La Bella Mafia [Vinyl]

La Bella Mafia (Edited version) by Lil' Kim

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Now that Lil' Kim's third solo outing is upon us, it's fair time to pose this question: is this fly Brooklyn female a legitimate MC or just another media sensation? Well, probably a little of both. La Bella Mafia is a refreshingly uncommercial album that demonstrates Kim’s hard-earned mic skills, but the set never really hits its stride. Kim seems to be a woman who favors strong musical partners, yet many of the album’s collaborations fail to inspire. Swizz Beats is at his abysmal worst (as both rapper and producer) on "This Is Who I Am" while Kim’s cookie-cutter rhymes blindly follow his lead. "The Jump Off" features a hot, bhangra-accented Timbaland track that loses momentum when guest star Mr. Cheeks jumps in. But when it works, La Bella Mafia shines. Just check out "Hold It Now," where Havoc ratchets up the temperature with judicious use of the always-funky Beastie Boys sample "Paul Revere" and Kim rises to the occasion with a performance worthy of her Queen Bee title. --Rebecca Levine