Rowald PruynOn an undisclosed website, dedicated to the worst album covers in history, between a Vanilla Ice album and a group of naked bearded dudes called Orleans, is the album cover of the self-acclaimed mistress of Sex & Rap, Khia. The female artist that had everybody in the club yelling, “My Neck, My Back” in 2002, sits proudly on hands and knees to show everybody that there are other assets besides just your musical talent. And now the woman who thinks that only people aged eighteen years or older should be allowed to listen to her music, is back with her second album “Gangstress.”
The title “Gangstress” is a direct reference to the carreer Khia Chambers was pursuing before she decided to go into the music industry. The Atlanta native was raised in Tampa, Florida, and was also arrested in that city so many times she made James Brown look like a schoolboy. While most criminals are not very excited at the moment mug shots taken of them downtown, Khia didn’t mind giving the officer on duty a friendly smile on most of the multiple ‘Busted!’ photos that were taken of her. Especially Khia’s different hairdos on the shots are priceless, so for any fans out there we added the link for your enjoyment.
Just as her hair, Khia turns out to be a more versatile woman than most female rappers. Instead of relying on a heavyweight production team, Khia decided to put her luscious derriere behind the boards to craft every single beat on the album for herself. There are few artists out there with the ability to produce and rhyme on a respectable level, and with Khia’s reputation as a flash in the pan her production skills are surprisingly good. Khia listened well to producers like Scott Storch, and even managed to produce one or two tracks that could make it to hit status. The irst single off the album, “Snatch the Cat Back,” offers enough excitement to get some airplay on the radio with its slow drum roll and a melody that could have been used in a Hitchcock flick. “I’ve Been Called a Bitch” is accompanied by a triumphant clarion and a raindrop beat that combines well with the car stereo when the volume is maxed out.
Just as the widely censored “My Neck, My Back,” Khia’s lyrics on “Gangstress” focus mostly on one of the things she obviously likes to do: sex. Not all the tracks revolve around her sexual appetite, but the Down South artist likes to blend in remarks about fellatio and other nasty bedroom games more often than not. Khia’s voice definitely has a ferocious edge, and even though she is not one of the most skilled MC’s, her street credibility and aggression almost make up for her shortcomings. Her style is one that is exemplary for the Dirty South, and she can hold her own in the overcrowded scene without any problems.
It is a shame that of the thirteen tracks announced on the press release, only ten made it to the promotional disc. Surely this is a mistake by the record company, but the fact that Thug Misses Entertainment is Khia in the flesh doesn’t reflect well on her professionalism. If you cannot even get all your available music onto a promotional product, it is unclear whether you are capable of standing straight in the lethal record industry. Apart from that, I’m anxiously awaiting the cover of her new album. Chances are that she will be just as subtle as on her last album: large as life, and strutting her stuff.