What`s up y`all? Been back from North Cackalack for a few days now & have been goin` thru my CD collection grabbin` random albums to listen to & today I just happened to grab Mia X`s third album titled "Mama Drama". It was released back in 1998 & turned out to be one of Mia`s more successful albums since it ended up charting at #7 on the Billboard 200 (#3 on the Top R&B/ Hip Hop Albums chart). I believe that there were two singles for this album; the first was titled "Whatcha Wanna Do?" & it features Charlie Wilson (GAP Band fame) & the second single was "Imma Shine", check out the music videos below...
Of course on the production side of things Beats By The Pound handled the work. KLC cooked up 8 beats (tracks 1, 4, 6, 7, 9, 12, 14 & 19), Craig B did 5 tracks (tracks 3, 5, 8, 11 & 17), O`Dell did 2 tracks (tracks 16 & 18) & Carlos Stephens produced 3 beats (tracks 10, 13 & 15). "Fallen Angels (Dear Jill)" (track 20) was a team effort between both KLC & O`Dell, while Craig B & O`Dell collab`D for "Whatcha Wanna Do?" (track 2). The album pretty much sticks to the No Limit blueprint, very lil` outside contributions. Aside from the Charlie Wilson & Fat Joe features everything else about the album says N-O-L-I-M-I-T...
Mia`s third effort "Mama Drama" is a decent album to listen to, there`s really only 2 tracks that I didn`t care for much. "Thugs Like Me" reminds me too much of that Jay-Z joint "I Know What Girls Like" with Lil` Kim & Puff...LoL, & I don`t like that song either. The other joint that I`m not really feelin` is "Sex Ed." featuring Silkk The Shocker with Porsha on the second verse & the hook. It`s really just Silkk`s part that I`m not DiGG`n though....LoL, can`t go wrong with Mia`s verse especially when she`s talkin` about "deep~throatin`, never ever ever chokin`"....heheh...
As for tracks that I`m DiGG`n there`s a good lil` list that I`ll share it with y`all. The opening track "Bring It On" is a decent No Limit Soldier collabo` cut that has Mia sharing the mic with Fiend (who also rocks the hook), Mystikal, Mac, C-Murder & Skull Duggery over the thumpin` KLC beat. Something sad that I noticed about the previously mentioned track, 4 of the featured artists are currently incarcerated (Mac, C-Murder, Skull Duggery & Mystikal). That`s a DaMn shame! "Whatcha Wanna Do?" is a love song that has a nice lil` GAP Band vibe to it courtesy of Charlie Wilson, while the bouncy Craig B produced track "Imma Shine" makes for a good danceable joint...
"I Think Somebody..." is a track that`ll have some folks gettin` hype.....LoL, KLC`s beat provides a nice militant sound complete with guns bustin` & bullets hittin` while Fiend`s voice brings aggression to the track. "Mama`s Tribute" has X spittin` an MC Lyte type tribute over another KLC backdrop, if you know your Ol` School you can hear a lil` bit of Lyte`s "Paper Thin" in the beat. "Ride Or Run" features the late Big Ed (R.I.P.) & Steady Mobb`n over a poundin` Carlos Stephens beat. "Puttin` It Down" is another No Limit posse cut featuring Fiend, Mac, Mystikal, Kane & Abel with Silkk The Shocker makin` a small lil` non~rappin` cameo...
Ghetto Commission is featured alongside O`Dell who sings the hook on "Ghetto Livin`" while "Play Wit` Pussy" has Mia X flexin` her estrogen over KLC`s thumpin` beat. Carlos Stephens does his thing providing the backdrop for "Don`t Blame Me", a collabo` that features C-Murder & Mr. Serv-On. All rappers kick some deep thought provoking lyrics, but I feel that C-Murder steals this track. "Daddy" is a tribute to Mia`s father, while "Like Dat" has her spittin` to the doubters & haters. My favorite joint on this album is "Flip 2 Rip", a DoPe collabo` with Mac...
Now there were also a few songs that were just alright at least in my ear & they are "Don`t Start No Shit", "Mama Drama", the Snoop & Fat Joe featured "What`s Ya` Point?" (they could`ve did much more with this track in a unity sense for HiP HoP), "TRU Bitches" & "Fallen Angels (Dear Jill)". These songs aren`t bad, they`re just overshadowed by the other joints on this album, but they`re still way better than "Thugs Like Me" & "Sex Ed."....LoL, so go `head & give the album a listen...
Label: No Limit Records
Released: 1998
1. Bring It On {ft. C-Murder, Fiend, Mac, Mystikal & Skull Duggery}
2. Whatcha Wanna Do? {ft. Charlie Wilson}
3. Don`t Start No Shit {ft. C-Murder & Master P}
4. Mama Drama {ft. Fiend & Mystikal}
5. Imma Shine
6. I Think Somebody... {ft. Fiend}
7. Mama`s Tribute
8. What`s Ya` Point {ft. Fat Joe & Snoop Dogg}
9. Thugs Like Me
10. Ride Or Run {ft. Big Ed & Steady Mobb`n}
11. TRU Bitches
12. Puttin` It Down {ft. Silkk The Shocker, Fiend, Mac, Mystikal, Kane & Abel}
13. Ghetto Livin` {ft. Ghetto Commission & O`Dell}
14. Play Wit` Pussy
15. Don`t Blame Me {ft. C-Murder & Mr. Serv-On}
16. Daddy {ft. Anita Thomas}
17. Like Dat
18. Sex Ed. {ft. Silkk The Shocker & Porsha}
19. Flip 2 Rip {ft. Mac}
20. Fallen Angels (Dear Jill) {ft. Anita Thomas, Porsha & Wendy Weary}
For those out there wonderin` what Mia X has been doin` since her No Limit days peep the lil` interview below. She`s still touring & has a cookbook out now titled "Thing My Grandma Told Me, Things My Grandma Showed Me"...
N`JoY...
