Word of Mouf

1	Coming 2 America 4:21
2	Rollout (My Business) 4:56
3	Go 2 Sleep / I-20 5:10
4	Cry Babies (Oh No) 5:56
5	She Said 4:33
6	Howhere (Skit) 1:11
7	Area Codes / Nate Dogg 5:03
8	Growing Pains / Keon Bryce 4:49
9	Greatest Hits (Skit) 1:16
10	Move B***h / I-20 4:30
11	Stop Lying (Skit) 1:36
12	Saturday (Oooh Oooh!) / Sleepy Brown 3:50
13	Keep It on the Hush / Jazze Pha 4:46
14	Word of Mouf (Freestyle) / 4-Ize 2:11
15	Get the F*** Back / I-20 5:21
16	Freaky Thangs / Twista 5:32
17	Cold Outside 6:03
18	Block Lockdown / I-20 Bonus Track 7:48

Barnes & Noble

Ludacris may be one of the best punch-line rappers in the business. With raunchy lyrics such as "Smell the aroma of a ding-a-ling king," from Word of Mouf's appropriately titled "Freaky Things," it's obvious that the Atlanta rapper revels in the goofball humor of a sex-obsessed, rhyming comedian. And for the most part, the shtick works -- to club-thumping proportions. Unfortunately, on his latest disc, 'Cris is strong on delivery but weak on concept. He knows how to milk his charisma: Against some of the Dirty South's hottest beats, Ludacris has dropped his share of killer singles, from 2000's "What's Your Fantasy" and "Southern Hospitality" to the 2001 jams "Area Codes," featuring Nate Dogg, and "Rollout" (both appear on Word...). While he boasts with the best of them, 'Cris only shows signs of deeper convictions on "Growing Pains," a poignant reflection on growing up in the '80s. If Ludacris sticks to his bread-and-butter -- the womp-womp beats and funnyman hijinks of songs like "Cry Babies (Oh No)" -- he'll continue to seduce radio play lists and cop plenty of BET video rotations as rap's lampshade-wearing class clown. But in the rap game, being the life of the party is rarely an insult. Brett Johnson

All Music Guide

Ludacris' second album for Def Jam, Word of Mouf, is a superstar affair that aims for mass appeal with a broad array of different styles. Nearly every track features some sort of collaborator, either hitmaking producers like Timbaland and Organized Noize, big-name rappers like Mystikal and Twista, hook-singing crooners like Nate Dogg and Jagged Edge, or fellow Disturbing tha Peace group members I-20, Shawnna, Lil' Fate, and Tity Boi -- and sometimes a combinations of these various ingredients. The resulting album is surely impressive, propelled by lively production, colorful guests, and an omnipresent touch of humor. More hilarious than before, Ludacris lightens his lyrical style here, leaving behind much of thuggishness that had characterized his previous album, Back for the First Time, in favor of witty puns and sly innuendoes. A particularly humorous highlight is the previously released (on the Rush Hour 2 soundtrack) single "Area Codes," a tongue-twisting, good-spirited Jazze Pha production. Less humorous though likewise standout is the lead single, "Rollout (My Business)," a rallying Timbaland production with a simple yet inescapable hook. Other highlights include the Organized Noize-produced booty-shaker "Saturday (Oooh Oooh!)," the Jagged Edge-sung "Freaky Thangs," and the Beats by the Pound-esque posse track "Move Bitch." There's also a hidden bonus track here that's likewise an explosive collaboration, the Jermaine Dupri-led "Welcome to Atlanta." There are a lot of highlights here; however, amid all of these various team-ups you do lose a little bit of the sincere, personal edge that had characterized much of Ludacris' debut. Even so, it's overall a worthy exchange, since there's something here on Word of Mouf for everyone, signaling Ludacris' leap from the Dirty South underground to the pop-rap mass market. Jason Birchmeier

Entertainment Weekly

With his fashionably foul worldview, Ludacris could be Red Foxx's bastard son, and Word often seems like an extended Dolemite routine set to hip-hop beats. [B] Tom Sinclair