Eve＜Fruit Punch Vinyl＞

When L. Lamar Wilson interviewed Rapsody for Oxford American in 2018, the writer and filmmaker asked the rapper -- coming off two Grammy nominations, her profile still on the rise -- if she felt part of the same cultural lineage as Nina Simone and Roberta Flack. The exchange fired Raps imagination to conceptualize the follow-up to the celebrated Lailas Wisdom. Each one of the LPs tracks is named after a black woman, with the reach extended to consider not just artists but also boundary-shattering activists and businesswomen, athletes and models, and even a character from the film Set It Off (portrayed by Queen Latifah, whos actually on the track named after the Egyptian pharaoh Hatshepsut). For the albums title, Rapsody refers to the Book of Genesis, thereby uniting and honoring black womanhood, herself included. The concept doesnt overshadow the content. The funky-wobbling Khrysis production Whoopi, for instance, could just as naturally be titled Sister Act Up, and like all the other cuts, its references to the title figure are placed beside nods to many other inspirations (in this case, the likes of Angela Bassett, Left Eye, and Beyonce) amid irreproachable self-praise (Playin big Goliath when my team got the rock/Been groomed for the throne, I aint have to tie a knot). There are layers within layers, like when Rapsody and producer 9th Wonder pay tribute to GZAs 1995 classic Liquid Swords -- on Ibtihaj, named after the Muslim American Olympic fencer -- and get forceful GZA and ghostly DAngelo, who broke that year, on the track together. Theres also the gem named after the revolutionary Afeni Shakur, which samples her son 2Pac, as Rapsody and poet Reyna Biddy comfort and guide black men. Predominant beat suppliers 9th and Eric G, joined frequently again by Terrace Martin on keyboards, give the album a sound that is a little more urgent and boisterous than Lailas Wisdom, complementing Raps spirit of celebration and gratitude. While nothing here is quite as creative as Laila standout Jesus Coming, the MCs lyrical marksmanship, top-tier mike command, and service to her people and culture are indisputable. ~ Andy Kellman

ケンドリック・ラマーなどさまざまな客演でも名を上げた実力派MCのロック・ネイションでの2作目は、"Oprah"や"Whoopi"といった曲名からもわかるように、偉大な業績を残した黒人女性たちへ捧げるコンセプト・アルバムだ。アリーヤの楽曲を引用して本人を讃える"Aaliyah"、GZAとディアンジェロを迎えて90sヒップホップ臭を醸す"Ibtihaj"など、83年生まれの彼女らしい憧憬が溢れ出た内容は、世代感の共有や予備知識があるとさらに楽しめるはず。加えて、張りと潤いがあって滑舌もいいラップそのものや、9thワンダーらによるサンプリング・ビートはオーソドックスな魅力に満ちているし、女性のエンパワーメントという普遍的なテーマも相まって、永く愛聴されつつ将来的にも評価を高めていきそうな一枚だ。
bounce (C)池谷瑛子