Kool Keith and Bahamadia are guests in Princess Superstar's castle. From her wild account of watching the neighbor's kids ("I'm a bad baby-sitter, got my boyfriend in your shower / Woo! I'm makin' 6 bucks an hour") to her smackdown of wannabe detractors, ("You Get Mad at Napster," "Who Writes Your Lyrics?"), Her Royal Highness combines sharp wit and silky beats.
The blond diva looks like an uptown girl, but she's got the perfect downtown mix of Sheila E., Peaches, and Lil' Kim - she's a smart-ass woman with a wicked sense of humor. Princess Superstar Princess Superstar Is (Rapster/!K7) The Princess of New York's hip hop underground whips up a blend of regal funk from her throne. It's a masterful work: one that confirms the Neptunes are pop's preeminent stylistic visionaries. owes equal debts to the Beach Boys, Prince, and the Rolling Stones, which is no easy feat, and on "Provider" even pauses for a stirring excursion into country-style lamentation. (Virgin) Superproducers the Neptunes have lent their signature digital sass to countless megastars - Britney Spears, Jay-Z, No Doubt - but their side project, N.E.R.D., reveals wider, wiser influences. From the exhilarating "Come With Us" to the rapturous "Star Guitar," it appears that after nearly a decade the Chemicals are still kicking in. Beyond the songs featuring Beth Orton and the Verve's Richard Ashcroft, the record's strength lies in its intricate instrumental tracks (which should please the duo's hardcore fans). The Chemical Brothers Come With Us (Astralwerks) After flirting with radio-friendly pop on recent albums, electronica music's original funk-soul brothers return to their dance floor roots.
The feisty siren reaffirms her pledge to fight the system, leaving less room for quiet introspection and more for wails to action. Cookie seethes with righteous indignation as inchoate yearnings are driven to the surface by blaring Latin horns, slick R&B rhythms, loved-up organ licks, and the occasional ill-placed prog-rock flourish. After two progressively mellow follow-ups, Ndegeocello is back with an attitude. Meshell Ndegeocello Cookie: The Anthropological Mixtape (Maverick) Meshing freewheeling soul with bluesy rock riffs and a politically charged message, Meshell Ndegeocello's 1993 debut, Plantation Lullabies, was an instant classic.