On her long-awaited debut,
Lil' Mo
shows why stars like
Jay-Z
,
Ja Rule
, and
Keith Sweat
were so anxious to feature her on their own albums. The Big Apple rapper and singer is a protege of
Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliot
, but where
Elliot
's game is cutting lines and cutting-edge
hip-hop
is a lil' more subtle, preferring to tap into her roots in old-fashioned
gospel
and
R&B
. That's not to say this album lacks the requisite up-tempo
club
thumpers --
"Gangsta"
"Superwoman, Pt. 2"
certainly fill that bill. It's just that when things mellow out a bit,
Mo
really shines -- on sweet slow jams like
"How Many Times,"
or on the stunning, bitter kiss-off,
"Ta Da."
Probably the best reference point for
's winning blend of street smarts and classic
soul
divaship is
Mary J. Blige
Based on a True Story
suggests that
Blige
could have some serious competition in the years to come. ~ Dan LeRoy