Lyfe Jennings

Most rap artists will talk the talk all day long, but Lyfe Jennings has walked the walk and done the time. To his credit, he doesn't use his checkered past as a badge of honor or for bragging rights, but rather as a fuel for personal reflection and lyrical inspiration.

The album's title, Lyfe Change, says it all. Jennings is a man out to exorcise the demons and hardships that haunt his past and move forward to a better future. With a smooth and soulful voice, powerful emotions and a little bit of a sense of humor he does just that, and manages to leave behind an album's worth of above average R&B-flavored hip-hop tunes. Adding credence to the phrase, "get by with a little help from my friends," Jennings brings a couple of his along with him on this cathartic journey home. The album's first guest appearance comes amidst a trade-off between Jennings and a silky-voiced female singer on "Brand New." Rapper T.I. pops up in a swaggering cameo. Singer/songwriter/producer Wyclef Jean lends his remarkable talents to the gospel/reggae vibe of "You Think You've Got It Bad." The combined voices of Jean and Jennings are a great match and give this tune the boost it needs to stand out as one of the disc's highlights. Another standout comes from Snoop Dogg's contribution to "Old School," a track that seems tailor made for Snoop's smooth and arrogant voice.

With today’s hip-hop scene full of more sizzle than steak, so to speak, it’s refreshing to hear the true-to-life that Lyfe Jennings portrays in his music. The groove is laidback and harkens back to the very roots from which the genre grew, but the emotion and message is as honest as anything released in recent times. After repeated listens, Lyfe Change still fails to disappoint.

—Ryan Ogle
05.22.08

Lyfe Jennings' third album doesn't involve all that much change, at least not on the surface. He does do a little less of the heavy lifting, seeking out some assistance from the Underdogs, Wyclef Jean, and a couple other associates from his Jesus Swings production house, but Lyfe Change is still very much a Lyfe Jennings album -- it's not as if his label directed him away from what came natural throughout 2004's Lyfe 268-192 and 2006's The Phoenix. He continues to spin real-life tales and handle serious issues, as on the skeletal but seductive "It's Real" (where his attraction to a woman shifts from heated to cautionary), the Bob Marley-referencing "Wild, Wild, Wild" (the Wyclef collaboration, about losing your way as the exchange for the seeking of fame), and "Never Never Land" (where he sings of settling down and growing up in every sense, closing with "30 is not the new 20/It's the same old 30"). A couple cuts are lighthearted compared to what's expected from him, and a couple beats are uncharacteristically uptempo, but for the most part, this is another solid Jennings album. Nothing fancy, nothing outrageous -- just humbled, wise, thoughtful modern soul. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide