Rich Boy (2007)

This Alabama-born rapper's hit ''Throw Some D's'' is an early contender for the year's best single, thanks largely to the joyfully sweeping strings of producers Polow Da Don (Fergie, Ludacris) and his associate Butta. Elsewhere, Rich Boy's gruff drawl continues to show a certain charm, but the breakout star here is Polow, who exec-produced the disc and provided half its beats. Polow's intricate, varied, and unfailingly catchy instrumentals more than make up for the lyrics' occasional lapses into generic macho posturing. B+