She May Not Be Original, But She's Still Talented
Written: Aug 06 '03 (Updated May 09 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great production; the two socially conscious tracks are her strongest points.
Cons: Some weak rhymes; people won't get past the color of her skin.
The Bottom Line: "Feminem"? No. The Original? Definitely not. But Sarai still puts forth an excellent and fun first effort.
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| broomqueesha's Full Review: The Original by Sarai (Rap) |
The Main Idea:
20-year-old Sarai Howard has been dubbed "Feminem" by many, but pretty much the only things Sarai has in common with Eminem is that they're both white, blonde, and they both rap. Though she does tackle a few hard-hitting social issues, particularly about adolescence, Sarai's debut album, The Original is mostly party anthems and music that's meant to move your feet, not your heart. And her album title is kind of hypocritical, as Sarai sounds a lot like Eve and Lil' Kim and plenty of other female rappers out there. Still, The Original is a fun, upbeat record with great beats and notable rhymes. Even if she's not the greatest rapper in the world, Sarai has created a good first record.
Song-By-Song Breakdown:
1. INTRO - Intros and interludes and things of that nature are the stupidest things ever invented, but I actually like this one. It has excellent production and just repeats the same verse of "Hey, my name is Sarai/I got what you need in your life/If you're down with me, we gon' ride" and then something else that I couldn't understand. It's a good prelude to the album, even if it is kind of pointless - 3/5
2. I KNOW - The beat on this song is similar to that of Christina Aguilera's "Can't Hold Us Down," since both of these songs were produced by Scott Storch. The lyrics just talk about what a good rapper she is and describe her sound as "edgy pop, lil' rock with that real hip-hop," but the hook is very catchy: "I know you can't handle me/I know y'all ain't ready for me/This chick here y'all 'bout to see/'Gon change the situation..." Not one of the better tracks on the album, but still good - 3/5
3. MIND YA BUSINESS - I love the production on this one, and the nagging vocals on the hook actually aren't that annoying. In the lyrics, Sarai raps about wanting to be left alone and about the press and fans watching her every move. I find that kind of hard to believe, since she's a new artist and a relative unknown, but go figure. The "Touch yo' nose" part is kind of irritating, though. A good song with a great beat - 4/5
4. LADIES - This is Sarai's horn-laced second single and the catchiest on the album: "Ladies, hands up/Let me see you shake your stuff/A, B, C, and D cups/Little bitty to the big ol' butt..." It's a pure club banger with lyrics that tell you to get down and boogie, no matter what your shape, size, or race. I just plain love this song; Sarai's voice sounds full of attitude, and it really suits the energetic beat - 5/5
5. WHAT MAMA TOLD ME - This is one of my favorite songs on the album. It's very well-produced and has an upbeat, almost Latin sound to it. Some of the lyrics are a bit explicit on this track as they blatantly talk about sex and how a guy makes Sarai feel like dancing when he's romancing her. It's another very catchy club song that's extremely danceable, but also has cleverly written rhymes. Her singing on the hook also isn't half bad - 5/5
6. IT'S NOT A FAIRYTALE - This slower-paced song has a good beat and samples Portishead's "Roads." This sample really suits the subject matter of the song, which is about teen pregnancy: "What do I do/I ask myself everyday/A child giving birth to a child/What can I say/This wasn't supposed to happen to me, no way/Here I am, turned my back on my fam/Well Goddamn!" It's kind of hard to take the lyrics seriously, though, since Sarai didn't actually go through this experience herself - 5/5
7. PACK YA BAGS - This was Sarai's first single and is, in my opinion, one of the worst tracks on the album. It starts off with some weird flute-like instrumentals, then launches into some mediocre and sometimes incoherent rhymes. The song's overall theme is very overused: your man does you wrong, so you gotta kick him out. Has anyone ever heard "There You Go" or "No Scrubs"? The hook is kind of catchy, but the annoying production and those flute sounds really bring down the song - 3/5
8. SWEAR - This song, featuring the track's producer, Beau Dozier, is basically a continuation of the previous one, though I like this track better. It's much more upbeat, and Sarai sounds fiery and energized. I would compare this track to Eve's "You Had Me, You Lost Me" because they have the same lyrical concept and similar production. Beau Dozier's vocals add some edge and perspective to the song, and the little "OK, I believe you!" parts in the chorus are cute. Another one of my favorites - 5/5
9. YOU COULD NEVER - This track goes hand-in-hand with #2, as this one once again talks about how talented Sarai: "I Sarai be the sho' shot/Soon as I step on stage I blow spots/Got Liberace feeling my ghost, I glow rocks/Sparkling baby like Perrier pop/Got demos at the crib that ain't never been topped." It's another good Scott Storch production, though the background music gets kind of repetitive. This one really isn't very special - 3/5
10. L.I.F.E. - Jaguar Wright adds some real soul to this track, which is the most artistic one on the record. In the lyrics, Sarai describes how she naively fell in love with a guy who got another girl pregnant, yet she's still having feelings for him. The way the vocals are arranged and layered gives the song a really emotional, if somewhat spooky, vibe. A great collaboration with wonderful production and heartfelt rhymes - 5/5
11. IT'S OFFICIAL - This is another "I'm so great and I'm the best rapper in da world!" song, though this one is better than the other two. Her rhymes on this one are really fast-paced and delivered surprisingly well, though the half-sung, half-rapped hook is kind of annoying: "It's been so long I've waited/And I can't believe that I/Finally made it/It was all a dream till I/Dedicated/My life to the game so you can/Feel me baby." The production is a little too busy and doesn't quite suit the song - 3/5
12. MARY ANNE - This song tackles child abuse and documents the life of an abused girl named Mary Anne from kindergarten to high school. Sarai delivers the verses rather convincingly and doesn't come off as sounding too preachy, while Black Coffey backs her up on the hook. The production is really dramatic and fluctuates as the speed of Sarai's rapping changes, which I think is really cool. There's also a guitar on this track, which gives it a good rock edge - 5/5
13. BLACK & WHITE - As the title suggests, this track is about being accepted in the rap world despite the color of Sarai's skin. The concept becomes especially clear in the chorus: "Instead of black and white/Could it be me and you?/Look inside my soul/Tell me what's visible/Don't put me with the rest/I'm an individual/Sometimes the best things lie beyond the physical." She delivers the message with conviction, but does sound like she's complaining a bit. The production is good, though - very upbeat with some repetitive guitar-like sounds - 4/5
The Big Picture:
As I said before, Sarai's style is hardly original, but The Original is one of the best records I've heard from a female MC. It's pure hip-hop with some decidedly pop sentiments and radio-friendly appeal. The production is upbeat, the vocals are well-arranged, and at least some of the rhymes are pretty clever. What Sarai lacks in the lyrical department is more than made up for by the slick, well-rounded production, but that can sometimes hurt her. She's certainly not one of the best rappers out there, and that is sometimes shoved in your face on such tracks as LADIES, MIND YA BUSINESS, and SWEAR. These songs have excellent production that can make you dance, but the rhymes are lacking in any real artistry and depth. This absence of intellectuality is a painful reminder that Sarai is only twenty. The two socially conscious tracks (IT'S NOT A FAIRYTALE and MARY ANNE) are really where her skills as a lyricist are best shown off.
Sarai seems like she's trying to imitate many other female rappers on The Original. There's hints of Eve, Lil' Kim, and Trina in her rhyme style and lyrical content that sound like more than just coincidence. Still, Sarai's strength is in her production and the way she can make her rhymes fit to any beat or background melody and/or music. "Feminem" certainly isn't an appropriate name for her because, for the most part, The Original is a happy album, an album that's meant to get you on the dance floor, an album that's meant to help you forget your worries. And I applaud Sarai for this. Rather than dwelling on her past in her rhymes, she talks mostly about her current happiness to have a record deal and her hopes for her future career. Honestly, though, I don't think Sarai is going to be very big. No matter how talented she is or isn't, nobody is gonna be able to entirely get past the "white people can't rap" stigma. And to be quite honest again, I think the only reason Sarai got a record deal was because she's white and she raps. There's really nothing that makes her any more talented than any other unsigned MC out there. And definitely nothing that makes her The Original.
(Oh, and one more quick note - why wasn't this album labeled "Parental Advisory"? It doesn't have that many cuss words, but "Can ya keep ya cool if I whip until you cream?" I wouldn't want my little kid listening to that...)
Final Notes:
Average Song Rating: 4.077
Best Song(s): "What Mama Told Me," "It's Not A Fairytale," "Ladies," and "Mary Anne"
Worst Song(s): "Pack Ya Bags"
How Would I Rate This Record's...
Vocals? 3 stars
Lyrics? 3 1/2 stars
Production? 5 stars
Timelessness? 1/2 star
Artistry? 1 star
Also Recommended:
Eve - Scorpion
Olivia - Olivia
Lil' Kim - La Bella Mafia
Recommended:
Yes
Great Music to Play While: Getting ready to go out
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broomqueesha
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Member: Rachel
Location: Squeeeeeeeeee!
Reviews written: 156
Trusted by: 97 members
About Me:
I am finally legal.
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