Kevin Federline’s upcoming show in NYC is about to get cancelled because nobody’s buying tickets to go see it. Your friendly neighbor rapper’s incapable of writing a basic hook and has noone to listen to his music. Their stories are simple. Although they consider themselves to be Hip Hop, the audience is making a call on that one. However there are some acts out there where it’s not as black and white. Audience finds other associations with performers despite artists’ lack of skills or just a questionable style.
Everyone knows that the true revenue providers for music acts are teenagers. They buy concert tickets and albums and drive those SoundScan numbers up. So if you get a 5 foot tall little girl with a wicked accent in front of them, she might actually see some success. Eminem provided White America with its own voice in Hip Hop. However to top that off he also offered a talent unmatched by most well-established rappers. The beginning of his rise to fame thou relied heavily on being different and appealing to a certain group of listeners. Before his Hip Hop skills were recognized across the country, it was his image, his personality and his themes in lyrics that made him popular.
Attempting to ride the same horse, HOV himself signs a British shorty with a speedy spitting skill. As all music labels, Def Jam is exploring new avenues. Kim may be rightfully disturbed about Jay writing Foxy’s rhymes. Yet, that is just the beginning. After signing Teairra Mari, Rhianna and Ne-Yo, Def Jam was beginning to look like it was chasing dollars a bit too hard. Even Jeezy is not enough to compensate for some of the newer acts to the infamous BK label. If the ultimate goal is to stay fluid and constantly change, then Jay and Reed are doing a terrific job. Similar to Bad Boy, the roster of the newer acts is exceedingly beginning to look like following the money trail just a bit too hard. Making his girls Cheri Dennis, Cassie and Danity Kane step forward, Puff even puts out his own album. On the bright side, it may be the best album he could have done. Getting back to Rock-A-Fella’s recent additions, Rhianna got signed the day she was seen on her little island. Did she consult a lawyer on her contract? After signing their first foreign act, Lady Sovereign, Def Jam’s own, LA Reed, signs a German girl trio, Black Buddafly. Somehow it’s not working out too well for them thou. A multiple album deal with no guaranteed support from the label got one of the beautiful girls in the trio going back home to Europe and the other 2 eating off of their shows. Signing a young rocker Young Love to Def Jam (a Hip Hop label?), only added to the trend.
Back to the little British girl. Quite a sight it is at her shows. An interesting and unusual following of teenage kids, mimicking her dress, behavior and even accent fills all spaces. While the pronunciation bit could be a bit harder, appearances could easily confuse. Way before her set there were plenty of little Lady Sov look-alikes running around. Giving these kids something easy to relate to, this newcomer does not attempt to serve a good example. Nevertheless she certainly acts out to carry her overall presence and keeps on wilding out the UK way. Combining rather distinct kid traits, like a natural childish desire to misbehave, she acts as the only cook in that kitchen. What’s on the menu? A sandwich of profanities and high energy with a slice of sarcasm. A soup of thick broth of youngen with just a little girlish spice. Her pub serves an exclusive brand of liquor: it’s a crisp and at times refreshing, yet overall plain and occasionally borderline stale, brew.
Like it or not, Lady Sovereign appears very natural and her acts seem to be an honest expression of her true self. Money is not the driving force here. It’s her desire to celebrate the rebellion of a kid.
Her first album is her first US step. It has mostly older songs, like her ‘9 to 5’ hit. Hey, as an intro to the new country it will serve her right. The countries may be different, but Lady Sov’s looks and dress reminds more of a kid from NYC’s LES or EV. The difference is mostly how you call it. UK or US… Getting pissed or getting drunk…
Her story is rather typical. Dropping out of school at an early age… Spending all the time rapping… Getting an audition in front of Jay Z… Getting a deal… Spitting fast (its called grime not Hip Hop in UK) but catching on slow…
But R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. is more than spitting slogans or even making memorable hooks. It’s a way of life. That is why the US Hip Hop is the US Hip Hop. That is why Lady Sov writes a song ‘I’m a Wigger’. Even she herself admits to trying to be something she is not. Only she probably does not realize that making that statement is not cool. It’s not hip. It’s not different. It’s wrong saying it and even more than that, it’s wrong being it.
Hold the press on her thou. Don’t write her off as a failure and a joke. What’s next for the little white girl from the UK? It seems that not that much. She appears destined to stay a little white girl from the UK. Then again, she draws a crowd. It might not be that large but it may have sold more than Kevin Federline’s show. Or did it?
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