You know, running a Hip-Hop review site is a good thing. You get to review and rate the music that you love and hold close to your heart. But sometimes, if you wanna be fair, you gotta review music that you don’t necessarily look forward to. Now, I check other sites that review music (yea, we see y’all), and I think sometimes people think trashing music is the “in” thing to do. Now, don’t get me wrong, we here at nappyafro have trashed our share of albums, and if the music sucks, I’ll be the first to point that shit out. The problem is when you trash an album before you listen to it. That long intro leads me to the album I’m reviewing here, Lil’ Mama’s VYP: Voice Of The Young People. I definitely wasn’t looking out for this one. First, I’m not a girl, plus I’m not under the age of 19, and I wasn’t banging “Lip Gloss” from my car last year either. But, with what little journal integrity I have, I’ll take off my hater pants and try to go into this with an open mind. Pray for me…
1. Intro
The intro kinda surprised me. It sounded like an intro you’d hear on a Ready To Die. No, there’s no rapping, so I’m not dissing Biggie. It’s just Lil’ Mama, talking about being the “Voice of the Young People” over heartbeat sounds and babies crying. Okay.
2. Lip Gloss
It’s not that I hate this song. I actually remember Lil’ Mama rapping harder before this (Oh yea, remember her in the BET Hip-Hop Award’s cipher with Wyclef, Twista, & Dizzee Rascal?). I guess I just feel this song was not made for me. The beat is okay, I guess. You heard this song a thousand times already, let’s just move on.
3. One Hit Wonder
Featuring DJ Khaled
Here, Lil’ Mama actually shows that she has some talent. Her delivery is essentially better than some of her male counterparts. This song is really her “intro” song (even though it’s second). Over a beat provided by The Runners, she’s surprisingly wins. Oh, what does DJ Khaled do? Talk for about 14 seconds towards the end. Why?
4. Get Loose Request
This is an intro for the next song…
5. Shawty Get Loose
Featuring Chris Brown & T-Pain
On the album’s third single, you know Lil’ Mama was trying to go for the radio hard when she goes and gets Chris Brown AND T-Pain. It’s your standard fair hear. Even though the T-Pain produced track is not terrible, it sound contrived like the record company was saying; “Hey Lil’ Mama, that ‘Lip Gloss’ shit is getting played out, you need another hit like right now.” Like I said, it’s not a bad song, just nothing new either.
6. What It Is (Strike A Pose)
Featuring T-Pain
Two T-Pain featured songs back to back? But you know what? I’m not embarrassed to say that the beat is kinda hot. Complete with go-go drums, Lil’ Mama does the track justice. T-Pain, with his “Roger Troutman” unexpectedly turned way down, kills the hook (And I’m not the biggest T-Pain fan either). “Strike a pose girl!”
7. G-Slide (Tour Bus)
I think this was the second single off the album and I can also see how this didn’t go over too big. The hook, which utilizes the tune “Wheels On The Bus”, is corny. It’s sad because when the actual beat comes on that is used for the verses, it’s not that bad. Other than that, I think it tried to cash in on the whole dance craze Soulja Boy was doing. I’ll pass on this one.
8. Gotta Go Deeper (Skit)
Another skit, but it’s here that suppose to signify the “deeper” parts of the album.
9. Stand Up
Lil’ Mama tries out singing on this track instead of rapping. Now, I’ll give Lil’ Mama this. She could have easily went the Lil’ Kim/Trina route and went all XXX (She is 18 after all), but here she is rapping about teenage pregnancy, fatherless children, & dilapidated neighborhoods. Even though she sings here, it’s not bad and comes with a good message for young girls.
10. L.I.F.E.
Lil’ Mama gives us all the life story of Niatia Kirkland (Thats her government name you idiots!). It’s here she talks about her late Mother; ”My mama was a crack fiend/she never did nothing—not like ‘Pac’s mom” (Damn, Lil’ Mama came up hard). What does “L.I.F.E.” stand for you ask? Well on the hook, Mama explains that L is for the Liars, I is for the Insecurities, F is for Future, and E is for Eternal hope. The song is okay if you get past the annoying screams in the background.
11. College
Featuring Yirayah
Lil’ Mama actually pulls of some good storytelling. See, here she explains how here Mother tells her that her Pops is in college when in reality he’s in jail; she keeps this metaphor going for the entire song too. This is by far the deepest song on the album. If she wrote this, this girl is more talented than I thought. The chorus is not bad either.
12. Emotional Rollercoasters (Skit)
Lil’ Mama explains life ups and downs. I guess, this also signifies the love and heartbreak section of the album.
13. Broken Pieces
Lil’ Mama get more of her R&B on with the hook. The song deals with her in a unhealthy relationship. The beat has heavy guitars and is kinda somber. Now this is what I was talking about when I said I didn’t think this album was made for me. Too high school for my taste.
14. Swim
Cool & Dre stops by to provide the beat on this one. The track has single written all over it with it’s upbeat tone and catchy hook. All the boy crazy, little high schooler girls are gonna go crazy over this one; “He walking but he wants to swim with me/Either way there’s, no way he gonna drown”.
15. Truly In Love
Featuring Peter Toh
Over a old school sounding track, Lil’ Mama (with help from Peter Toh on the hook) sings and raps about true love. This is a nice song, but sounds a little karaoke at times.
16. Look At My Life (Skit)
It sounds like Lil’ Mama singing and playing the guitar, but I’m not sure.
17. Make It Hot (Put It Down)
I’m not sure who produced this beat, but they gave her one here. But lets not starts passing out Lyricist of the Year awards too soon. Lil’ Mama shows her lyrics can still come off generic; “Cause Lil’ Mama got whips and chains/The only time you see bucks is at a Tampa or Milwaukee game” Good work on the beat though.
18. Pick It Up
On the last song of the album (Not counting the two bonus track I was too lazy to find), Mama goes back to the club. It’s you basic dance record complete with call and response. Nothing special here, but I can see why she would want to end here.
Bottom Line:
Okay, I did a Lil’ Mama review. See, it wasn’t that bad; I’m alive. The album, to my surprise, wasn’t the worst album I ever heard. Lil’ Mama proves to a lot of people here that she has more talent than just “Lip Gloss”. I also gotta give props to her (again) for going in a different direction than most female rappers these days, and not going with adult rated lyrics. But, at the end of the day, it’s still an average album. And even though its not made for me, I can see way some of the younger generation could like this.
nappyPicks: “What It Is (Strike A Pose)”, “College”, “Swim”, & “Make It Hot (Put It Down)”
Download: Lil’ Mama feat. T-Pain – “What It Is (Strike A Pose)”
