Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that Lady Sovereign is one of the most refreshing new voices in popular music today. She's also a voice peppered with expletives, brand-name product placement, and references to drugs and drinking. But this is one case where the writing, performance, and presentation are worth a bit of discomfort and/or discussion.
Families can talk about what makes Lady Sovereign different. She's not a voluptuous beauty, and she's outrageous and outspoken; it's obvious that she isn't capable of being anything but herself. What would it be like if more artists expressed their individuality this way? What sets her apart from her fellow hip-hop artists?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Kathi Kamen Goldmark
Nothing about Lady Sovereign (aka Louise Harman) is ordinary. A terrific rapper, she's also tiny, female, English, and funny.
Clever and in-your-face, the artist who calls herself "the white midget" presents her lyrics with an energetic, rapid-fire delivery over marvelous instrumental tracks that veer wildly from minimalist rhythms to elaborate, circus-y themes and back again. The subject matter varies, but most of the songs are self-revelatory, self-deprecating, self-aware, and -- despite a heavy sprinkling of expletives, bathroom humor, and references to drugs and drinking -- absolutely charming.
"My England" is a sideways portrait of London, her home town: "It ain't about the tea and biscuits/I'm one of the English misfits/I don't drink tea I drink spirits/and I talk a lot of slang in my lyrics," she sings, going on to rhyme "crumpets" with "slum pits" (later, in "A Little Bit of Shhh," "bread and water" gets rhymed with "slaughter").
In "Those Were the Days," the Lady delivers a poignant and gritty picture of her childhood in the projects: "I remember them water fights, the tap outside/used to race to it on our bikes/grinnin' with two front teeth missing/those days I'm missin'... back then well I kinda had less/but less was much better coz it saved a lot of stress." Other songs -- "Love Me or Hate Me," "Hoodie," and "Fiddle With the Volume," for example -- are filled with wry observances on the surreal peculiarities of modern life.
Throughout PUBLIC WARNING, Lady Sovereign lets us know, with intelligence, wit, and a big, loud raspberry, that she's here, she's not going away, and we can all either like it or lump it.
Lady Sovereign's fans might also enjoy music by OutKast and Fergie.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentSome sexy innuendo, stopping just short of explicit. |
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ViolenceA couple of references -- nothing really explicit. |
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LanguageThe words "f--k" and "s--t" are used liberally and gleefully. |
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Social BehaviorAll over the map ... alternately pissy and poignant. |
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CommercialismPlenty of products mentioned, including Adidas (she's addicted to them), Pernod, Barbies, Safeway, and McDonald's. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoQuite a few references to drinking and drugs. |
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