Trina Albums (4)
What The Critics Say
After Trina's debut album, Da Baddest Bitch, went Gold, it was a steady decline for the brash, sex-charged rapper, at least sales-wise. Her sophomore release, Diamond Princess, just missed the mark and then the slick, star-studded Glamorest Life fell flat, even though it included the hit single "Here We Go." In an effort to turn things around, her fourth release, Still Da Baddest, references her debut with its title, does a good job capturing that first album's raw edge with a modern twist, and tries hard to duplicate "Here We Go" with mixed results. With its stately J-Roc production, the radio-friendly, "go girl" anthem "Single Again" succeeds splendidly. On the other hand, "I Got a Thing for You" and "Wish I Never Met You" are the soft, polished tracks that fail, sounding like manufactured "Here We Go" clones and dragging down what would otherwise be an entirely successful full-length. Get past those contrived clunkers and there's the wonderfully crooked "Look Back at Me" which combines sleazy lyrics with screwed and chopped vocals to make it one of the freakiest numbers in the Trina catalog. The rave-up "I Got a Bottle" is the total party with Trina playfully imitating David Banner while her guest Missy remains the always kicking Missy. Making his second appearance on a Trina album is Rick Ross, who helps make the closing "Hot Commodity" a track as vibrant and bright as the duo's hometown of Miami. Trina's lyrics remain tough and way beyond naughty and she has a newfound love of her somewhat unsettling, Woody Woodpecker style laugh which is liberally dropped throughout the album. It's the abundance of these brassy, "love me or hate me" moments that make Still Da Baddest a step in the right direction and one of her better efforts, even with the woefully uninspired ballads. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Trina's righteous raunchiness is more than a little exhausted on Glamorest Life, the Miami MC's third album. She seems to know it too, sounding distanced and not nearly as energized as she was on 2002's Diamond Princess. That puts more weight on the productions and guest verses. Despite contributions from names like Mannie Fresh, Jazze Pha, Needlz, and rising duo Cool & Dre, the productions are routinely just as lacking. Take Mannie's "Da Club," in which he more or less jacks the misty-eyed backing for Faith Evans' "Hope." Mannie also pitches in with a wistful reminiscence about a stripper, while Trina helps relate the tale and remains, as always, the one calling the shots: "He wanna cram it and jam it/Put the pickle in the middle, motherf*cker, not fanny." Ironically, one of the better tracks -- roughly the umpteenth track to interpolate Force M.D.'s' "Tender Love" -- takes on a sullen tone, even though Trina's more defiant here than at any other point in the album: "I shed so many tears, can't believe how many years the baddest bitch put up with your dusty ass." Lil Wayne, Lil Scrappy, Snoop Dogg, and Trey Songz provide vocal support, but very little of it raises the material's quality level. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
So many female rappers as attractive as Trina are there because of two things: first, they know someone; second, they're gorgeous. While Trina is definitely sexy and is in good with Trick Daddy, it was evident from her first album that she was making music for another reason -- she's a formidable rapper. There hasn't been a ton of female rappers to emerge from the south, and Trina blends her southern style nicely with intelligible lyrics to give her some national appeal. She's like a new Roxanne Shanté or Lil' Kim, but from down south. Trina makes this album a worthy follow-up to her last LP by bringing some very talented help with her. Bathgate, Ludacris, Deuce Poppi, and Rick Ross from the Slip-N-Slide label, as well as Missy Elliott, all make guest appearances here (does a female rapper ever do an album without another female rapper on it?). Although this record differs a lot from her first, it's a step in the right direction and should provide her with fans from a much larger area. Trina is a dirty girl from the Dirty South, and she proves her hardness in the Eazy-E remake of "No More Questions." If you liked her first album, this is a different-sounding record but arguably better. ~ Brad Mills, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Rapper Trina hopes to pick up where Lil' Kim, Da Brat, and a host of other potty-mouthed hardcore gals left off, rhyming about sex and her ability to go at it all night and her quest to find a man willing to do the same for her. Da Baddest Bitch is at its best when Trina steps out of the gutter and cops a Miami bass beat aimed more toward the dancefloor than the bedroom. The title track and "Off Glass," as well as guest performances from Trick Daddy, Twista, and J-Shin, keep the momentum relatively steady. ~ Michael Gallucci, All Music Guide
