The sophomore effort from G-Unit member Lloyd Banks was pushed back a few times; Banks himself took credit for the delays, saying that he wanted to “aim for the stars” with its release. Now scheduled to hit store shelves on Tuesday, Rotten Apple–the title’s a nod to Banks’ childhood in the South Jamaica section of Queens, N.Y.–glitters with cameos, with 50 Cent, Rakim, Musiq Soulchild, and Scarface all dropping by. But the record on the whole is pretty dark, with Banks’ deadpan delivery deepening the pervasive gloom. Two songs near the end stand out; the languorous “One Night Stand” has a scratched-record sample and a sweet vocal from Keon Bryce, while the Ron Browz-produced “Playboy (Part 2)” is claustrophobic, with Banks’ vocal wrapped around a twisted organ sample that echoes like a forever-ringing ear.

Lloyd Banks – One Night Stand (featuring Keon Bryce) [MP3, link expired]
Lloyd Banks – Playboy [MP3, link expired]
New Lloyd Banks Album: Rotten Apple [rlslog.net]