Public Warning [EXPLICIT LYRICS]

Lady Sovereign

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 31, 2006)
• Original Release Date: October 31, 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• Label: Def Jam
• ASIN: B000IFRQAY
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #53,061 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
More Eminem than Missy Elliot, this diminutive U.K. rapper shows exactly how threatening a small woman with a big mouth can be. Her spiky collision of punk rock attitude and pop appeal is a revelation and her self-awareness is oddly shocking, but rather endearing, as the 5-foot-1 rapper asserts, "I'm the biggest midget in the fame." Wicked, irreverent, smart, and full of self-depreciating humor, this queen of grime rap pillages her autobiography on "Those Were the Days," deconstructs nationalism on "My England," raids Mother Goose on "Public Warning," and then drops a gauntlet with a loud clattering sound, making listeners laugh out loud with the snotty, but laughable challenge of "Love Me or Hate Me." But mostly she keeps things moving, throwing off sparks and bon mots with her mad, furious, in-your-face flow, while adding a bit of glam and new wave to the electro hip-hop beats. She might be small, but her future as the voice of the fashionably disaffected is huge. --Jaan Uhelszki

Product Description
UK pressing of the debut album by female British MC Lady Sovereign features one bonus track: 'Pretty Vacant' (Live At Commodore Ballroom). Her recent success in the US is all the more remarkable because she’s steadfastly stuck to her uniquely UK sound. You’ll find no Neptunes makeover. No MOR ballads have snuck into the set. Sovereign’s still rhyming about shepherd’s pie, Tango and Tony Blair. She’s still playing havoc with musical genres; mixing up Rap and Pop, Punk and Grime, the social comment with the wisecracks. In other words: she’s still all the things that made her stand out in the first place. The album features fourteen tracks including early singles ‘Random’, ‘Public Warning’ and ‘Hoodie’ as well as new single ‘Love Me Or Hate Me’ (which has sold over 125,00 digital units in the US so far and the video for which has seen Sovereign become the first British artist to have the No.1 most requested video on MTV US). Island. 2007. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The most entertaining slagfest of 2006., December 23, 2006

By	Jason Stein (Chula Vista, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

21 year old Louise Harman (aka Lady Sovereign) is mad as hell, and she ain't going to take it anymore on her full length debut, "Public Warning". To her credit, as an English, female, and short rapper, she avoids typical rapper pitfalls such as rapping about sex, money, bling, being better than everyone else, drugs, etc., etc. Instead she focuses on socialism, classism, self-affirmation, and yes, overuse of suntan salons.

She's had several hits in Britain already, but in America her first single is the extremely catchy and also obnoxious "Love Me Or Hate Me", with a humorous video to go along with it. At least Ms. Harman doesn't take herself too seriously like so many pompous rappers today. Some other potential hits could be "9 To 5" (not Dolly Parton's version), "Random" and "Hoodie".

I found "My England" to be one song that showcased what Ms. Harman could be capable of in the future (assuming she sticks with this music thing). In "My England" she gives a scathing portrait of and England unlike what foreigners perceive as filtered through the media. That's okay, I always thought the true England was more Sex Pistols, The Clash and "Trainspotting" (which is Scottish, but close enough) anyway. I also found the title track to be an interesting change-up of punk/hip hop/rock/rap.

There are a few missteps like "Gatheration", "A Little Bit Of Shhh" and "Those Were The Days" that were dull.

Overall, "Public Warning" shows promise if Lady Sovereign can overcome the one-hit wonder, novelty act label, she might just go on to be the only white, female, British, biggest-midget in the game.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Make Way For The Ess-Oh-Vee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, November 7, 2006

By	Piercer (Bronx, New York) - See all my reviews

Lady Sovereign has taken Amerian colleges by storm and now she's ready to take over the American mainstream music industry. Her recently released Public Warning is by far the best album I've heard in a very long time. Lady SOV, as she is most often called, is fresh and new and with her eclectic style and inability to fit into any one genre this Brit is sure to make her mark in America. For those who are looking for something different this is definitely the album to buy and if you like remixes purchase her first compilation Vertically Challenged which contains the track (The Battle) that helped boost Lady Sovereign's career as well as other well known tracks and remixes. Love and support "The Biggest Midget In The Game" AKA Lady Sovereign.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not as good as it could have been., December 23, 2006

By	Booya! Werewolves! (Lincoln, Ne United States) - See all my reviews

First off, "Tango" over "Cha-Ching"? Well I guess they couldn't have two songs that mention eminem and "Blah Blah" hadn't been much released yet. Its too bad though cause I always though Cha-ching was one of her best, in fact its the song I use to introduce her to people, and almost everyone has liked it.

Also I like Tango, but the public warning version is not very good. Its all hard and angry, which, on such a goofy song sounds kinda out of place.

Sad (but not surprising) to see so many repeats of her old stuff, Its all still awesome though so any new comers will be more than happy.

People who were already fans will appreciate the new songs, "Public warning" and "love me or hate me" (and "blah blah" if you hadn't heard it) capital among the albums best. Could do without "Those were the days" but the rest is either solid, good or great.

Worth the buy for both new and old fans. But new fans, pick up vertically challenged for "cha-ching" and "the battle" if nothing else. Well worth it.