June 16, 2003 @ 9:00 pm

Lil' Romeo - Game Time (New No Limit)

Email this article Print this article Send us a tip

“I don’t wanna grow up, I’m a kid,” chirps Lil’ Romeo on “Wanna Grow Up,” from his solid sophomore release.

“I don’t wanna grow up, I’m a kid,” chirps Lil’ Romeo on “Wanna Grow Up,” from his solid sophomore release. And it’s true: Compared to the less and less “little” Lil’ Bow Wow, who appears anxious to reach older fans (and older females), 12-year-old Lil’ Romeo seems content to stay young for a while. His prepubescent innocence can be refreshing, as in the bouncy “Throw ’Em Up,” where he declares “I’m too young to be lovey-dovey / I’m still my mama’s baby.” Game Time is unabashedly derivative, with straight jacks of “It Takes Two” (“2 Way”), “I Got It Made” (“Richie Rich”), and “It’s the Hard-Knock Life” (“We Can Make It Right”), but the recycled songs work because of Romeo’s charm and playful enthusiasm. Unlike the affected nonchalance in Bow Wow’s delivery, there’s no mistaking the youth in Romeo’s high-pitched voice and straightforward flow. The lyrics (cowritten by his daddy, Master P) include obligatory references to ice and gratuitous label shout-outs, but Romeo also extols the virtues of education and hard work. Here’s a real star pupil.

Article tags: LilRomeoGameTimeNewNoLimit 

Page printed from:
http://www.vibe.com/music/revolutions/2003/06/lil_romeo_game_time_new_no_limit/

Return to previous page