December 22, 2005
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PARIS HILTON


Album Review: Foxx, Jamie

UNPREDICTABLE
Jamie Foxx pulls an Eddie Murphy
By -- Calgary Sun



Jamie Foxx
Unpredictable
(J Records/Sony-BMG)

You've got an Oscar, you command millions at the box office, you've broken down barriers, you've shown a serious and comic side, the world is yours.

So what do you do next?

If you're Jamie Foxx, you pull an Eddie.

As in Eddie Murphy. As in Eddie Murphy's musical turn with the laughable '80s hit Party All the Time.

The parallels between what Murphy did at the height of his fame and what Foxx is doing at his, with the ridiculous vanity project Unpredictable, are obvious.

Both had shown inclinations towards it in other projects -- Murphy with his memorable version of Roxanne in 48 Hours, as well as comic impersonations of vocalists such as James Brown and Stevie Wonder and Foxx with his Oscar-capturing turn as Ray Charles.

Again, both were on top -- Murphy with hit after hit and Foxx after his success with Ray and Collateral.

And finally, both presumably were surrounded by not only sycophants who didn't have the guts to offer "ummm, no" as advice, but also willing accomplices.

For the Beverly Hills Cop it was super freak Rick James and for Foxx, the list is a who's who of hip-hop, including Kanye West, Mary J. Blige, Common, Snoop Dogg and The Game.

All of them sacrifice their gifts at the alter of Foxx's ego and mediocre voice, merely propping up an otherwise forgettable exercise.

True, the title track, featuring Ludacris might become a modest hit, but so, too, was Party All the Time, and its lyrics weren't nearly as cheesy and embarrassing as Unpredictable's, which is a gag-inducing promise of love-making excitement.

We'll assume in the boudoir, Foxx may be able to deliver, but not on disc. It's all too slick and uninteresting and, yes, predictable.

And a final word of advice for Foxx should he wish to continue on the Eddie path -- if it's early in the morning and you're feeling "charitable," make sure it really is a woman you offer a limo ride to.

Track Listing:

1. Unpredictable - Jamie Foxx, Ludacris
2. Warm Bed
3. DJ Play a Love Song - Jamie Foxx, Twista
4. With You - Jamie Foxx, Game, Snoop Dogg
5. Can I Take U Home
6. Love Changes - Mary J. Blige, Jamie Foxx
7. Extravaganza - Jamie Foxx, Kanye West
8. Three Letter Word
9. Get This Money
10. VIP
11. Do What It Do
12. Storm (Forecass)
13. U Still Got It (Interlude) - Common, Jamie Foxx
14. Heaven
15. Wish U Were Here


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