Music reviews. CD reviews. Critically hip!

Fat Joe has left the major label race behind, and while he has always basically done it his own way his vision on THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM seems a bit more focused without the distractions that music industry tethers seem to impose upon even the most independent of artists. Joe still keeps the message personal --- as is his practice, sometimes painfully so --- and while all the joints on THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM are, uh, radio-friendly (“The Crackhouse,” for one of many) they each and all have a separate appeal. Part of the reason for this is a element which can be a strength or a weakness on most rap projects: the presence of a number of different of production fingerprints all over the disc. In Fat Joe’s case, he is such a compelling presence artistically that he ultimately overrides any production differences between and among the tracks.

While there isn’t a bad track on THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM there are a couple of joints that tend to move into the forefront after repeated listening. “Drop” is a great bounce track, and if this doesn’t have club (and for that matter radio) hit written all over it I don’t know what would. The presence of Swizz Beatz and Rubio doesn’t hurt this track. Joe is still The Man on his disc, however, and, despite a plethora of guest stars on THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, he never gets lost in the mix. Other primary winners on the disc include “I Won’t Tell” and “Preacher On A Sunday Morning.” The latter track is not what you might expect; it’s hardly a spiritual track, but deals with Fat Joe’s legal status. Perhaps the strongest track on the disc, however, is “Coca Baby,” with Jackie Rubio providing a sexy, sultry background vocal.

THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM is Fat Joe’s first post-major label disc, but there isn’t so much of a hint of a stumble. Fat Joe is one of those guys whose popularity extends far beyond whatever his music sales happen to be doing at any given moment, but based on the quality, both artistically and commercially, of this disc, his music is more than keeping up with his other endeavors.