The-Dream - Love Vs Money Review

Posted by Fred Richani on 03.13.2009

The-Dream made people take notice with Love/Hate last year. Will he have equal or greater results with Love Vs Money or will he be victim to the sophomore slump. 411's Fred Richani says click here to find out!

Atlanta, Georgia’s Terius “The-Dream” Nash should be considered one of the best all-around artists in the game today. When people compare R&B singer The-Dream, his counterparts should be Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Ne-Yo, and Stephen “Static Major” Garrett, as opposed to Usher and J. Holiday. The reason is quite simple. The-Dream is not your everyday R&B singer. In fact, he is not just a singer, but a songwriter and producer, much like Babyface, Static Major, and Ne-Yo. His style may be repetitive, although there is no denying the man knows how to make a hot record. Here are just a few of the songs The-Dream has written and/or produced:

• J. Holiday – “Bed”, “Suffocate”
• Britney Spears – “Me Against The Music”
• Mary J. Blige – “Just Fine”
• Mariah Carey – “Touch My Body”
• Rihanna – “Umbrella”, “Breakin Dishes”

That’s a pretty damn good resume’. The problem that many writers/producers have in music at times is the ability to make themselves hot, even though they can do that for their clients. Case and point: Johnta Austin and Pharrell Williams, who create stellar production, but have had their own projects released without the same success as their work with others.

The-Dream doesn’t have to worry about that. His debut album Love/Hate went Gold, despite its slow start. His first two singles “Shawty Is A 10” and “Falsetto” both went Gold, as well. “I Luv Your Girl”, which was the last single released on the radio from Love/Hate even cracked the Top 20 in the Hot 100. As the old saying goes, it’s not always about how you start, but where you finish. When Dream was all set and done with his debut, you could tell that the man that made an impact behind the scenes in R&B was ready to do so with his own solo career.

This brings us to The-Dream’s new album Love Vs Money. I will be upfront—this is certainly not a sophomore slump.



1. Money Intro
2. Rockin’ That S***
3. Walkin’ On The Moon featuring Kanye West
4. My Love featuring Mariah Carey
5. Put It Down
6. Sweat It Out
7. Take U Home 2 My Mama
8. Love vs. Money
9. Love vs. Money: Part 2
10. Fancy
11. Right Side Of My Brain
12. Mr. Yeah
13. Kelly’s 12 Play
14. Let Me See The Booty featuring Lil Jon
15. Hater
16. Rockin’ That S*** (Remix)
Album produced by: The-Dream, C. “Tricky” Stewart, and Antonio “LA” Reid
Label: Radio Killa/Def Jam

Love Vs Money starts off with a hot track that showcases The-Dream’s awe for a certain shawty, much like Love/Hate with “Shawty Is A 10” in “Rockin’ That S*** Like”. The song is about a shawty that well, rocks that s***. “Walkin’ On The Moon” is a hot collaboration featuring the always-outspoken Kanye West. Complete with a futuristic beat and smooth vocals, Dream lets his mystery lady know that whatever she does makes him feel like he’s walking on the moon and in outer space.

‘Ye drops yet another hot verse (hip-hop fans should be used to this by now). Here’s a just a snippet:
There's a lot of stars in here ain't it . But you shine so much they don't seem famous. Where’d you come from on this lonely night? I swear god musta made lightnin strike. And I bottled it up, we hit the red carpet and modeled it up. We hopped in the rari and Pradaed it up. Now everybody clappin, they bravoed it up. All just because it's more than a buzz. More than a drink, but I took a few sips. And let it do what it does, now drunk textin. Like it's all about you, like I can't spend. Another minute without you. You know the drinks let you say things. You ain't allowed to, things interfere. But you're way to proud to say out loud. Cause niggaz gonna clown you, put your black baby down. People is around you, I'll put my mag baby down. I ain't tryin to hound you, just tryin to take you...

Where the stars gonna surround you.

The best track of Love Vs Money is “My Love”, featuring Mariah Carey. Their stellar vocals mesh very well over the slow beat that shows listeners that MC still has it. “Put It Down” and “Sweat It Out” are trademark sex tracks by The-Dream. This is the recurring theme in The-Dream’s albums. A majority of the songs he makes are well, about sex. Actually, they are pretty good to have sex to as well (not that this innocent album reviewer would know anything about that).

“Take U Home 2 My Mama” is another highlight of the album, with Dream telling his love how he wants to introduce her to his mother. I guess he likes a classy girl every now and then. Both “Love Vs Money” tracks are hot and contain great base and the theme of the album: to love one or to indulge in money. The other tracks are pretty good and contain similar repetitiveness fans of the singer will be used to, but may turn off newer listeners.

The worst track of this overall impressive sophomore effort is “Let Me See the Booty”, featuring Lil Jon. I don’t think I need to go into great detail as to what that track is about. No disrespect to Lil Jon, but the crunk ship has sailed. If this song came out in 2003, it probably would be Dream’s next hit. 2009? Not so much…….
No matter the track, Love Vs Money contains a little bit of everything for listeners. From hot instrumentals to smooth vocals to a moderate amount of very talented guest stars, The-Dream’s sophomore album might be good enough to help the singer receive his first Platinum plaque as a solo artist.

The 411: While this is not in Usher's Confessions territory, Love Vs Money is certainly an album that reminds people that R&B is not dead. If you want more substance than style, Raheem DeVaugn or Musiq Soulchild might be for you. If you dig an artist that knows how to make a hot song you can bump in the ride or make love to, then The-Dream is your artist and Love Vs Money is definitely the album for you.

Final Score:  8.0   [ Very Good ]