"Exclusive" by Chris Brown; Jive

Ever since he hit the scene two years ago with the smash hit "Run It," Chris Brown has been described as the future of R&B: the next Usher, the next Michael Jackson, the next big thing.

There's good reason for that. The 18-year-old has a smooth singing style and remarkable dance moves. Add his considerable good looks and charisma, and there's no other new male act who has his explosive potential.

The problem with potential is you have to live up to it. His self-titled debut in 2005 had a few good songs here and there, but overall, it was a forgettable disc.

"Exclusive," his sophomore album, isn't the next "Thriller" or even "Confessions." But it is a solid, entertaining effort that more often than not delivers on Brown's considerable promise.

Brown gets plenty of A-list help on this record from T-Pain, will.i.am, Big Boi and Kanye West.

With all that star power, lesser artists may have been relegated to second billing. But Brown remains the main attraction throughout, another sign of a superstar in the making.