Tuesday Releases

Move over Jack Johnson, it's an urban revival this week! Here's a look at what'll be shaking in the streets and banging in the clubs quicker than you can get your booty on the dance floor:

Discipline-ary Action: After peaking at #2 on the sales chart with her past two albums, Janet Jackson is hurting for her first #1 LP since 2001's All for You. While 2006's 20 Y.O. and 2004's Damita Jo dropped during busier months, her latest release faces very light competition, so she stands a good chance of nabbing the crown. Plus she's now part of Island Def Jam's powerhouse family and has producers like Ne-Yo, The-Dream, Missy Elliott, Rodney Jerkins and Jermaine Dupri on her side.

Amerykahn Revolution: Janet faces some friendly competition this week from Erykah Badu, who barrels back into stores with her first outing in five years, New Amerykah Part One (4th World War). The timing of the new release is perfect, actually — the neo-soul trailblazer turns 37 on Tuesday (February 26), and the lead single, "Honey," is climbing on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Many of the blistering beats, including those on "Honey," come courtesy 9th Wonder, while Madlib and Bilal also lent Badu their skills.

Finishing up this week's batch of R&B releases is the debut disc from Bad Boy newcomer Cheri Dennis, In and Out of Love. Released exclusively on iTunes late last year, the album is finally hitting terrestrial stores this week — with guest spots from Jim Jones, Gorilla Zoe and Yung Joc.

Capping off this week's crew of talent (sarcasm) is none other than Joe Budden, the Grammy-nominated rapper who has been awfully quiet on the studio-albums front since his eponymous debut dropped in 2003. this week the third installment in his Mood Muzik series materializes courtesy new digital-retail store Amalgam Digital.

Diggin' through the bargain bins like a bumb looking for a meal,
Josh