I've been trying to think of a way to express my love for/thoughts on/criticism of female hip hop for while, and here it is. Let's start with a few classics shall we?
Lil' Kim - Drugs
Circa 1996, big nose, nice lips era Kim. I know most of Hardcore was ghost written by Biggie, but I don't care, because it was awesome. Witness this cut, graceful guitar trills and swoops courtesy of Sylvester's recording of 'Bumpies Lament' (which i still can't find), martial snares and super tight kick drums. A more subtle and atmospheric banger there has never been. Plus Kim's flow, still deep and rough, following Mr. Wallace's twisting rhythms and rhyme schemes, is at it's best, even if she does say
Inhale this, clench your fist, the ya,
feel the mist through the uterus
which makes no sense. But still, it sounds wicked.
Buy Hardcore from www.amazon.co.uk
Remy Ma - Tight
A relatively recent track from the underappreciated There's Something About Remy: Based On A True Story, it's fiiiire. Cool & Dre's beat swings around like Lisa Kudrow in that scene on the trailer for Romy And Michelle's High School Reunion, glistening synths strafing wildly over a tight boom clap. But this ain't Romy & Michelle, this is Remy and Joey Crack (before that unpleasant business; not that i mind, Joe's head looks like a squashed baby's, she's better off without him). Worth the price of admission for Remy's
Ain't no body fucking with me, me me me me me me
No one does insousciant arrogance like Rem.
Buy There's Something About Remy: Based On A True Story from www.amazon.co.uk
The Herbaliser feat. Jean Grae - Nah' Mean, Nah'm' Sayin'
Just to prove I'm underground too, though i don't know how underground Jean Grae is these days. Regardless, she is my overall favourite rapper ever. And this track pits evil horns against a veritable onslaught of killer puns, of which i will list only a few:
Jean catches felonies on a melody, hella killer,
Do this shit with my eyes closed, like Helen Keller
I'm unabased, i mean unabashed, sorry the tongue wasn't placed right,
but i covered it late, like a rubber on date night
And well just listen to the damn track to hear the rest.
Buy Take London from www.amazon.co.uk
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