In Brief

** The LOX, “Money, Power & Respect,” Bad Boy/Arista. This trio, whose moniker stands for “living off experience,” should win converts with this profanity-soaked, violence-packed debut. Negativity with a hip, beat-laden veneer can be riveting. To really sell the veneer, though, requires the charisma of a Notorious B.I.G.--who’s remembered here in the syrupy, sentimental “We’ll Always Love Big Poppa.”

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four stars (excellent).

Hear the Music

* Excerpts from these albums and other recent releases are available on The Times’ World Wide Web site. Point your browser to: https://ukobiw.net/soundclips