Ludacris

Ludacris has too much of a restless spirit to sit still, so when it came time to make LP number eight, the quickest mouth in the South decided a concept album could quell his creative thirst and thus The Battle of the Sexes was born. Reportedly, The Battle of the Sexes was to be collaboration with then label-mate Shawnna, but things changed after she left Luda's Disturbing the Peace imprint for Nappy Boy Entertainment. This explains why there really isn't much of a battle at all. In fact, "Hey Ho," featuring Lil' Kim, may be the only bout between genders on an album that is pretty ho hum. Further proof the concept was stopped dead in its tracks is evident in "I know You Gotta Man," which features only Luda, but seems tailor-made for a verse from Shawnna or any other female MC, for that matter. There are a few more solo tracks from Luda than initially intended, but besides some throwaways he seems content to do what he does best: make a pretty run-of-the-mill topic enjoyable with his off-kilter humour and exceptional flow. The one who has the most to gain from Shawnna's departure is Nicky Minaj, who is featured on the single "My Chick Bad." She is receiving a lot of airplay, leading up to an expected release later this year.