Search - Nicole :: Make It Hot

It was only a matter of time before Missy Elliott introduced a protégé, the latest must-have addition to any self-respecting R&B/hip-hop camp. As with everything else, she's struck gold with 17-year-old Nicole, but Make It Hot is riddled with a dilemma: how much is too much? Supa-dupa producer Missy stamps her signature style all over the disc, creating a bubbling blend of beats and husky vocals, but when she steps back (mostly for the lackluster ballads that make up the last half of the record), Nicole falls back with her. Overall, the package is reminiscent of Aaliyah's One in a Million (which also showcased the Elliott touch), with guaranteed dance-floor grooves highlighted by the title track, "Curiosity," and the sultry "Seventeen." With Elliott behind her, Nicole doesn't need luck to make it big, but with her stirring voice and confident ease, luck doesn't even enter the equation. --Rebecca Wallwork