Hip hop is such a male-identified world that even man-friendly galslike MC Lyte, whoseRuffneck sings the praises of guys whofiddle with their rigs in public, fail to score the precious-metalalbum sales of colleagues with less talent and more penises. Thesole exception has been Salt-n-Pepa. Commercial presences since1986's pelvicPush It and the Otis ReddingcoverTramp, Salt, Pepa, and turntable whiz Spinderella areexperts at mining sex and soul for dollars and cents. Shoop, the lead single fromVery Necessary(Next Plateau/London), typifies their shtick: a lyric that has thegirls surveying talent--"wanna thank your mother for a butt likethat"--over a Sweet Inspirations sample.Groove Me (dancehallriddims under King Floyd title),None of Your Business (asin "ain't nobody's"),Sexy Noises Turn Me On (male and femaleboth), andWhat a Man (background vocals by En Vogue) varythe formula. And a closing playlet calledI've Got AIDS israp's scariest condom ad yet. Tastes in sex being as personal as they are, those who find Salt-n-Pepaa mite soft-core have their own femme-rap option: HWA (Hoez WithAttitude), a Chicago real-estate salesperson and her two friendswho moved to L.A. to make it in show business. CallAs MuchAss Azz U Want (Ruthless) a concept EP about eating pussy.And give the ladies credit--unlike too many of their male colleagues,they don't think you're a slut after youn give them head. Fast Cuts: The title cut of John Forster'sEntering Marion(Philo) misreads a road sign with sexually hilarious results, andhis Paul Simon parody ain't bad either.Born To Choose(Rykodisc) works a gratifying double whammy: entertaining and educationalas both alternative-rock sampler and prochoice propaganda. Playboy, Jan. 1994
|