Man, they finally let the kid get his voice heard on the music tip. (Smile) This is called Swizz’s Beatz (they say I Iook like Swizz Beatz from the Ruff Ryders), and I will talk about different things affecting the hip-hop and R&B world.

This week in my first column I am going to talk about the infamous Michael Jackson and his brand new album “Invincible.” If you haven’t copped it, you need to cop it. Anyone who loves any musical drama can enjoy the album.

OK, forget all the skin problems, bad marriages and weird personal traits and habits he has – this album should prove that Jackson has staying power. But think about it – what great entertainer is not `gone’ in the head?

I am pretty critical when it comes to music, and this is one of the best albums I have heard in five years. And that is a lot considering I gave Jay-Z’s latest album three-and-a-half stars.

Let’s take little ol’ Ames with the Michael Jackson album dropping. It was sold out everywhere for the last three days in our little town. Just imagine the sales of the albums in a metropolis. Enough said on that note.

But let me talk about the album some more. The most controversial and best entertainer of all time employed everyone from Rodney Jerkins, Babyface, Teddy Riley and R. Kelly to help with production on the album.

I would best describe the album as “Off the Wall” and “Thriller” meets the 21st century.

In Mike’s bag of tricks is Notorious B.I.G. who he has employed to drop lyrics from the grave. He also has tracks with Jay-z and Method Man. Mike shuts down the competition and tells everyone to back off, reminiscent of “Bad” and “Billie Jean,” with the title track “Invincible” and the rock-influenced “Privacy.” On “Privacy” he screams, “Cause your cameras can’t control the minds of those who know/ That you’ll even sell your soul just to get a story sold.”

The thing that makes this album attractive is the great formula many people have lost in music: great lyrics and great music (remember that?). Ballads like “Break of Dawn,” “Butterflies” and “Don’t Walk Away” can set the mood for any romantic interlude.

He shows how true love should be on the track “Heaven Can’t Wait” when he croons, “Tell the angels `no I don’t wanna leave my baby alone/ I don’t want nobody else to hold ya’/ That’s the chance I will take/ Maybe I will stay/ Heaven Can Wait.”

Mike is really trying to show people how to do the entertainment thing.

Michael Jackson unveiled on Halloween a music video which was 40 minutes long with commercials on MTV. There is no other entertainer who has had as much impact on music than the man who used to sing “ABC” with the Jackson 5. Even through all the problems Mike has had in his life, he has somehow been able to conquer those things and produce one of the best albums in the past five years.

Darryl Frierson is a junior in pre-journalism from St. Louis.