Fully Loaded (1991)

These women rappers from Oakland certainly aren't stupid. Taking a cue from the megasuccess of their mentor, M.C. Hammer, Sweet L.D. and Terrible T of Oaktown's 3.5.7 have smoothed out their debut's rough edges to create a more radio-friendly second effort, heavy with Hammerish R&B and catchy melodies. The result seems stunningly calculated. Where 1989's Wild & Loose shouted, Fully Loaded croons as much as it raps, comes equipped with two ballads, and slathers on enough smooth, bass-saturated music to lull a disco full of cokeheads — or make it into rotation on any typically unadventurous urban radio station. On ''(Miss U) Come Back to Me,'' Sweet L.D. sobs that ''I'm still trying but I don't think I can let go/ I'll always love you, more than you know.'' As with these cliché-ridden lyrics, the rest of the album is far too predictable. C-