At first glance, it’s extremely easy to write Lil’ Mama off as a novelty act for the kids, a la Soulja Boy or what have you. More astute observers, however, will have taken notice that ol’ girl can actually spit. Yes, the cipher she participated in with veterans Wyclef Jean, Twista and Dizzee Rascal for the BET Awards certainly turned some heads – and for good reason. The still-teen showed an impressive flow and delivery, leaving many wondering whether or not Lil Mama‘s potential went beyond showing that her lip gloss was poppin’ – and more importantly – whether or not her album merits the title Voice of the Young People.
Voice of the Young People begins with the smash single, “Lip Gloss.” Taken with a grain of salt, “Lip Gloss” is a harmless single which is now a bona fide hit. Hate it or love it, “Lip Gloss” showcases a very capable flow, albeit with simple lyrics. “One Hit Wonder” has Lil’ Mama shaking off the notion that she’ll go the way of MIMS – who hasn’t been heard from in over a year. The song is nothing to write home about, as it is a weaker effort at a hit single than “Lip Gloss.” No worries though – Lil’ Mama assuages any concerns about her hit-making ability with the next two songs, “Shawty Get Loose” and “What It Is” (both feature T-Pain, and the first features Chris Brown). Both have infectious beats, and Lil’ Mama just tears apart the beats with a ferocious flow.
After the “fun” half of her album, Lil’ Mama makes it known that she has more serious things to discuss, as evinced by a skit where she proclaims, “my whole purpose is to be the voice of the young people.” Sure enough, “Stand Up” is filled with more introspective subject matter: “The girls in the park got a lot to say/Them girls over there threw they life away/…The boys on the court playin’ basketball/They baby fathers, they’d rather be boys and that’s all.” It’s certainly not a complex song, but easily accessible as a message to young children. “L.I.F.E.” is easily the highlight of the album, where Lil’ Mama really shines with an impressive storytelling ability: “I’m pregnant by a dude and he not 16/But I like his style and his whip is mean/My mama told me to find a man to take care of me/ and he does buy me things but he beats on me/I come to her for a little advice, so I show up with a black eye/Telling me to know my place/So I stay, wait till’ my body fades/Telling myself it just a little pregnancy phase/When all in reality I’m being discourage and disrespected/And under the pressure and I don’t really blame the man/I blame my mother for not teaching me the different types of man.”
When it was first revealed that Lil’ Mama was going to title her album Voice of the Young People, many believed (myself included) this was another pretentious title some gimmicky rapper applied to themselves. I’m pleased to see that this was clearly not the case. Not only has Lil’ Mama shown the ability to both make hits and meaningful music, she has done so without selling her sexuality or relying on profanity. Voice of the Young People speaks children and adults alike, and while several of the songs could’ve been left on the cutting board, it is no exaggeration to say that it is the surprise album of the year.
