Lloyd-Streetlove

[Turntable]

I thought this could be intresting.. "You" was surprisingly good if you forget about Lil Wayne.

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Until now, R&B artist Lloyd's career hadn't gone quite as planned. "I came to play ball but was sitting on the sidelines," he recalls of watching friends like Bobby Valentino score hit singles. "I kept thinking I could change the game if I had some time on the court."

The 21-year-old singer/songwriter isn't sitting on the sidelines now. He's jump-starting interest in his sophomore set, "Street Love," thanks to the single "You," which has placed in the top five of the R&B chart and on the pop list's top 30.

Featuring rapper Lil' Wayne, the radio-friendly R&B/hip-hop love song is the first single from Lloyd's March 20 album -- whose release will inaugurate the joint venture established last September between Irv Gotti's the Inc. Records (formerly Murder Inc.) and Universal Motown. The departure from former distributor Def Jam occurred after Inc. principal Gotti and his brother Chris were found not guilty of drug money-laundering charges.

Pumping up "You" is the song's bouncy beat, which incorporates a sample of "True" by Spandau Ballet (formerly used in the P.M. Dawn smash "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss"). Not to be discounted is the vocal interplay between Lloyd and Lil' Wayne, both of whom hail from New Orleans.

"Our fathers were both murdered when we were kids," says Lloyd, who was born in New Orleans and grew up in Atlanta. "Music is our refuge, our distraction from destruction."

Describing his first album, 2004's "Southside," as "mellow and laid-back," Lloyd says he wanted to speed up the tempo this time. Helping him step on the gas were such production up-and-comers as Big Reese, Jasper Cameron and Usher's younger brother J-Lack, plus vets like Gotti, 7 and Jazze Pha.

The artist last landed on the singles charts three years ago, when he climbed to No. 13 on the R&B list and No. 24 in pop with "Southside," featuring Inc. labelmate Ashanti. Before that, his career was marked by a series of ups and downs.

His first seesaw ride occurred in 2000 as a member of preteen group N-Toon. The Atlanta quartet, created by Klymaxx member Joyce Irby, made a minor dent with the DreamWorks single "Ready" but dissolved after its first album. Irby later secured a recording contract for the 14-year-old Lloyd with Magic Johnson's MCA-distributed MJM label. But the label suspended operations before releasing his album.

Wrapping up recording of "Street Love," Lloyd says he's enjoying the moment but not taking anything for granted. "The persistence, hard work and patience are paying off," he says. "I feel I'm moving in the right direction musically."

[Guest lambertj3]

lloyd's album is gonna be big

[JumpinJack AJ]

Ha...i had no idea he waz in N-Toon...i remember the name of that group. I loved "Southside" and got the album. However, i didn't have staying power with me...i only listened 2 "Southside"...put it on a few mixCDs, and never picked it up again.

I like the new single (with the exception of Lil' Wayne's awful raps and adlibs). The remix is even better. I'd be interested in hearing this album.

[Guest lambertj3]

Ha...i had no idea he waz in N-Toon...i remember the name of that group. I loved "Southside" and got the album. However, i didn't have staying power with me...i only listened 2 "Southside"...put it on a few mixCDs, and never picked it up again.

I like the new single (with the exception of Lil' Wayne's awful raps and adlibs). The remix is even better. I'd be interested in hearing this album.

from what i hear its a nice albums