Da Brat Albums (6)
'Limelite, Luv & Niteclubz'
Release Date 6/23/2003
Tracks 14
Label Arista
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
An, uh, adaptation of MC Luscious' "Boom! I Got Your Boyfriend" demonstrates more than any other track on Limelite, Luv & Niteclubz that Da Brat has done anything but mature since her third album. "Boom" -- and much of what precedes it and follows it -- sees Da Brat being as lewd and raunchy and nasty as she's ever been, with her head still full of smoke and her mouth full of expletives that are always at the ready to spring forth. Her lines are all the more sharp when they're accented by that dismissive cackle. When it comes to softening up a little, as on the excellent Top 40 single "In Love With Chu," she is capable of appealing to both R&B and hardcore types without sacrificing her rugged personality (Cherish's vocal hook on the chorus is just as crucial here as L.T. Hutton and Da Brat's upbeat, fuss-free production work). However, there's no getting past the fact that the album is just as pockmarked with average material as Unrestricted. Despite this, no song is certifiably weak; not only that, but you should definitely make sure to stick around for "Gushy Wushy," a fireball of a closer that would've kicked the set off with blazing force. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Poising herself halfway between knowing sexual object and vengeful love goddess, Da Brat rages through her third album, constructing wonderfully dense raps and delivering them with skill and panache. There is a bit more R&B on Unrestricted than Da Brat fans will expect, but given the rapper's uncompromising stance, it never feels like a sellout. Check her hometown salute "Chi-Town" and "Pink Lemonade," and her double team (with R&B singer Kelly Price) on the spurned-love story "Runnin' Out of Time." Producer Jermaine Dupri spreads the synthesizer strings a bit too thick but shows his beats are among the best of the major super-producers on the block. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
'Anuthafunkdafiedtantrum'
Release Date 12/17/1996
Tracks 13
Label Sony
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Da Brat's second album, Anuthatantrum, is a slight improvement over her debut, even if it lacks an instantly obvious single on the order of "Funkdafied." Her persona is pretty much the same (she doesn't take crap and likes to swear and smoke pot), and so is her flow. The main difference is that this time around, her rhymes are much more her own, without all the old-school quotes and obvious Snoop Dogg bites that sometimes pulled the focus away from her strengths on Funkdafied. Similarly, Jermaine Dupri's production is less indebted to Dr. Dre's G-funk sound, instead following the early-'80s urban funk direction he also hinted at on the debut. The two excellent singles, "Sittin' on Top of the World" and "Ghetto Love," sample Rick James and El Debarge, respectively, and there are some more laid-back moments with live keyboards and acoustic guitar work. (The "Stayin' Alive" cop on "Keepin' It Live" is far less inspired, however.) Of course, there's another ode to marijuana on "Let's All Get High," which features special guest Krayzie Bone; there are also a few songs where da Brat prides herself on being more spoiled than ever, thanks to her success. It's another brief album, but Anuthatantrum does show da Brat making subtle progress, and Dupri's production is inviting once again. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The first album by a female rapper ever to sell one million copies, Funkdafied is a promising debut effort that finds da Brat still solidifying her style. She's a very good rapper without a strong identity of her own yet, and despite her own obvious intensity, she seems infatuated with the offhanded drawl of Snoop Doggy Dogg on much of the album. She's not just influenced by him, but cops recognizable inflections, phrasing, and vocal riffs, and producer Jermaine Dupri sometimes supports her with Dr. Dre-style G-funk tracks, most obviously on the single "Fa All Y'All." But even at its most derivative, Funkdafied has spirit. Repeatedly announcing, "I ain't no muthaf*ckin' joke," da Brat paints herself as a cussin', weed-smokin' badass bitch who can hang with the boys and beat them at their own game. Cuts like "Da Shit Ya Can't Fuc Wit," "Fire It Up," and "Give It 2 You" effectively establish her tough-talking persona, and the smash title cut is a breezy, laid-back party jam. On quite a few tracks, da Brat augments her Snoop fixation by referencing lines from '80s classics, almost as though she feels compelled to prove she knows her history; she can also rely a little too heavily on her catch phrase, "Brat-tat-tat-tat." But even if she isn't quite there yet, da Brat knows who she wants to be, and she has the talent and production to make the journey entertaining. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
