Mavado, 'Gangsta for Life: The Symphony of David Brooks' (VP)

Jamaica's hottest gangsta is bummed - profoundly.

It's a good thing Mavado sounds so miserable. If he didn't, the dancehall don's debut -- a barrage of drum-and bass-heavy tunes about guns, guns, and more guns -- might become just another bloated, repetitive exercise in glorified clichés.

Collie Buddz, 'Collie Buddz' (Columbia)

He's earned the right never to be called "The Informer" again.

Yes, Collie Buddz, a.k.a. Colin Harper, is white. Yes, he's been tagged as the Eminem of reggae. But the New Orleans-born, Bermuda-raised MC/producer's debut album is all about the versatility of his undeniable skills.

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