It takes a talented
MC to stand out in the midst of any group, especially when you're
the only female in a posse consisting of five male members. Gangsta
Boo's verses stand as a buffer against the male-centered
lyrics of fellow Three Six Mafia members DJ Paul, Juicy
"J", Lord Infamous and Crunchy Black.
The memphis rapper's seductive wordplay can disarm you with its
sexuality or arrest you with its hard-core stance. Either way,
she always overpowers with her fiery style drawing attention
from both male and female fans.
On her forthcoming
album, Both Worlds, *69, Boo proves that she is
one of hip-hop's most significant artists. She examines the many
layers of relationships, traverses street topics and delivers
strong lyrics over production by Three 6 Mafia's Dj Paul
and Juicy "J". "The title is catchy,"
Boo boasts. "Both Worlds describes me because the
album is hard-core, but still reps for the ladies. There are
always two sixes to a story and you can look at things many different
ways. I'm gonna leave people to use their imagination on the
*69 part."
With her debut
album, 1998's Enquiring Minds, Gangsta Boo demonstrated
that she was one of the decade's most pormising and exciting
female lyricists. Her underground hit "Where Dem Dollars
At" is an anthem that trumpets female self-sufficiency and
the inherent strength that comes from being a woman. The same
can be said for much of Boo's multi-layered lyrics and music.
On "Can I Get Paid (Get Your Broke A$$ Out) - Da Strippers'
Anthem," Boo dlivers a sequel, of sorts, to "Where
Dem Dollas At." Boo represents the ladies with her music,
so it should come as little surprise that she extends a hand
to those working in gentlemen's clubs on the forceful track.
"It talks about men going into strip clubs, just looking
and not tipping," Boo explains. "I've been in the clubs
and have seen dudes just watching, so I thought that I'd represent
them."
Boo takes the idea
of 'watching' to new heights on "What Would You Do."
Here, the Tennessee Titan explores the idea of swapping partners
with a friend. "This is a swinger's song that talks about
a situation where I'm dating a guy and he wants to sleep with
my homegirl," she states. "Instead of doing it behind
my back, I'd rather he come to me and tell me. Who knows? I might
be cool enough to invite her into our bedroom, then switch up
and get with her man."
Boo will get the
crowds swinging in different ways with the album's first radio
single "Love Don't Live." She spits pimpish
lyrics on "Hard Not To Kill," and delivers another
rowdy club anthem on "Don't Stand So Close 2001"
- a remake of the 1998 original released on Enquiring Minds.
Boo flips DMX's "What These B*****s Want" into her
stand-offish "What They Really Want." "I'm
asking the men why they're always up in our face," Boo says.
"What do you want? Keep it real." The rest of the album
is equally charged as Three 6 Mafia and Project Pat compliment
Boo's high-octane verses with their own rousing rants.
Born and raised
in Black Haven and North Memphis, Boo met DJ Paul when she was
in junior high and he was in high school. After working with
DJ Paul on his legendary mix tapes in the early and mid 90's,
Gangsta Boo entered the Three 6 Madia told and quickly became
the most talked about member in the clique. "I sort of fell
into Three 6 Mafia and never left," she says. Boo's subsequent
appearances on Foxy Brown's Chyna Doll album and Project
Pat's "Ballers" single in 1999 only enhanced her already
rock-solid reputation. In 2000, Boo made several stunning appearances
on Three 6 Mafia's platinum selling album, When The Smoke
Clears - Sixty 6, Sixty 1. She also appears on Outkast's
"I'll Call You Before I Come," which is included on
the Atlanta group's critically acclaimed, multi-platinum Stankonia.
Both Worlds,
*69 will solidify
Boo's spot as the southern queen of hip-hop. "I don't sound
like anyone else that's out," she says. "I'm not talking
about the average stuff, like diamonds and what you've got to
do to get with me. I've got my own and on this album, I stand
on my own. Both Sides, *69 is all Boo. I'm gangster, so
I can flow on a song with 10 n***as and stand out. I'm not going
to get outshined."
