Juelz Santana

After dwelling in the shadow of Dipset mentor Cam'ron, Juelz Santana comes fully into his own on his sophomore album. Lyrically, Santana still isn't as clever or charismatic as Cam, though he's got great hooks and a compelling swagger. However, he's figured out how to cut great songs. What the Game's Been Missing is stocked with some great anthems: the excitable chatter of "Mic Check," the loungey swing of "There It Go," and "Oh Yes," which rivals Cam'ron's "Oh Boy" for gleeful charm (however gimmicky). It's not as guest heavy as you'd expect, with just a few cameos, including Young Jeezy and Lil' Wayne, plus Cam of course. Especially after the disappointment of Jim Jones's previous album, Juelz is helping Dipset end on a positive note for 2005. He could still stand to upgrade his lyrical sophistication, but Santana's proving adept in using what talents he's got to full effect. --Oliver ...

2005-11-22 - Def Jam