Ray J's album "This Ain't a Game " is a slight step up from previous songs of his like "Let It Go" from the Set It Off soundtrack but not by much . I really thought this album wasn't going to be anything more than exceedingly stupid ..the first single "Wait a Minute" wouldn't really be much if it wasn't for the appearance by Lil' Kim and then I really thought it would be over for him after that hit "Formal Invite" but after the release of his third single "Keep Your Head Up" I was like "Whoa , THIS is Ray J ?" So needless to say I was surprised that the album was going to be any good .
The beats and baselines are hot .. he really should just release an instrumental album because save for songs like the aforementioned "Keep Your Head Up", "Crazy" and "I Tried" the vocals aren't all that they could be . The problem with this album is that Ray J doesn't want the same fan base as his sister , Brandy , and wants some street credibility so he spends most of this album trying to be "hard" by doing this horrible combo of "rapping" and singing .. the way he does on "Formal Invite" and I hate to be the one to break it to him but "Ray , baby , you just ...no . Don't do that . It's hurting us all and no self respecting woman ..is gonna 'you know , you know lay down wit' cha" if you're gonna spit weak game like that ."
I had originally written him off as nothing but a background singer who wanted some spotlight ..but really he isn't bad if he sticks to just singing and stops trying to be his faux thug alter-ego Dorien D-Money from "Moesha" .
Overall , "This Ain't a Game " is pretty good as long as you stay away from tracks such as "Interlude" , "Out the Ghetto " and "Formal Invite ."