Reviews

Lady Sovereign is known by many titles. Affectionately referred as “SOV” by her followers and friends, the British rapper is often qualified as the whitest, shortest, most Cockney-iest spitter at the mic.

Lady Sovereign has just begun to break through on the United States music scene, leaving the comfort of the homeland behind for the time being. SOV, who often refers to herself as the “Biggest Midget in the Game,” has already invaded your eardrums. MTV lovers will recognize Lady Sovereign from her recent stint on TRL and live performance of “Random” on the show. Aside from some light radio play, SOV’s music has also been featured in a commercial for the Verizon Wireless Chocolate phone.

Despite Lady Sovereign’s image, someone at Def Jam recognized the potential in the Brit rapper. Lady Sovereign and Def Jam Records released “Public Warning” on Halloween.

At first listen, the thirteen-track disc may be a little hard to follow. It seems that, by design, SOV helps her audience keep up with her lyrical speed by warming them up in the first track. No sooner than said, Sovereign’s raps ramp up to warp speed, which may leave some in the dust. Even armed with a lyric sheet, listeners have to watch for British slang.

The disk morphs into different stylings from track to track. Lady Sovereign raps over rock tracks, hip-hop backings and strict electronic sounds as the album evolves.

The album’s title track begins slowly, but the bobbing electro-bass line accompanied by a really fast “fast rap” forces any headphone-wearing listener to bounce off the walls. The song, itself, serves as SOV breakthrough track into the US mainstream. Lady Sovereign talks herself up in the tune, telling all that care to hear it how good she really is and that she can stand with the best of them, despite her short stature. SOV shows off her raps using a combination of fast rap, rapping tongue twisters without tripping and her boastful claims about her talent.

Another fun track off of Lady Sovereign’s album is “My England.” In this song, Lady Sovereign notes that not all of London is tea and crumpets. Instead, SOV paints a picture of everyday England that doesn’t involve the stereotypical “Pip, pip. Cheerio.” In the chorus, Lady Sovereign says that not all of England is that proper: “We ain’t all posh like the Queen, we ain’t all squeaky clean…This is my England, I’m letting you know.”

Perhaps her most popular track in the States before her album dropped was “Love Me or Hate Me.” The song is a swirl of electronic beeps and hard-hitting processed bass over another of SOV’s proclamations. Lady Sovereign once again shows off her un-ladylike styles and raps without regard for what you think. SOV recognizes her unique style may not work well with everyone’s style, so the rapper offers an ultimatum for her potential fan base: “Love me or hate me, it’s still an obsession / Love me or hate me that is the question / If you love me then, thank you / If you hate me then **** you.”

The album is worth listening to if you can stumble through the Cockney. The album starts off simply, but as the disc progresses, one has to make a real effort to keep up. Aside from that, Lady Sovereign will still have a tough time staying the spotlight in the States. While there is no doubt that she has some talent, it seems  it will be rather difficult for this British rapper to break into and be fully accepted in the rap scene. Her Def Jam alliance may help her stay in the limelight, but her work may be too far ahead of the scene. An album like “Public Warning” is a great disk, but finding a true home and fan base following without having a carved out niche may prove to be the bigger problem.