The phoenix known as Jean Grae has blazed her path from obscurity to larger visibility over the past decade; a traditional throwback to when female emcees provided competition on the merits of talent rather than intentionally blatant eye candy. On top of her lyrical gift, affiliations including the Jeanius LP with 9th Wonder and a business alliance with Talib Kweli’s defunct Blacksmith label have elevated her presence amongst supporters anxiously awaiting slowly released output. A selection of rarities to kick off what will be a reportedly productive 2013, Jean Grae has compiled Dust Ruffle as a show of appreciation and an appetizer for what’s to come.
Jean Grae is one of today’s most multi-faceted females in Rap, earning respect equal to her masculine counterparts with songs displaying wit, sex appeal and the ability to wear her heart on her sleeve. Dust Ruffle allows her complexities to flourish, piecing together snapshots of her long running career and taking listeners on a journey through the artistic growth she has undergone. “Neckface” and “What Cha Gonna Do” are hard edged and hyperactive, representative of a style Jean employs far less at present, while the free-spirited “Lights Off” reflects that which has given her a greater and more accessible platform.
Though dated and uneven due to its sporadic recordings from different periods, Dust Ruffle functions as a time capsule and a retrospective of Jean Grae’s topsy-turvy tenure in a business where she has struggled to retain passion. The series of leftovers shows the progress that has taken place and the evolution that went into shaping her modern form, from having fun on “Mean Jean” to the intricate storytelling of “The Setup,” both remaining loyal to her underground core. In sum, this diverse collector’s item further strengthens the case for Jean’s gender being an afterthought to her unconventional music.
I’m a huge Jean Grae fan, but this shit was weak. Forgettable beats and rhymes. I’m still waiting for Cake or Death.
Good job coming out of the closet today!
smfh, hhdx is the biggest joke to hip-hop
TRINA ended this be4 it ever got started….HUGE SMILE!…
I don’t think it’s a 5 but others were underrating it so…
“Topsy turvy” how? This flabby ass cornball has been bitching since her FIRST ALBUM…
… and has never stopped bitching!
Guess what, Jean?
If you have a problem with ** everyone **…
… maybe you’re the fucking problem!!
Too bad, both of her parents are very talented (check out her father, Abdullah Ibrahim, especially) but sometimes genetics play tricks like that.
Funny too how people used to think Jean Grae was “smart” until they saw her twitter nonsense and realized holy fuck, what an idiot.
Jean is one of the only true female MC’s. 5 stars to balance out the hate, keep doing your thing Jean, you’re Ill!
wow, more excuses for Jean Grae– what a surprise! album is garbage anyway you look at it. and if the lady gave a shit about ANYTHING but her own pathetic ego, she’d find another job already. it is LONG past time, in fact– show biz ain’t for everyone.
Not a 5/5 for me but just to balance the hate. Its an unreleased collection, of course its not gonna sound like one of her cohesive projects, but its a solid 3.5/5 to 4/5 album based off the tracks themself
Dude there’s no hate. This shit just doesn’t sound good. Say what you want about lack of cohesiveness, Its doesn’t remotely sound like something she put effort into.
Its alright. 3/5
Good, not great.
jean’s really sucked ass since ’04…
i liked her better when she wasnt shit.
Dope Project 4 sho!!