Good feelings usually aren't associated with Monsters and Killer Mike's debut album is no exception. Having joined on with Outkast's label, Aquemini, he lacks the distinctive flavour that propelled his label mates to fame.

On Monster, Killer Mike comes off like a down-south Ice Cube protιgι who must have skipped a few lessons from the old man. However, Killer Mike does show potential as his vocals hit heavy, but unfortunately lack depth or a distinguishing air.

The album's first two singles are clearly the best cuts from the album. The first single, 'Akshon', is produced by Andre 3000 and captures the upbeat energy characteristic of Outkast's music. Curiously it also has a distinctively similar sound to 'The Whole World' - the Outkast hit that introduced Killer Mike to the world. The second single, 'A.D.I.D.A.S.,' seemed cheesy upon first listen, but quickly grew on me as both Big Boi and Killer Mike shine vocally. 'Creep Show' shows potential until Bizarre (of D12) drops a verse. 'All 4 U' is a confusing combination of a feel-good uplifting beat and the story of Killer Mike's hard life growing up.

Killer Mike comes with a hardcore style that just doesn't seem to fit well with the "Outkast meets dirty south" sound of his album. He also lacks the power to draw the listener into his vocals, and thus his messages are lost on deaf ears. Monster shows potential, especially with its two singles, but it's far from being the killer most would associate with its title.

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