Fisher Price: my first solo project

From Phil Collins to Wyclef Jean, many artists who felt they could make a bigger impact on the music world by going solo have been successful in bringing good, if not better music to the public compared to their time in a group.

"The Rising Tied" by Fort Minor proves, however, that when some artists strike out on their own, they do just that: strike out.

Fort Minor is the pseudonym for Linkin Park emcee Mike Shinoda, but it's just another name for complete and utter garbage. Shinoda's music is far worse than that of his former band.

Shinoda's first mistake in making his solo debut was not using a seasoned producer/mixer to help make his beats sound bearable. Shinoda ended up mixing and producing it on his own, resulting in a sound as stale and hackneyed as if a kindergartner were to get a mixing board and play around with it for an hour.

And people wonder why the Neptunes or Dr. Dre get so much money for helping with an album's production.

The simple beats and hooks may have been enough to get by for a rap/rock band, but they are in no way credible for someone who is just trying to rap.

Shinoda's lyrics, although slightly better than his beats, sound remedial and aloof because he lacks the flow that is critical to a rapper's success.

In "Petrified," one of the supposed radio singles, Shinoda babbles on about his flow and God knows what else.

"How you doing y'all / My name's Mike / I'm fluent with the new sh**/ I'm doing it all night / I like what I do / I do what I like / I can quit and get it back like I'm riding a bike," Shinoda raps.

Shinoda should be ghostwriting for mother goose rather than trying to put out rap albums.

There is, however, one solitary highlight to the album that saves "Rising Tied" from the depths of total failure. Common makes an appearance on "Back Home," which will probably help Shinoda sell more than a couple hundred units.

Common's cameo appearance on "The Rising Tied" is a charitable act, but can't salvage the endeavor.