Ryan Leslie

Ryan Leslie's debut was so delayed that he had a sophomore album ready to drop a mere eight months later. And while Transition is a bit of a misnomer, we're glad it's packed with more of the same: choice beats and compelling melodies (plus a hint of Marvin Gaye falsetto) that give Leslie his "full-grown Justin Timberlake" sound. One big change: he's rapping more -- and, naturally, since he's Ryan Leslie, it's not too shabby (see "Zodiac").