Cool Hand Loc (1991)

Tone-Loc may seem to have it all. Loc-ed After Dark, his 1987 debut, climbed to the very top of the charts and spawned two huge singles, one of which, ''Wild Thing,'' is still the third best-selling song of all time. But think again. Young MC wrote those hits, and in any case, they're ancient history in the ever-changing, ever-fickle annals of pop: Tone-Loc has a lot to prove and Cool Hand Loc aches with this need. As raspy as ever, Loc tries to break from his party-party image and convince us that he's a product of the concrete jungle (as on the engaging, bouncy ''Funky West Side'') and a hustler to boot (as on the lackluster ''Pimp Without a Caddy''). ''Fatal Attraction'' recaptures the playful storytelling and catchy hooks of ''Wild Thing'' and ''Funky Cold Medina.'' But there's not much else that promises to reclaim what Loc once had: The two slow love jams he throws in will neither enhance his street image nor make an R&B-flavored romantic rapper like Heavy D. nervous. Tone-Loc, don't try so hard: We like you just as lighthearted as you were. C+