I've always had an interesting relationship in regards to Foxy Brown. Frankly, I love hardcore rap from females. Period. But, at the same time, not many of them hold my attention for long. Let me just sum it up... if Foxy Brown were a Jay-Z album, she would be The Blueprint 2, not terrible, not good, mostly forgettable. She's no Unfinished Business, but she's not even close to being as good as Reasonable Doubt.
Honestly, the only time I've ever really WANTED to listen to her is when I heard she went deaf. I wanted to see if I could hear a clear downward progression in her albums. That's pretty fucked up, isn't it? I'm sorry.
Anyway, her newest effort Brooklyn's Don Diva sounds like she had a radio in prison and pounded 50 into her head. I know the album was recorded before her prison sentence, but it's funnier if I pretend it was afterwards, okay? She talks about Big and Pac about as much as 50 does, the difference being that Foxy KNEW them, so it's okay if she talks about them. And talk she does.
In her seven year hiatus, she hasn't really developed lyrically. She continues to talk about her tits, her ass, and fucking with hints of gangster-ism scattered throughout. Those things aren't bad, especially considering the female perspective. I'm not saying it sounds like the other club rap of late, because it doesn't. The problem is that it feels like Foxy Brown from 1997, only 11 years older. It seems like her and Lil' Kim got caught up in being "fuck me feminists" and, whether accidentally or on purpose, they both turned it into a gimmick.
Recommended Tracks: "We're On Fire", "How We Get Down", "The Quan (Hip-Hop Mix)"
Pros:
- The beats aren't bad, with the notable exception of "When The Lights Go Out" which was one of the lamest beats I've heard in a minute (and I just listened to Mannie Fresh's beat on Rick Ross' album!).
- Foxy's flows are still on-point, considering she didn't record a lyric for quite some time and doesn't hit the mixtape circuit or freestyle at all.
- Considering her long bout with being completely stone-fucking-deaf, she didn't forget, or even slide back, in how to work syllables and sound.
Cons:
- Only three tracks are solo, the rest depend on a guest.
- May as well be Ill Na Na or The Firm, The Album lyrically.
- Some of the tracks sound dated because of her style, and the beats.
Overall Score: 73%
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