Bubba Sparxxx had to enter the game with accusations of being a novelty act. When Ugly dropped, he was touted as Timbaland’s version of Eminem, an attempt to cash in on his lack of melanin. But at least with one hit under his belt, he was able to come back and he delivered the highly touted sophomore effort Deliverance. It was a mixture of country styled beats with Timbo’s twist and Bubba’s impressive introspection. While critics praised, the public failed to take interest. So now, under Big Boi’s Purple Ribbon label, Bubba hopes to make his third time The Charm.

While his songwriting skills were evident on Deliverance, it takes a back seat here. The radio-friendly Ying Yang Twins-assisted “Ms. New Booty” was able to be controversial and club-worthy but lyrically, it’s a step-back from Bubba’s old days. It’s simple to understand that the point was not to wow critics with lyrical execution here, but to sell records via Collipark’s infectious beat. “Ain’t Life Grand,” and “Represent” show a determined rapper who is ready to reinvent himself, not one simply worried about album sales. Those results are much better.

Such as when he bares his soul with crooner Frankie J, Bubba paints a perfect picture of a troubled couple who need to “Run Away.” It may be overly sappy, but the soul is back in Bubba. Too bad its short lived. Much like with his first LP, Bubba shows off his simpler on this effort. “As the Rims Spin” and “Wonderful” are two great examples of fun-yet- country-inspired instrumentals - Bubba knows how to rock over these flawlessly. The beats give him an entertaining factor without having him dumb-down for radio play. Producers Organized Confusion, Timbaland and Collipark give Bubba a diverse mixture of sounds. While, again, not up to par with Tim’s work on Deliverance, it’s a fresh-new look at Bubba Sparxxx.

“Destiny don‘t always match with the shit you dream up,” he says on “That Man.” He’s right. With two solid efforts in the past, he’s never gotten enough recognition for his lyrical work. With Charm, it may get worse. Deliverance was a wonderfully created high-point for the rapper full of poetry and soul. But this time, equipped with some radio sure-shots, he has his sights set on the big pay-off. If his radio hits top charts, this album can catapult him into superstardom and a lesser album will at least have been for a cause. But if he fails, he’ll have to go back to the dug-out. It may not be “the third time’s the charm.” It looks like it might be more like “strike three,” but at least we know he can hit.