I finally heard "Headsprung" a couple times recently, and I'm starting to wonder if LL Cool J is the Rod Stewart of rap, so confident in his vocal charisma that he'll happily hop around from trend to trend, hoping something will stick and having enough commercial sense to succeed with impressive frequency. The track is undeniable, but it's a bit odd that I don't remember much of anything about his rap, an unprecedented occurence for me. If he is the Rod Stewart of rap, this may be his "D'Ya Think I'm Sexy?"

Disco-rap is in full effect. The ratio of hits about clubbing and fucking to songs that aren't is staggering. I'm not really complaining since the alternatives consist of Mase assuming I give a shit where he's been, Jadakiss regurgitating one of Bob Dylan's least intelligent tracks, Kanye making me wish his voice didn't suck ass and Eminem getting so Stan I keep waiting for him to scream "WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE TOGETHER, TOO!" That said, I'm starting to get a bit desensitized to the beats (yeah they're all awesome but frankly I'm more shocked when one DOESN'T work) and the raps feel less and less noteworthy. And until my love life starts picking up I think I'm officially sick of all the post-Jay-Z declarations of monogamous affection.

I'm sticking with LL Cool as Rod Stewart, but who's a good choice for the Bee Gees of the current rap scene? The Black Eyed Peas are gunning for it but I think we're going to see an even bigger example of some vet flying out of obscurity to shove monolithic club tracks down our throat. THEN the backlash will truly commence.

I'm disappointed Victoria Beckham won't be the one offering the 2K version of The Ethel Merman Disco Album.