ON THE BEAT: One of this week’s...

ON THE BEAT: One of this week’s most hotly-debated black music songs is Oran (Juice) Jones’ “The Rain,” a Top 5 hit about a guy who discovers his girl is cheating on him. What’s prompted all the debate is the song’s chauvinistic stance--at one point, Jones reminds his lady, “Without me, you’re like a cornflake without milk.” This crass, domineering attitude has stirred up some volatile female response, most notably from Miss Thang, a young New York-based rapper whose sassy answer song, “Thunder and Lightning,” hits the stores this week from Tommy Boy Records. Miss Thang sets the record straight right away. “You better sit down, baby, and get out the umbrella, ‘cause there’s gonna be a storm tonight,” she angrily reminds her cocky ex-lover, adding, “because I’m getting ready to read, write and erase you.” Noting that her new boyfriend has already given her a new American Express card, something she never leaves home without, Miss Thang confides, “But as you can see, I’ve been leaving home without you!”