Music Details
Artist
Label
Genre
More details

Public Warning (by Lady Sovereign, Rap)

common sense media says

Enchanting, self-revelatory, and explicit.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

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.

Positive messages: All over the map ... alternately pissy and poignant.
Violence: A couple of references -- nothing really explicit.
Sex: Some sexy innuendo, stopping just short of explicit.
Language: The words "f--k" and "s--t" are used liberally and gleefully.
Consumerism: Plenty of products mentioned, including Adidas (she's addicted to them), Pernod, Barbies, Safeway, and McDonald's.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Quite a few references to drinking and drugs.

More on Public Warning

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

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?

What's the story?

What's the story?

PUBLIC WARNING makes it clear that nothing about Lady Sovereign (aka Louise Harman) is ordinary. A terrific rapper, she's also tiny, English, clever, and in your face. Calling herself "the white midget," she delivers rapid-fire lyrics with energy -- over marvelous instrumental tracks that veer wildly from minimalist rhythms to elaborate, circus-y themes and back again. "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." In "Those Were the Days," the Lady delivers a poignant and gritty picture of her childhood in the projects: "Those days I'm missin'... back then well I kinda had less/but less was much better coz it saved a lot of stress."

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

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. Throughout Public Warning Lady Sovereign lets us know, with intelligence, wit, and a loud raspberry, that she's here and she's not going away.

Music themes & details

Music Details
Released on: October 31, 2006
Label: Def Jam
Genre: Rap
Parental advisory: Yes
Edited version available: Yes

This review was written by Kathi Kamen Goldmark
 
 

Review It

 

Review Public Warning





Hang on! You need to be a member to post your review.
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines.
 

What parents & educators say

Most useful reviews by all members

 
its a good cd and i trust my kids with it. why wont you?

SoccerGal
teen, 18 years old
 
Who cares?
Public Warning is not a BAD album. There is swearing, and everything but every kids HAS to go through that at school. It's not like we are learning a new word, or taking it seriously. These songs are on the radio, and you can't stop that. Kids my age, start getting into those, in crowds, listen to this, hear that? So, you may as a parent, think this is new for us. But, really it isn't not at all. Anyways, I would say, if you were to buy this I wouldn't recommend giving it to a 9 or 12 year old, as 13, almost 14. Those are the okay ages.

jada4eva
teen, 17 years old
 
no topic
love me or hate me only has 1 cus word "if you hate me then f--k you" thats the only cus words but it is a part of life no sex songs but the cd is good i love listening to her song on the web,lady s. does her thing and she need to keep doing what she does cause her raps/pop songs are tight for a english girl?am i right?

Disneybaby13
teen, 18 years old
 
I LOVE HER
She is an amazing singer/rapper. i LOVE LOVE LOVE "Love Me or Hate Me" this isn't rele good 4 lil kids but 4 teens its FINE, i love her she is soooo pretty also!

bellalovehope
teen, 17 years old
 
i luv it
I LUV IT!!!

cheeseandcrackers
teen, 15 years old
 
pretty iffy
One song that says the F word over and over and only one song doent contain any swearing or questionable content. It really depends because there is lots of language and a few alchohol references. I would probably say 14+.

 
Yes!
Music and lyrics by Fred Fredburger, Yes! F-R-E-D F-R-E-D-B-U-R-G-E-R, FRED FREDBURGER! Yes!

 
Lady is sovereign of hip-hop-mediocrity
To qualify Lady Sovereign's "contribution" to pop music as "hip-hop" is to highlight only the worst aspects of the genre. Public Warning promotes commercialism and submissive female stereotypes - American values to be sure. (Poorly choreographed and over-sexualized "dance" does not qualify as self-expression; it merely propagates the existing system of patriarchy giving girls an exceptional role model: to play the muse to a society that would expect little more of them.) Lady Sovereign's flow, contrary to the opinion of Ms. Goldmark, is childish and talentless - somewhat reminiscent of Vanilla Ice. As for her lyrics, they have the sophistication that only someone of President Bush's intellect could appreciate. Perhaps Ms. Goldmark should consider opining on subjects of which she is actually informed; clearly hip-hop is not one of them.

WC34ME
teen, 15 years old
 
love it
random and love me or hate me ROCK!!!

bonesxprt13
teen, 16 years old
 
it's a little iffy...
I don't think that "Public Warning" is very good for kids under ten, but great for us kids over thirteen. I love it.

jamo
kid, 12 years old
 
wow
she is really awsome i love her but i would suggest the clean lyrics for children under 12

strawbryblondy
teen, 17 years old
 
hilarious
lady sovereign cracks me up! her lyrics i mean. they are just kinda thrown together and they make perfect sense. i dont know to me its pretty funny how care free she is.

martimusic123
teen, 17 years old
 
Really Good
Lady Sovereign is awesome!! I don't really like hip hop but this CD is really good. Those are songs you can dance to. Even though her lyrics aren't great she thinks up things to rhyme with each word. I also think her music is cool because she is British and you never really hear that much about female british rappers. Love Me or Hate Me is the kind of song where you want to learn all of the lyrics and then sing along and you feel really awesome. I dunno that's how i am.

lolzz
teen, 16 years old
 
lots of curses but whatever
okay so yeah its really explicit but i still like it. no its not good for kids my age but i really like the songs theyre catchy.

 
Omg love me or hate me is my theme song!
I LOVE her! Her music is reminiscent of Eminem, who I'm also a fan of! Woo go girl!

An independent voice for families
Age-appropriate reviews
 

vote now

Will you add Public Warning to your playlist?


Already listened to it? What do you think?

 

Great alternatives handpicked by our editors


About our rating system
ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age