Like Outkast, the Ying Yang Twins are progenitors of southern hip-hop that's a mix of gangsta rap, party jams, and jittery beats, and on UNITED STATE OF ATLANTA the Ying Yang Twins approach the game like a house party thrown in a recording studio. For starters, the wide variety of guests popping up throughout this 70-minute-plus project adds a feeling of randomness, recklessness, and fun. Neo-soul crooner Anthony Hamilton provides some honeyed vocals on the gospel-flavored "Long Time," and Maroon 5's Adam Levine holds his own on the electro-funk of "Live Again," with its nod to the travails of exotic dancers. There's also plenty of support from Dirty South brethren such as Mike Jones & Mr. Collipark (on "Badd"), and tough gal Jacki-O (on the DMX-flavored "Hoes"). The interspersed skits comment on a range of topics: "We at War" touches on the seriousness of America's foreign policy, while things get quite a bit raunchier on bits like "Sex Therapy 101," "102" and "103."

What the critics say...

Spin (p.104) - "[They] throw a deliriously twerked, end-of-days house party with swinging Henry Mancini samples..." - Grade: B