Limelite, Luv & Niteclubz

by Andy KellmanAn, uh, adaptation of MC Luscious' "Boom! I Got Your Boyfriend" demonstrates more than any other track on Limelite, Luv & Niteclubz that Da Brat has done anything but mature since her third album. "Boom" -- and much of what precedes it and follows it -- sees Da Brat being as lewd and raunchy and nasty as she's ever been, with her head still full of smoke and her mouth full of expletives that are always at the ready to spring forth. Her lines are all the more sharp when they're accented by that dismissive cackle. When it comes to softening up a little, as on the excellent Top 40 single "In Love With Chu," she is capable of appealing to both R&B and hardcore types without sacrificing her rugged personality (Cherish's vocal hook on the chorus is just as crucial here as L.T. Hutton and Da Brat's upbeat, fuss-free production work). However, there's no getting past the fact that the album is just as pockmarked with average material as Unrestricted. Despite this, no song is certifiably weak; not only that, but you should definitely make sure to stick around for "Gushy Wushy," a fireball of a closer that would've kicked the set off with blazing force.