The Cadre 
     
    
   
   
    
     December 2, 1997 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
        
     
       
     
         
     
    
   
   
    
     Als 
     
     PS athe Til as 
     
     ho 
     
    

    
     and get » 
     
     ya @ 
     
     releases, e 
     
    
   
   
    
     2 bags of » 
     
     ld et LL 
     
    
   
   
    
     yy sel iil 
     
     Pepsi/ » 
     
    
   
   
    
        
     
       
     
        
     
       
     
       
     
       
     
       
     
       
     
       
     
       
     
       
     
       
     
       
     
       
     
       
     
        
     
       
     
        
     
       
     
       
     
       
     
       
     
       
     
       
     
       
     
       
     
       
     
       
     
       
     
         
     
    
   
   
    
     Se a Mts 
     
     Offer limited to Jumbo 
     
    
   
   
    
     Me ee 
     
     Membership its free. 
     
    
   
   
    
     449 University Ave 
     
    
   
   
    
     a | 
     
    
   
   
    
     ee ee eee toe 
     
    
   
   
    
        
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
          
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
        
     
           
     
    
   
   
    
     Music 
     
    
   
   
    
     Reviews 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Mase 
     
     Harlem World 
     
    
   
   
    
     "Does Mase have the ladies? (yeah, yeah)" Or maybe 
     
     not. If you listen to the interlude “phone conversation” you’ II 
     
     see what I mean. 
     
    

    
     If you’ ve never heard of him, it may be because it took the 
     
     death of his friend to open your eyes, or should I say ears. He’s 
     
     been in music videos with Mariah Carey ("Honey"), Puff 
     
     Daddy ("Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down"), and the late Notori- 
     
     ous B.1.G. He’s a man of talent that’s been noticed at just the 
     
     right time. The twenty track C.D could be played on repeat, not 
     
     a song missed, for hours on end. All the beats adding a 
     
     something a little extra, showing many sides of Mase, some of 
     
     which should be hidden. Track 20 features everyone from his 
     
     man Puff to his lady Motifah, all of whom add their own thing 
     
     to the mix. Songs that can be played if your “chillin” with your 
     
     boyz or “grindin’”™ with your girl (especially #17). I'd have to 
     
     say it’s a success. Just a little piece of advice for Mase, stick 
     
     to rappin’ because using your vocals elsewhere can’t be done. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Yvette Michele 
     
     My Dream 
     
    
   
   
    
     ...and that is what is should’ ve stayed... 
     
    

    
     Yvette Michele...Who is she? If you ask me, someone 
     
     who's going nowhere fast. All her songs, all 13 of them, are just 
     
     alittle too much. The front of the CD says “Featuring the Smash 
     
     Singles, ‘Everyday&Everynight’,’I’m not Feeling you’, and 
     
     ‘D.J Keep Playing.’” I don’t know where these songs became 
     
     “Smash Singles” but it definitely wouldn’t have been where | 
     
     was. The best parts of the CD were the intro and outro by Fred 
     
     “Buggz” Bug. If you ask me everything in between should have 
     
     been left blank. | thought her stuff might bea little like Monica’s 
     
     or Brandy’s, but instead it’s like my own, and that’s nothing to 
     
     be proud of. Lets just say if you’re in the music store and you 
     
     happen to see “Yvette Michele”, just flip on by. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Trace Adkins 
     
     “Big Time” 
     
     (EMI) 
     
    
   
   
    
     As one of the young leaders of new country, Trace 
     
     Adkins doesn’t disappoint fans with his second album, Big 
     
     Time. No, these aren’t songs about dying dogs and broken 
     
     down trucks. Promise. I will admit that these songs about love 
     
     and loss, But, hey -- we all know that it’s a of life. 
     
     There is just the right combination of slow ballads and 
     
     catchy upbeat tunes. “Big Time” isa fun tract about hitting the 
     
     town on Friday night and “See Jane Run” gives amodern twist 
     
     to the classic Dick and Jane reader. Things slow down with 
     
     “The Rest of Mine” and “Hold you Now.” 
     
    

    
     Not too many country fans seem to be “kickin’” around 
     
     these parts. It is time to dust off those old cowboy boots and 
     
     give itachance, You might surprise yourself and actually like 
     
     it. Big time is definitely a great album forold and new country 
     
     fans wr