Bubba Sparxxx - The Charm

Third time is not The Charm

When Bright Days, Dark Nights came out I didnt give him a second listen. The album was weak and he came off as another gimmick. Deliverance was a great album that proved me wrong and showed that Bubba Sparxxx was capable of giving his best backed up by Timbaland and Organized Noize production. This album here stinks. It has its moments with tight tracks like Represent, The Otherside feat Petey Pablo and Sleepy Brown(which sounds like a leftover from Deliverance) and Hey(A Little Gratitude). But these songs are offset by hot garbage tracks like Ms New Booty feat Ying Yang Twins(who thought that this collabo was a good idea?), As The Rims Spin, That Man feat Duddy Ken and Sleepy Brown, Claremount Lounge feat Killer Mike and Cool Breeze(AWFUL) and Wonderful. Bubba's intentions were good when he made Aint Life Grand feat Scar and Run Away feat Frankie J but his suprisingly weak bars kill the potential those tracks had. Heat It Up is better than Ms New Booty but its still forgettable. After hearing this album, Bubba Sparxxx career might be on thin ice. You dont follow up a brilliant album with a stinker unless you are intentionally trying to kill the momentum you gained by doing so. Deliverance was a clever and thoughtful album, The Charm is a contrived attempt at commercialism that falls flat on its face. Hopefully Bubba will break camp from Purple Ribbon because the direction they are taking him in will only lead to his downfall. Standouts: REPRESENT, THE OTHERSIDE AND HEY(A LITTLE GRATITUDE). March 6, 2008

The third time IS the charm

As I said in my review for Bubba Sparxxx's previous album Deliverance, the problem he has is that people are all about his album when it first comes out, but then a month later he'd be lucky if it's still on the Billboard 200. The same fate came with his third album The Charm, which is a shame because it's his best offering yet.

This album has a slightly different sound because Timbaland only produces one song on here ("Hey!"), possibly because Bubba jumped ship from Blackground and instead released this album on Purple Ribbon. Speaking of that, the first time I heard "Claremont Lounge" (with Killer Mike and Cool Breeze) was on the Got Purp Vol. II compilation, and I'm still not too impressed by it. But other songs fare better, like "Heat It Up" and "Represent". And "Wonderful" is just that.

Sleepy Brown also drops by to lay down his usual breezy vocals on two back-to-back winners: "That Man" and "The Otherside". Everything else is great except that the music to "As the Rim Spins" is a little too, well, "nice" for a rap song (listen to it to understand what I mean); and sorry, but I never liked "Ms. Fat Booty". But it's still not too late to pick up The Charm.

Anthony Rupert October 28, 2007

Great rap/hip hop with a southern flair!

Bubba is one of my favorite rappers & this CD was great. "Run Away" with Frankie J is a wonderful song. August 27, 2007

bubba abandons his talent for $$$

Any true hiphop head has taken notice of bubba's lyrical skills on his first two albums, which he has essentially left behind on this strictly booty shake release. Now I can't say I blame him, it is after all a business, but in my opinion he is sacrificing his potential to have a long lasting artistic career, which looked so promising as he progressed from dark days to deliverance (and then took 30 steps backwards with this). I only hope he makes/made enough from this release to go back to making meaningful/thoughful tracks...such as warrant. January 2, 2007

3-1/2 Stars -- It'll charm ya up for a lil bit

Well Bubba Sparxxx has managed to churn out some good stuff in the past, the problem was that it either had only good beats like on Dark Days, Bright Nights or good lyrics on his second album Deliverance. After not having not so good sells with the latter album he hopes the third times the "Charm" here.

Thankfullly with you don't get the usual guest heavy, 15+ track album that last over 70 minutes when artist release their third album. The album opens up nicely with Represent where Bubba talks about where he's from and all. Bubba manages to take you back to his good ole days from deliverance on "As The Rim Spins". The guest appearances that are on here are on key like Killer Mike and Cool Breeze's verses ("Claremont Lounge"). Frankie J does his thing singing on the chorus to "Run Away" and ditto Sleepy Brown on "The Otherside" with M.I.A. Peety Pablo teaming up with Bubba Sparxxx to drop some lines.

There are ups and downs with party joints produced by Mr. Collipark on "Ms. New Booty" which is ovverated especially since the music sounds exactly like David Banner's "Play", and the mellow laidback beat of "Heat It Up". Unlike others I was dissapointed with Timbalands production "Hey! (A Lil' Gratitude)" Also this album seems a little to popish and radio friendly compared with his past stuff. Sales wise this album is Bubba's best which would convince you to buy it but I suggest you check out Delivarance before trying to "charm" yourself. July 6, 2006

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