Unrestricted - Da Brat > Reviews > Da Brat - Unrestricted

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Average
Lyrics	Standard
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
Value for Money

Advantages:	Her longest album to date; more variety than previously
Disadvantages:	Poppier in places; too many interludes

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Da Brat's third album, four years along from Anuthatantrum and after a lot more female rappers emerged on the mainstream hiphop scene. You can feel the influence they've had on Brat and in some ways this is good and others not so. She has 'sexed-up' her image which I can only say seems designed to attract male consumers and alienates a lot of her original fans. However, image aside, it is a good album. The anthem 'What'chu Like' featuring R&B star Tyrese is included, as well as some similarly radio-friendly cuts like 'Chi-Town' and 'Back Up', a duet with Ja Rule. Brat features Kelly Price's vocals on the chorus of 'Runnin' Out Of Time', a narrative in which she discovers her man is cheating on her and in typical Brat style gets mili on the situation. The album also includes So So Def clique self-celebration on 'We Ready', a new sexual side on 'What's On Ya Mind?' and 'Pink Lemondade', the necessary weed tribute 'High Come Down' and the best tracks, calypso-influenced 'F*ck You' and my crew's anthem 'All My B*tches'.
Despite the marketing ploy behind her clothing (or lack of), the cover is kind of cool with her in a catsuit of other pictures and the graphics are tight.
Production is good if you like B2K, basically, the very radio-friendly computer-influenced music of the moment which I don't like too much (give me a classic beat with some scratches any day).