Queen Latifah's latest album "Persona" debuted a few weeks ago to some mixed reviews. It took me a few times listening to warm up to it, but I've since decided that I like it a lot! Without a doubt, it is a distinctive installment from her other six studio albums. In this collection, Ms. Latifah presents several facets of music. She collaborated with a range of current artists including Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, Shawn Stockman, Dre (of Cool&Dre), Marsha Ambrosius, Mary J. Blige & Jadakiss. The lyrics, vocals, and production validate her versatility across multiple genres, displaying her talent and appreciation for a broad range of music. In fact if you look closely at the cover art, you see Queen Latifah dressed in various fashion styles, representing the intended ecclectic nature of this album. The first few songs are a combination of pop, techno, and electronic dance music, which have fairly broad appeal. The other songs present a soft Hip-Hop and R&B sound, paying tribute to her musical roots. 
In general, I wouldn't consider myself a Hip-Hop fan, but there are a few artists whose music I like, including Ms Latifah. The Hip-Hop tracks on this album are enjoyable and offer insights to her views on life. Perhaps because those tracks aren't hard core Hip-Hop that some early fans are mixed in their opinion. I for one, happen to like "Persona". While this album may not be her absolute "career best", I do think it is a worthy addition to my iPod music collection and recommend it to you. The next time I see Queen Latifah in Palm Springs, I'll buy her a martini and congratulate her on another creative contribution to the wonderful world of music.
-Rick Rockhill
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