While growing up, the only active {\R&B} artist {$Trey Songz} paid any mind to was {$R. Kelly}. The inspirations were few, but this didn't prevent him from being inspired enough to impress {$Troy Taylor}, a producer and multi-instrumentalist who has worked with {$Boyz II Men}, {$SWV}, {$B2K}, and {$Whitney Houston}. {$Songz} was taken under {$Taylor}'s wing for a few years, leading up to this debut album, released when the singer was just 20 years old. While {$Songz} is hopefully shaking off his obvious indebtedness to {$Kelly} here (a couple clumsy sexual metaphors, some strikingly similar vocal cadences, a few jarring swings from pimping to praying), {^I Gotta Make It} is both very enjoyable and full of promise, carrying a fine balance between throwback and modern {\hip-hop} {\soul}. You can always sense that {$Songz} is excited to be making an album; he doesn't even bother to affect a distant sense of cool, unlike so many of his youthful contemporaries, which is a definite asset. He has all the personality and talent necessary to have a long, productive career, which is firmly established with this album. Others obviously believe in his future; he worked with {$Gerald Levert} and {$Trick Daddy} prior to making the album, and {$Aretha Franklin} starts it off with some wisdom. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide