Personnel: Jennifer Lopez (vocals); Fat Joe (rap vocals); Tim Stuart (guitar); Bob Robinson (electric guitar); Tim Kelley (keyboards, bass guitar, drum programming); Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, Rich Harrison (programming); Makeba "Girl Wonder" Riddick, Delisha Thomas, Rudaina Haddad, E'anna Crawley, Candice "Gg" Nelson (background vocals); Fabolous.
Recording information: Hit Factory, Miami, Florida; Poolhouse West, Encino, CA (2005).
On "Hold You Down," from Jennifer Lopez's highly anticipated 2005 record REBIRTH, the singer brings out rapper Fat Joe, a fellow Bronx icon, to fondly recall local roots and the importance of staying true to friends. Over the course of Lopez's previous records, this emphasis on authenticity, in spite of her larger-than-life persona and enormous wealth, has been a theme. Aside from this song, however, this familiar subject is largely left behind on REBIRTH, a straightforward, affable collection of easygoing R&B-flavored pop music.
Perhaps the feeling that she has nothing more to prove (she's J. Lo, after all) has allowed Lopez to present herself more clearly, or maybe she's found contentment in her marriage to singer Marc Anthony, who produces the track "(Can't Believe) This Is Me." Whatever the cause, with REBIRTH, Lopez has created her most satisfying record. The first half of the disc is dominated by forceful funk/hip-hop tunes, from the Destiny's Child-like "Get Right" to the 1980s-era Janet Jackson defiance of "Cherry Pie." From there, the sensual vocalist glides into a love groove, equal parts Delfonics, Toni Braxton, and Faith Evans, best exemplified by the sugary-sweet "Still Around." While not quite the dramatic departure that its title implies, REBIRTH finds the actress-turned-singer discovering her most sincere voice to date.
