Mya and Friends: The Best of Both Worlds (2009)

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Mya, doll baby, you waited six years only to release this mishmash mess? Really? The singer/actress/dancer (we may now want to reverse that order) recorded her fourth project Sugar and Spice but didn’t release it after it leaked, instead opting for this wildly uneven oldies but goodies reunion of 90s stars like Ginuwine, Loon, G-Dep, Twista, Keith Murray, Mobb Deep and Layzie and Bizzie Bone. Only Ludacris and Bobby Valentino (doing his best Babyface impression on "W") can be said to be relevant here, particularly Luda’s "You Don’t Wanna." Mya’s vocals have improved, but these Beyonce-lite songs are interchangeable with those of Ciara or worse, Christina Milian. Dance: 10, songs: 3. Notable songs: "Height of Love," "It’s Real (feat. Ginuwine)," "W," "Might Not Be." Vocals: 2 stars   Lyrics: 2 stars   Music: 2 stars   Production: 1.5 stars — SoulTracks Call: Not Recommended

By L. Michael Gipson

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