Mario's HOTT!
© Mecca Donna
We all remember back in 2002 when he surprisingly burst on to the R&B scene with the certified gold smash single "Just A Friend." The follow up single "Braid My Hair" captured the heart of young girls everywhere and received welcoming smiles from parents alike. He was cute, cuddly and innocent. That was then.
This is now. A couple years later,Baltimore native Mario Barrett has matured. He no longer dons the braids we so fondly remember. In 2005 he opts for a clean, low cut look. He even has his sideburns completely shaped and filled in. His physique is strikingly buff and Mario has transitioned into a young man. At 18 years of age he asserts, "you have to change your life in order to get to that next level."
His sophomore effort "Turning Point" has boosted Mario up the ladder a few notches. Smash single "Let Me Love You" (produced by Scott Storch) spent weeks at the top of the charts in the US. It is officially the most played song in radio history and it doesn't stop there. Mario's "Let Me Love You" is his first international success. It's #1 on New Zealand Singles Chart, #1 on European radio airplay, #2 in Japan and the list just keeps going. The honesty and simplicity propels the single steadily along. The remix boasts the midas touch from Hip-Hop's King of The South T.I and gifted lyracist Jada Kiss thereby bringing the love song some street cred.
"Turning Point" marks a clear maturation in song content for Mario. The lyrics are bolder, sexier, and autobiographical. The production from the album features some spicy collaborations from heavyweight producers and Hip-Hop royalty alike.
The song entitled "Boom" was produced by none other than his-crunkness Lil Jon. "Girl I Need" was produced by Harold Lily, and the second release, "How Could You" was produced by the Underdogs. This song earned a few raised brows as we had to witness the same sweet faced Mario croon about the "Ghetto Kama Sutra." How's that for grown up? (The Kama Sutra?? That's pretty grown if I do say so myself).
Another surprise came with the autobiographical "18." Mario wants it to be known that the comparisons to other artists does him no justice. He says he's 18 now and his accomplishments are stellar. He's got seven whole years to catch up to the Usher Raymond's of the R&B World. "Just give me time to grow" he says. "I'm ready to do it all."
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