In the City (2008)

This Miami Beach multi-instrumentalist made his bones playing on and producing records by David Banner and the Black Eyed Peas. Like Timbaland and the Neptunes before him, though, Rudolf's behind-the-scenes work only whetted his limelight appetite, so here he steps out with a weirdly infectious debut that mixes his rap-track know-how with his love of guitar-god theatrics. (Think ''Beat It,'' not Limp Bizkit.) In the City never veers too far from the stadium-ready sound of ''Let It Rock,'' Rudolf's top 10 collaboration with rapper Lil Wayne. But what use is subtlety when you're banging your head? B+

Download This: Listen to the song ''Let it Rock'' on imeem.com