BANG

Shawnna's sophomore album on (Ludacris' label) DTP, Block Music, didn't do nearly as well as it should, and now she has left the label and is going independant. But it should be pointed out that at least half of Block Music, maybe more, is amazing.

I remember hearing "Gettin' Some Head" for the first time, listening to it on my iPod on the bus to College. We were passing through Matlock, glamourous Matlock, when the second verse kicked in, and the last syllable of every line was drawn out into a honeyed drawl, and i thought 'she's stepping up her game'. It was so exciting to hear her pushing her style in new directions, and Block Music proved her to be one of the most stylistically experimental MC's going. oh yah.

Shawnna - Block Music feat. I-20

Witness the slathers of bass rubbed all over this track, the beat that clacks, flaps and pops like a geyser. Block Music's first 5 songs totally raised the bar in terms of ice cold crack music and electrifying flows, and Shawnna's imperious on this one, delivering one-liners like this:

i keep my O's straight in order like it's tick tack toe
and I'm x-ing out any nigga with a bitch ass flow

ouch, i know.

Shawnna - Candy Coated feat. 8Ball & MJG

This beat is literally pure evil. Simultaneously menacing and nauseous, the strings flail about, providing the kind of terrifying atmosphere you just don't associate with commercial hip-hop. The beat bangs relentlessly, and the sampled chorus, 'candy coated paint, got the bitches at the bus stop, sick, but at the same time...' seems so incongruous against the musical background, that you've just got to go fucking mental and stop thinking about incongruity. Shawnna is deadly on this one, first interacting with the sample like Kanye and Rhymefest on "Brand New", then after 8Ball & MJG's second verse, ripping the track the fuck up with lethal doubletime spitting. When you hear a song like this, you just think, why drop her (assuming she was dropped, and did not leave)? OK, she didn't sell a huge amount, but she's clearly as good as any of her peers, and clearly pushing the envelope so BAD! But then, i'm not a CEO, if i was i would have a roster full of talented MC's selling nothing and then i would go bankrupt. But that's the crux of commercial hip hop, if you're not selling, then you're not successful (from the artists viewpoint as well as the labels), whereas in other genres, it's acceptable to be unsuccessful as long as your good. Oh well, c'est la vie de la rue. You need to get that money.

Shawnna - Can't Break Me feat. Shareefa & Buddy Guy

After the opening salvo of bangers, there's a trio of more laidback r'n'b-ish tracks, which are of a high standard themselves. This one stands out though, for the tension and anger in Shawnna's flow that increases even as the song goes along, contrasting with (Shawnna's father and electric blues legend) Buddy Guy's fluid guitar licks and Shareefa's sweet hook.

Sadly, the album tails off towards the end slightly (though the Mandy Moore sampling "Chicago" is a highlight. Really.), and listening to her preceding mixtape, Block Music: The Mixtape, hosted by Clinton Sparks, you can't help think some of these bangers could off beefed up the album proper. Like so:

Shawnna - Chicago Shit feat. Kanye West
Shawnna - Gangsta Shit (Bust Ya Guns) feat. Rick Ross

You know, i really hope that Shawnna does it now she's gone independant. I really hope she gets in some good producers and DOES IT, because she's too good to disappear like so many sidekick female rappers before (remember Amil?).

BONUS!!

check that second verse i talked about, c.l.a.s.s.i.c.



Buy Block Music from www.amazon.co.uk