In a nonsensical effort to import some contemporary hip-hop sounds into the mix, [MARIAH CAREY] asked Ja Rule, Nate Dogg, Ludacris, Mystikal, Busta Rhymes and r & b crooner Eric Benet to lend a hand. But with a few exceptions - including "Glitter" co-star Benet's soulful contribution to the dance-floor joint "Want You" - the artists contribute mostly distracting, self-promoting jibber jabber all over what could have been Carey's best, most emotionally mature record to date.

The star is well served by solid, '80s-like tracks produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, DJ Clue, Clark Kent and Carey herself. But the first the voice you hear on "Glitter" doesn't even belong to Carey, but to another "Glitter" co-star, rapper Da Brat on the traffic-jam remix of the single "Loverboy." Biting off a huge chunk of Cameo's "Candy" for the musical bed - yes, the old school funkateers make a cameo appearance on the song - "Loverboy" is another in an increasingly long line of glitzy, candy-coated, creatively stunted Carey songs such as "Heartbreaker" and "Fantasy" that are all sugar and spice and everything spliced.