Jadakiss: The Last Kiss MTV Spot 2

Music Review: Gorilla Zoe finds niche with new CD

Gorilla Zoe, "Don't Feed Da Animals" (Block/Bad Boy South/Atlantic)

With the exception of his hoarse voice, Gorilla Zoe seemed like every other self-professed street hustler-turned-rapper, introducing listeners into his world of a drug-selling past on his debut album, "Welcome to the Zoo."

But the burly, bearded Gorilla Zoe tweaked his raspy tune on his sophomore disc, "Don't Feed Da Animals," delivering a clearer message to digest by becoming a harmonizer. The Atlanta-based rapper's new approach flourishes on top of well-produced tracks, especially on his first single, "Lost," a melancholy track about him venturing into depression.

Gorilla Zoe doesn't diverge from his typical drug-dealing tales on "Dope Boy." And he maintains the same talk about going from poverty to a lifestyle filled with luxury cars on "Man I" and "Helluva Life," featuring Gucci Mane and OJ Da Juiceman.

But Gorilla Zoe's husky delivery as a crooner makes his sometimes harsh words an easy listen. When he chooses to sing on "So Sick" and "Echo," which both sound more like pop songs, each melody seems to fit him.

On one of the few tracks where Gorilla Zoe decides to rap, he trades bars with porn star-turned-rapper Roxy Reynolds on the sexually explicit "Talk Back."

In all, his distinctive singing shows as a versatility he can carry on to his next album, though there is still more room for growth as a rapper.

CHECK OUT THIS TRACK: Other than "Lost," Gorilla Zoe's next best track is "What It Is," featuring Rick Ross.

Remy Ma Released By Christmas?

Remy Ma is hoping to be a free woman in time for Christmas. Currently serving time at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, Remy filed an appeal against her eight year prison sentence. Remy's lawyers also filed new documents on her behalf, claiming the trial was riddled with mistakes by the judge, including wrongly instructing the jury. They want her sentence overturned and for her to be released by the holidays. Remy says the shooting was an accident.

SOURCE: KREDIBLE ALERTS

Akon says he'd work with Chris Brown

WASHINGTON – Akon — who has gone through legal woes and bad publicity himself — says he'd be willing to work with pop's latest problem child, Chris Brown.

"Oh, absolutely!" Akon said in a phone interview Monday. "I wouldn't take anybody's personal issues or problems_ I won't hold them accountable for that when it comes to work. I think it's two separate things."

Meanwhile, Diddy confirmed reports that he recently opened up one of his homes to Brown and Rihanna — whom Brown is accused of attacking — so the pair could "talk about a situation they're in."

"It's my house, and I'm allowed to give my house to whoever I want to give my house to," he said on an episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," which aired Tuesday.

The 19-year-old R&B singer was charged with two felonies last week in connection with an alleged attack on his 21-year-old girlfriend and fellow pop star. Brown is accused of beating her in the early morning hours of Feb. 8, the day of the Grammy Awards: Both were due to perform but bowed out. He was arrested that night.

Since then, a photo has surfaced that purportedly shows the face of a badly beaten Rihanna, and an affidavit released last week offered brutal details of the alleged assault.

Brown has seen endorsements evaporate and some stations have stopped playing the music of the platinum star

But Akon said it's not fair "to hold his whole career at bay because of it. He's gonna learn and he's gonna move forward and just hopefully he won't treat the next woman the same way."

Akon has been through legal troubles and public relations disasters of his own. He agreed last December to perform community service and pay a fine for throwing a teen off a stage in 2007. He also apologized for simulating sex with a teen at a Trinidadian concert; he said he did not know the girl was so young.

Akon said making music helped him get through those difficult times, and that may be the case for Brown: "If you are going through personal issues to me, those are the best times to make records."

He also said the media needed to stop focusing its attention on Brown and Rihanna and let the couple work through their issues, stressing that both are very young stars.

"At the end of the day, what Rihanna and Chris went through is nothing different than what couples go through every day," he said. "They have problems, they go through issues, and some of them, of course, expand to domestic violence which I don't in any way condone. But, you know, sometimes you really can't control it and some people just need to seek help and figure out ways to deal with their emotions and how they deal with issues and certain things."

Diddy echoed those statements on "Ellen," stressing: "I don't think it's right for anybody to hit anybody."

Diddy was on the defensive after show host DeGeneres questioned why he would open his home to Brown: "I don't understand it," she said.

"It was a dark time for them and I was there as more of a support," he said. "I'm not immersed in (their situation). I'm not going to pass judgment on it. I'm going to be there as a friend."

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On the Net:

http://www.akon.com