Foxy Brown’s ‘Chyna Doll’ Seems to Use Recycled Material

After appearing on popular singles with LL Cool J and Jay-Z, Foxy Brown became one of hip-hop’s hottest female artists with her 1996 debut album, “Ill Na Na,” which sold 1.4 million copies. The Brooklyn rapper was virtually a female version of a male rapper, rhyming about her exquisite wardrobe, designer jewelry and sexual desires. Like her rival Lil’ Kim, Brown is a decent rapper, but her hedonistic content pales in comparison to that of such female rappers as MC Lyte and Lauryn Hill.

On her second album, Brown sounds remarkably similar to Lil’ Kim, whose celebrity blossomed while Brown’s leveled off. Brown merely recycles her own lyrics on her new collection without adding any new twists. She desires a sexually potent man who will pay her rent, play to her every whim and let her be. It’s not a totally unrealistic request, but it’s doubtful that she could attract that type of guy with such whiny and uninspired raps.

The production on “Chyna Doll” sounds incomplete and boring. Her beats are slickly assembled, but they lack the flair, power and distinctiveness of her earlier work.

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