Zane - Big Zane Theory

“We rock stars, baby” declares Zane early in the first song on his new record. With ‘Big Zane Theory,’ Atlanta actor/rapper Lil Zane (you may have seen him on the big screen in “Finding Forrester,” Doctor Doolittle 2,” and two soon-to-be-released movies—“The Fighting Temptations” with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyoncé and “Motives” with Vivica A. Fox) is targeting the big money MOR adult hip-hop market. To that end, he’s dropped the “Lil” from his moniker, a la Lil’ Bow Wow.

‘The Big Zane Theory’ first single is "Tonite, I'm Yours," an R&B-tinged song featuring Tank, and the album features Roscoe and TriStar on "How We Ride," and production by Timbaland, Megahertz, Stevie J. (Jay-Z) and Ron Feemster (50 Cent). This record has a calculated appeal, balancing lusty party anthems “Shake,” "Bounce," and "Do It, Don't Stop," with the more serious-minded "I.O.U." and "All $ Ain't Good $."

Along the way, Zane borrows liberally from the proven-success formulae of P. Diddy and Jay-Z, though he can only approximate the megalomania of P. Diddy and the commercial instincts of Jay-Z. And if Zane doesn’t quite make good on the rock star boast, at least he’s got the movie star thing to fall back on.

Matt Parks (August 31, 2003)