Da Brat

The first female MC to go platinum, Da Brat (a.k.a. Shawntae Harris) became the protege of Jermaine Dupri after being discovered by Yo! MTV Raps in the early '90s. Her debut, the snappy, energetic Funkdafied, was a smash thanks largely to its title single. Though Da Brat was initially positioned as a female Snoop Dogg (her unapologetic love of herb didn't hurt), by the time her sophomore effort was released in 1996, she had honed her rapidfire delivery to such an extent that comparisons to the terminally mellow Snoop no longer applied.

Anuthatantrum made it painfully evident that Da Brat, who relied heavily on uninspired samples and reheated get-the-party-started grooves, didn't have much to say beyond the usual recitation of her likes (weed, stretch limos, the occasional reggae groove, weed) and dislikes (haters).

By the time Brat released Unrestricted in 2000, she was facing assault charges, a sagging film career (which would, unfortunately, later include a costarring role in Glitter), and worse, the emergence of flashier and more shameless female rappers like Lil' Kim. While Ja Rule, Kelly Price, and Mystikal make pro forma appearances, Da Brat doesn't need the help: Unrestricted is her best album to date. Tracks like "What' Chu Like" and "Runnin' Out of Time" are stunners, showcasing her newfound appreciation for NC-17 wordplay and R&B respectively, while the title of the club anthem "Fuck You" pretty much says it all.

Limelite, Luv & Niteclubz, from 2003, followed mostly the same formula as its predecessor, with slightly diminished returns. Showcasing a mixture of R&B and club beats, but this time with an eye toward TRL (indeed, the almost freakishly catchy "In Love wit Chu" became one of Brat's most successful singles), Limelite featured guest turns from Mariah Carey and Anthony Hamilton and included frequent references to church that were, you have to figure, probably metaphorical. (ALLISON STEWART)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide