Idolator

Complain all you want about the state of hip-hop, but it's the only Top-40 music genre that opens its doors to the homely. Granted, T.I. and Pharrell are pretty boys, but none of the successful male rappers of the past year (Dem Franchise Boyz, Three 6 Mafia, Lil Jon) are going to be confused for male models anytime soon. In fact, looking like a wet rat is probably Kevin Federline's only shred of hip-hop credibility.

And that brings us to Ludacris, whose new "Money Maker" clip plays down the goofiness of his "Area Codes" heyday, and finds him striving for a slightly more GQ (or at least Details) look. It's a subtle change, and a visual clue that maybe he's trying to grow a bit; unfortunately, the rest of the clip is yet another turgid rap cliché-fest: The cell phones blow up, the dollar bills scatter, and the back-up dancers do their predictable-to-the-point-of-chaste wiggling. Oh, and the song sucks, too.

Ludacris, "Money Maker" [MTV.com clip; lots of annoying ads]