Street Love

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For R&B singer Lloyd, the road to stardom has taken twists and turns, with high-speed chases and precise maneuvering. Today, the 20-year old singer/songwriter and businessman is in the driver's seat. He commands the open road and is headed straight for stardom. Singing came natural for Lloyd Polite, a native of New Orleans who grew up in Atlanta. As a pre-teen, Lloyd met Joyce Irby, a singer and musician who played in the groundbreaking all-girl band called Klymaxx. Ten-year-old Lloyd met Irby during a rehearsal for a show at his performing arts school. Irby put together the R&B trio, Ntoon signed to Dreamworks Records. Lloyd was the first member and was later joined by Justin Clark and Everett Hall. "That was my first real introduction to the stage, doing shows for like 2,000 people one night and twenty people the next night." "Touring taught me everything, when you stay ready, you are always ready -- that was our motto". At the time, Dreamworks Records was not prepared to work an R&B act and the group dissolved. Lloyd returned to Atlanta, back to the familiar surroundings of Dallas Austin's studio where he originally recorded with Ntoon. A chance meeting at DARP with Arista Records A&R exec Mark Pitts landed Lloyd a showcase for Antonio L.A. Reid. Eventually an offer came in from the renowned producer and label executive. But, e forged a detour. "Around that same time, I met Irv Gotti. "L.A. seemed to be like the wiser uncle of my family and Irv was like my big brother who I could do everything with". "So I put my cameo on and they drafted me into the Inc, army". Lloyd released the successful single, "Southside" featuring fellow label mate Ashanti. For Lloyd, everyday is a new day and every time he revs up his engine. Lloyd is behind the wheel, navigating the dicey turns and averting the potholes with all the skill and finesse of a far more seasoned driver. Look for the new album, "Street Love" in March 2007. .com ---- On Street Love, Lloyd packs in the urban-tough reputation he was going for on 2004's Southside and becomes, unmistakably, a sweetie. His heart beats for two on "Valentine." He whispers candy-coated nothings on the title track. And by the time we're nine songs in, the man has sunk, love-scorched, to his knees. Which turns out to be a pretty great position for him to make a record from, actually. Lloyd's shift to the soft side on this well-executed sopre set will cause the inevitable comparisons to the reigning king of all R&B love-song crooners, Usher. But it shouldn't. Mr. Polite, as the well-acquainted call him, is a different sort of singer entirely: sub out the realistic, realtionshippy lyrics for something sensational, and he could be Michael Jackson. That he chooses to hang his songs on relatable scenes (like "Killing Me," at the club) gives us a glimmer of what a street-loving, lady-killing Michael might have sounded like. And then the disc adds a little more: the soul-leaning joint "Hazel" hints at stylistic leaps to come, and "I Want You (remix)," with Andre 3000 and Nas, is as satisfying a kicker as we've seen in 2007. --Tammy La Gorce