Lady Sovereign unsuccessfully mixes rebel attitude, pop
British female rapper’s new album ‘Public Warning’ signed by Jay-Z
By Jess Novak, contributing writer
Posted on November 2, 2006

There’s something strange  about listening to a less than five feet tall, 20-year-old British girl rap about hairy armpits and make bold claims with lyrics like, “smokin’ kills and so do my lyrics.” Yet, despite the irony and contradicting combination, little Lady Sovereign, self-proclaimed “big midget,” has got something that made even the H.O.V. himself, Def Jam Record label executive Jay-Z, signed her to his label with a smile. But the only smiles her newly released album Public Warning may receive could be through laughter.

With vocals reminiscent of Missy Eliot at times and the Spice Girls at others, the record is a confusing mix of angry rebellion and bubble-gum pop. With a tune like “Love Me or Hate Me” spewing out “thank yous” and “f*** yous,” quickly followed by an ode to her hoodie and tomboy sense of style (“Fling on an Adidas hoodie and just boogie woogie with me,”) it’s difficult to know what to think.

Tunes like “9 to 5” and “Love Me or Hate Me” are undeniably catchy with their danceable computer beats and stick-in-your-head hooks, but most of the album fails to deliver musically or lyrically. Similar to other artists in the genre, most of the album is Lady Sovereign just talking about herself, but without the conviction and issues of Eminem or street credibility of 50 Cent. It seems her lyrics, appearance and attitude are more comparable to the bratty and brash Avril Lavigne than her fellow hip-hop counterparts.

But the girl is doing something right. Despite being a highschool dropout, she’s been gaining attention steadily in the United Kingdom and snagged her first record deal while still in her teens. She’s been called the female Eminem — an extremely generous comparison — and apparently is known for blowing away her competition with brilliant and vicious lyrical bombs.

Sadly, it seems something was lost in the English-to-American cultural translation. Though Lady Sovereign, born Louise Harman, has the talent and ability to rap, write her own lyrics, emcee and produce her own records, it seems she fails to consistently promote a believable image. Her cute lyrics embracing her English heritage, “I’m missin’ my shepherd’s pie/like a high maintenance chick missin’ her diamonds,” among brave and clever rhymes like, “yeah, I do have some stories/and it’s true I want all the glory/Go on then, come on support/I’m English, try and deport me!” are a stretch to mix together. Though “Love Me or Hate Me” has already taken off on MTV’s “Total Request Live,” it’s difficult to predict how well Public Warning will be received in record stores and through the radio waves. But love her or hate her, at least she’s entertaining — even if she does rap about her hairy armpits.