On his third album, The Life, the R&B stud drops his hardcore playa pretense to reveal a softer, more vulnerable side. He pours his heart into songs like ''Two Reasons I Cry,'' a somber requiem for his recently deceased parents, and ''Differences,'' an emotional declaration to su amor. But it's when he balances his Romeo routine with a funky club vibe (as on ''That's How I Get Down,'' with Ludacris) that Life gets really good.