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Kaleidoscope

by Kelis

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First heard trying to calm Ol' Dirty Bastard on "Got Your Money" from his Nigga Please, 20-year-old Kelis now appears with her own album. Multi-threat production team the Neptunes turn the aptly named Kaleidoscope into the same kind of playground they provided for ODB, and even singing the masterminds' songs, Kelis quickly establishes it as her own hip-hop-wise R&B turf. Already gaining attention for the ranting "Caught Out There" ("I hate you so much right now!"), the disc proves this unique singer equally as convincing in other complex moods, such as a comic take on romantic pain ("Game Show") and an offbeat memory of childhood ("Roller Rink"). More playful than Mary J. Blige, Kelis makes as strong a first impression--and, like Blige, shows every sign of sticking around. --Rickey Wright