III when he was "a tiny little poppy seed, as grimy as I could be," and comes as close as any rapper ever gets to waxing philosophical about his life and motives. Furthermore "My Problem (Jealousy)"finds him apologizing for hitting his girlfriend, and getting into sticky relationship details to boot. FROM ME TO U is, therefore, no ordinary gangsta rap collection, and while Santana's flow might not be up to that of some of his contemporaries just yet, there's enough evidence here to point to some considerable talent lurking beneath the bravura.

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