Rah Digga

Dirty Harriet (Elektra)

People who believe rap is a male domain should check out Rah Digga's new album. Dirty Harriet is an impressive debut for the only woman in Busta Rhyme's Flipmode Squad. True to her name, Rah Digga's sound is raw, with hardcore lyrics underscored by a deep, commanding voice. Rah Digga displays the skills of a first-class MC in lines like "I'll be stashing marijuana/In my Dolce & Gabbana" from "What They Call Me" and "Best believe where I'm going you a goner/I spit more rhymes than silicone in California" from "Straight Spittin', Part II." Unlike other female rappers, Rah Digga does not rhyme about sexuality or the gangster life: she is a B-girl of the classic mold. In this respect, one could compare Rah Digga to Lauryn Hill, although Rah Digga is probably the better MC.

On Dirty Harriet, an accomplished team of producers, including Busta Rhymes, Pete Rock and DJ Premier of Gang Starr, stick successfully with old-school beats. Unfortunately, the couple of tracks produced by Shok from the Ruff Ryders are less effective: one titled "Do the Ladies Run This" is marred by a bagpipe-like synthesizer instrumentation. Resemblances to Scottish folk tunes aside, Dirty Harriet is an outstanding album that welcomes Rah Digga to the ranks of hip-hop's elite. The album's title is a direct reference to abolitionist leader Harriet Tubman: let's hope that Rah Digga's debut guides a new breed of female rappers to the mic.