Toi "Sweet Tee" Jackson starts a career in music industry as a professional rapper in the eighties, signing with Profile Records. In 1986 she releases her first single, the hit "It's My Beat" featuring DJ Jazzy Joyce. Part of Idol Makers, crew of Hurby Luv Bug, after other singles, Sweet Tee publishes a LP in 1988, entirely produced by Hurby Luv Bug and the Invincibles.
A raw track by track approach I think can leave a better feeling than what this album is. Rare jewel in female rap before the 1990s and among the few female hip hop albums of 1988. "On the Smooth Tip" is the first cut, skinny beat with minimal and hard drum machine, Sweet Tee starts well and delivers smooth and lively, with energy. "Let's Dance" is discreet song, with a fast pace, while the MC delivers fast and smooth delivery.
Nothing to note on the third choice, while "Show & Prove" has a nice funky rhythm and a vibrant and heavy drum machine, carpet on which Sweet Tee provides a velvet and marked delivery, taking advantage of the sample taken from the classic "(It's Not the Express) It's the JB's Monaurail" from JB's. Like most of the hip hop records of the period, this too features guessed samples from George Clinton and James Brown.
"Work Out" has an alternative, funky-electro party rhythm, the rapper knocks out syncopated bars and with a slow-shouted style, the track doesn't work. Fortunately, "It's My Beat" is among the best tracks of the entire project, thanks to a light funky rhythm with syncopated drum machine and a good classic "Funky Drummer" sample, listened to everywhere. Light and almost spoken, crisp, good delivery by Sweet Tee.
The next song is a little weaker, but it contrasts qualitatively with "It's Like That Y'all" which has a cheerful rhythm with an eccentric and minimal drum machine that the New Yorker MC faces with a light-hearted cheerful delivery. We get to the last tune. At this point you just listened to an entire FEMALE hip hop album WITHOUT BALLADS in 1988. Yes, it's all true. All true, then the last track arrives and it kills you, incredible. It won. The game has won. Always wins. What a stab! Simple ballad, light jazzy rhythm self-produced by Sweet Tee & Luv Bug, delivery sung, I'm not even saying it, it's the longest track of the record with over five minutes... as a ballad it's acceptable, nothing to say, but yes, it hurts...
Promoted by an abnormal amount of singles for a rap album in the 80s, five in fact, the album found a safe haven in the R&B charts (#31), gaining a fair amount of following also in the UK, where the singles were particularly appreciated, and in Germany, released the following year by BCM. However, her career stalled and restarted in 1995, when she signed with JMJ Records, sub-label of Def Jam, under the moniker Suga: here, the Queens emcee releases "What's up, Star?", minor hit then inserted on "The Show" (1995) soundtrack. In summary, this is a pretty decent female hip hop album without ballad. Almost.
Rating: 6.7/10.
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