The Voice (Mike Jones album)

The Voice is the second studio album by American rapper Mike Jones. It was released on April 28, 2009 by Warner Bros. Records, Asylum Records, Ice Age Entertainment, and Swishahouse.[1][2] Production was handled by several producers, including Jim Jonsin, Mr. Collipark, J.R. Rotem and Big E, among others.

The Voice
The cover shows a man wearing a black jacket, grey t-shirt, blue jeans and sunglasses in front of an apartment building. He's holding and speaking into a megaphone with light shining behind it.
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 28, 2009 (2009-04-28)
Recorded2006–09
GenreHip hop
Length62:06
Label
Producer
Mike Jones chronology
The American Dream
(2007)
The Voice
(2009)
Singles from The Voice
  1. "Drop & Gimme 50"
    Released: November 27, 2007
  2. "Cuddy Buddy"
    Released: May 19, 2008
  3. "Next to You"
    Released: December 2, 2008
  4. "Swagg Thru Da Roof"
    Released: April 21, 2009
  5. "Boi!"
    Released: March 24, 2009

The album sold 25,000 copies in its first week, debuting at number 12 on the US Billboard 200 on April 22, 2009. As of February 1, 2014, the album has sold 200,000 copies in the United States.

Singles

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The album's lead single "Drop & Gimme 50" features Hurricane Chris. The album's second single "Cuddy Buddy" featuring T-Pain, Twista and Lil Wayne. The album's third single "Next to You" featuring Nae Nae. The album's fourth single "Swagg Thru The Roof" featuring Swole. The album's fifth single "Boi!" featuring Young Problemz.

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [3]
DJBooth     [4]
RapReviews7/10[5]
The Smoking Section     [6]

The Voice garnered mixed reviews from music critics. AllMusic's David Jeffries gave praise to the album's three singles and "Give Me a Call" but felt the rest of the track listing contained "redundant cuts and overdone party numbers" with Jones' overused gimmicky catchphrases. He called the record a "significant step up" from The American Dream EP.[3] Nathan Slavik of DJBooth highlighted both "Next to You" and "Cuddy Buddy" as potential radio chart-toppers but found the album going into "unlistenable territory" with tracks ranging from a "half-baked" dance craze ("Drop & Gimmie 50"), butchering of a celebratory anthem ("Happy Birthday") and "Scandalous Hoes II". Slavik concluded by giving his take on Jones' next project: "Sadly expectations will be low after The Voice, here's hoping he truly delivers something unexpected."[4] Conversely, Steve 'Flash' Juon from RapReviews praised Jones for delivering a decently paced album that has catchy beats to invigorate the collaborative tracks while also showcasing both his lyrical and vocal improvements from the past four years, concluding with "Regardless of the reasons it's clear that Mike Jones is a more seasoned and polished pro of the rap game, and The Voice is planning to have a long career in hip-hop music. Let's hope there's no more politics and bullshit getting in the way of his career."[5]

Track listing

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No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Intro" 0:48
2."Swagger Right"Big E4:13
3."Houston Oilers"Mike Dean4:36
4."Boi!" (featuring Young Problemz)Dat Boy Chyco4:17
5."Cuddy Buddy" (featuring T-Pain, Lil Wayne, and Twista)4:44
6."I Know" (featuring Trey Songz)Amadeus3:50
7."Drop & Gimme 50" (featuring Hurricane Chris)Mr. Collipark4:07
8."Give Me a Call" (featuring Devin the Dude)Mannie Fresh5:13
9."Happy Birthday"Mike Dean4:30
10."Next to You" (featuring Nae Nae)J.R. Rotem3:42
11."Swagg Thru the Roof" (featuring Swole)Swole3:48
12."On Top of the Covers" (featuring Essay Potna)Essay Potna4:11
13."Scandalous Hoes (skit)" 0:30
14."Scandalous Hoes II" (featuring T-Pain)Kojack3:50
15."Hate on Me" (featuring Tanya Herron)Mike Dean4:28
16."Grandma II" (featuring Kai)Amadeus5:29
iTunes bonus tracks
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
17."I Got It" (featuring UGK)Myke Diesel3:57
18."Shit on Boyz" (featuring King Mello, Lil' Flip, and Killa Kyleon)Mike Dean4:55

References

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  1. ^ "Asylum | Mike Jones". Archived from the original on July 27, 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2010. Mike Jones @ Asylum Records - Official Release Date
  2. ^ "Mike Jones Explains Weight Loss, Talks New Album The Voice". Keepittrill.com. March 31, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
  3. ^ a b Jeffries, David. "The Voice - Mike Jones". AllMusic. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
  4. ^ a b Slavik, Nathan (April 27, 2009). "Mike Jones - The Voice". DJBooth. Archived from the original on September 25, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
  5. ^ a b Juon, Steve 'Flash' (May 5, 2009). "Feature for May 5, 2009 - Mike Jones' "The Voice"". RapReviews. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
  6. ^ The Smoking Section review