Willennium

By David E. Thigpen

Rappers have been scaring up huge sales lately, mostly by brandishing their thug-life credentials. Just ask DMX, Dre or Master P. But Smith borrows a page from Puffy's handbook: You can lure more folks to a party than to a rumble. Willennium is a sample-happy pop-rap smorgasbord that draws on the jiggier hits of the Clash, Michael Jackson and, believe it or not, Tito Puente. Smith throws a few elbows at rappers who call him soft--"Yeah, Microsoft," he answers. But Willennium really has one thing on its mind: G-rated fun. And it delivers.

--By David E. Thigpen