Published: Wednesday - April 9, 2008
Words by Allen Starbury
Lil Mama (Photo: Jive Records)
As the saying goes, good things come to those who wait. This statement is true for teen rapper, Lil Mama.
After storming onto the scene in 2007 with the hit single, "Lip Gloss," the rapper was quickly snatched up by Jive Records, who signed her strictly from the buzz of the song.
The song, by the way, made it all the way to no. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. But when the follow-up track, "G Slide (Tour Bus)," failed to place on the charts, her debut album -- Voice Of The Young People -- was pulled from the release schedule and seemed to be shelved for the time being.
According to what Jive told Reuters, they just had to play catch up, being that her single was already on radio before she was signed. So, they went back in, made sure she had the right set up, and now her album is on its way.
"We were concerned with Mama being a respected artist, not just the 'Lip Gloss' girl. We wanted to get another song in the market to solidify her as an artist," Jive VP of marketing Lisa Cambridge told Reuters. "Unlike most situations where you start recording and come across a single, 'Lip Gloss' had already been working (at) radio when we signed her. So, we basically had to play catch-up. We took the time to set her up with the right producers, to get her on the proper platform and get her music and her vision across."
Despite "G Slide" not charting, she's bounced back. Her recent T-Pain- and Chris Brown-assisted single, "Shawty Get Loose," recently hit no. 10 on the Hot 100, and everything is falling into place.
She's also been working hard with several A-list producers. Her debut will feature works from the likes of Swizz Beatz, Scott Storch and Danja Handz.
Voice Of The Young People is now set for release April 29.
Features 5 Minutes With Q-Tip Q-Tip is a legend in hip-hop. His time with Tribe Called Quest has earned him that monarch. However, several years after ... full story
Editorials & Columns 'Only In New York' Can You ... Summer is the season of "getting out of town" on the weekends, and when I do, a lot of people from other places ask ... full story
Beyond Hip-Hop EYEgasim: Iyuana-Nichole Meet Iyuana-Nichole, aka the Exotic Trophy Wife. She is a 23-year-old on-the-go model who has great big pretty ... full story
Digg It
Del.icio.us
