Lady Sovereign - Public Warning (CD, 2006)

I was reading tons about Lady Sovereign around the time this record was released, and when I found a used copy, I took a chance on it. It's spent more time with my wife than with me, but she listened to it enough that I ended up hearing it more than I would have if left to my own devices.

The term "Feminem" is thrown around a lot by journalists who suck, and it was always one of the easiest things to label Lady Sovereign. It's a lazy categorization, but not completely unwarranted. Her flow and vocal style is a bit reminiscent of Slim Shady, but her beats and her subject matter are mostly her own. In the end, she doesn't really sound like anybody (or at least anybody I listen to). And what she raps about is so varied that it's tough to get bored with this record.

In fact, I was shocked (still am) at how much I dig this album. That's not to say that I love it to death, but I do enjoy it. This little lady can spit quick, and the music is just as chaotic as she is. If nothing else, this album is just plain fun, and I'm never one to fault somebody for making a nice batch of upbeat hip hop party songs.

I'm usually ready to move onto something else by the end of these 13 tracks, but she doesn't wear out her welcome. If you can look past her pissy little badass attitude that she often plays up too much, this disc is really quite enjoyable. Still haven't heard her new one, and I'm not champing at the bit to do so, so that kind of shows you where I stand. Happy to hear it, happy to not hear it. It's one of those.

But like I said, it still leaves me pleasantly surprised. And the beats are crafty as shit, which is the underrated half of what makes this so good.

"9 to 5"