Jackpot [PA] (CD - 2003)

Personnel: Steve Burton (guitar).

Audio Mixers: DaQuiksta; Wassim Zreik; Leslie Brathwaite.

Recording information: ATL; Enterprise Studio, LA; Patchwerks Studio; Record One, LA; Southside Recording ATL; STl Studio; Studio Center, Miami, FL; The Hit Factory, Miami, FL; Trak Meet Studios.

Photographer: Jonathan Mannion.

There's always room for summer jams, and if Nelly's "Hot In Herre" owned the summer of 2002, the jam pouring out the windows, pumping from the cranked-up speakers of the most pimped-out rides in the warmest months of '03 is clearly Chingy's "Right Thurr." Similar to Nelly, Chingy is straight out of St. Louis, possesses a smooth, confident, charming vocal style and spins hypnotic dialect with a blithe humor over insistently catchy beats. Moreover, both rappers' debut albums were phenomena practically out of the box. JACKPOT, Chingy's debut, deserves its attention with an impressive variety of constantly banging tracks.

Fellow Southern spirit Ludacris brought Chingy into his Disturbing Tha Peace fold and guests along with Snoop Dogg on the slightly screwed-up "Holidae In." From the spiraling flow and hooky chorus of "Chingy Jackpot" to the unrelenting bass of "Juice" to a bonus remix of the undeniable "Right Thurr," Chingy never loses his focus. More than just mere support to the smash single, JACKPOT features a remarkably consistent collection of danceably appealing tracks and ensures the young rap lion a slew of singles. minimize