Looks Like A Pink Record
Let me start this review with a question: Do you all know Pink TV? This “strange” TV-series where female porn stars sometimes are interviewed and licked at the same time? No, I’m not going to mention those Jenna Jameson flicks again, we’re all through with this, but the name says it all: It’s a pink series. And so told me my man Stu da 5’9’’ when we listened to good-lookin’ Angie Martinez’ new album for the first time: “Its booklet is pink, the CD’s back is pink, and so is the inside.” True, true. The record is two-sided, true hip hop on the one, more spiritual, sensual R’n’B and Soul on the other. A strange but not bad mixture is the result.

We start off with an Interlude and then with “New York, New York” feat. Prodigy and DJ Clue. This track pleases me very well: Angie spits hard rhymes (yes, she raps!) and Prodigy (“The Don P, but not the bottle!”) is hard as usual. Nobody knows why DJ Clue is on this track, he didn’t produce it in fact… Nevertheless, this track is real stuff. Angie changes sides then with the Product G&B who are responsible for the hook. The beat consists of a rather soft beat and an evident sample. Wyclef Jean comes on a Latino beat – cool combination, Wyclef drops a chorus and some rap verses, Angie does the rest. It’s Snoop Dogg with the original G-Funk flavour and Angie on “Ladies and Gents”. A fresh beat that makes heads nod. “Live at Jimmy’s” feat. Big Pun, Cuban Link, Domingo and Sunkiss is another Latino influenced one with Angie, Pun and Cuban representin’. Another change of sides takes us to “No Playaz” with Lil’ Mo and Tony Sunshine. This track is really dope, a mixture of Rap, R’n’B and a fat piece of summer give us one of the best tracks on the record. On “Live From the Streets”, two thirds of the LOX hold it down with Angie: Styles and Jadakiss – where the hell is Sheek Louch all the time? Seems like he either isn’t desired on records or he’s into bigger projects now – together with Beanie Sigel, Kool G Rap and Brett. Jadakiss and Beans at their best, the others not bad either, and, last but not least, a hard Knowbody-beat – another cool track on the album. Rockwilder’s “Mi Amor” feat. Jay-Z (who better than you, Jay?)has already been released for some months, and the Neptunes’ “Dem Thangs” with Q-Tip is going to be a club burner (the drums sound very similar as the ones they used on Jay-Z’s “Just Wanna Love You”).

Angie Martinez is another female emcee, and she sometimes spits real hard verses, overall, she doesn’t manage to come up to some other femcees, but I pretend this is not her goal: The record leaves all Angie’s options open: Latino, R’n’B, and Rap. This makes it a pink record – a very cheerful, fresh, summerful album. There’s rarely a dark and gloomy sample, there’s rarely a deeper track, but there’s a lot of party potential and also a lot of talent assembled: Both by Angie and also the featured artists. Hip Hop heavyweights meet R’n’B heads and Latino singers – a nice, pink record. (Emm)