In Brief

* * * Mellow Man Ace, “The Brother With Two Tongues,” Capitol. On his first album, the bilingual rapper came across as the glib, user-friendly, Spanglish-speaking Mambo King of hip-hop. This time around, more than a little influenced by the success of his brother’s band, Cypress Hill, Mr. Ace cuts himself a little slack, loosens up a bit and gets into the funky gangsta groove. Though the sexist first single, “What’s It Take to Pull a Hottie (Like You),” is execrable, this could be one of the best rap albums of the year.