Young M.A, Herstory (EP) | Album Review 💿

East coast rap newcomer Young M.A shows grit and toughness on her debut EP, Herstory. To put it bluntly, she simply doesn’t give a fuck.

Newcomer Young M.A brings a tough-as-nail persona to rap.  The deep-voiced female MC from Brooklyn could easily be mistaken for a male on hard-hitting banger, “Ooouuu.”  For a female rapper, she brings tons of machismo to the table…or something like that.  Interestingly, according to Rolling Stone, Young M.A was nearly Freda on Empire but declined the role.  While she probably would’ve nailed it, she proves why she’s an MC to watch on her debut EP, Herstory.

“Hot Sauce” 

“M.A (Intro)” sets the tone for Herstory.  From the jump, Young M.A is tough AF.  Throughout the course of the intro, she flexes hard, whether it’s about money or sex.  Most interesting about the intro is how confident she is about her sexuality (she’s a lesbian).  Much like many of the guys in the rap game, she brags about her conquests.  Take the double standard out of the picture, and M.A asserts herself as one of the most hard-nosed rappers in the game.

“They like M.A. why you cheesin’?
Cause I just got me some c**t.”

Yeah, she totally went there.  On the first full-length song from Herstory, ✓ “Hot Sauce,” Young M.A remains blunt. “Hot Sauce” is raw, like the intro, and sounds more like a song from a mixtape as opposed to a studio EP.  Ultimately, the song encompasses partying, money, and sex. Among the most interesting lines happen to revolve around sex, whether she’s frank or merely suggestive: “She let me hit it out the park like I’m Babe Ruth.”

“JOOTD”

✓ “JOOTD” features Monica – via a sample of her classic hit, “Don’t Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days).” The sound is raw, thanks to the sample and new production work being in opposing keys.  As far as the rhymes, Young M.A merely isn’t in the mood…for sex, camaraderie, etc.  The first line of the first verse confirms her mood: “Airplane mode on these hoes.” Word.  She doesn’t deliver anything profound, but “JOOTD” is enjoyable enough.

Initially “Self M.Ade” seems lukewarm.  The hook kicks things off, but it doesn’t pack a mighty punch.  Once “Self M.Ade” percolates, and the hook returns, the record itself feels stronger.  “Self M.Ade” is somewhat unorthodox – the first verse is longer than the second, and there are variations on the hook.  Regardless whether or not the form lacks finesse, there are plenty of notable lyrics, such as:

“And only wife a chick if she a scholar
If she down then she a rider
She been with you from the bottom, ‘cause
Nowadays it’s kind of hard to find ‘em ‘cause...”

“Bonnie” invites sex, sex, and more sex.  Again, Young M.A isn’t the least bit shy about her love for the three-letter word, as she characterizes Bonnie as the ultimate prize.  “Same Set” isn’t a tour de force, but seemingly, she has more substance to work with – at least contextually.  “Same Set” trumps “Bonnie” because it’s not as narrow.  Sure, transcendence isn’t the M.O. in the least, but “Same Set” embraces the toughness that made ✓ “OOOUUU” a hit.

“OOOUUU”

Speaking of “OOOUUU,” Young M.A closes Herstory on a high note with her breakthrough hit.  It’s not the flashiest work on the boards, but the production suits her and evokes the East Coast sound. Young M.a. goes on to delivery fierce rhymes on her verse, which is essentially hookless save for the nonsensical titular catch-line. Continually unapologetic, one of the baddest rhymes comes with a sexual reference often delivered by her male counterparts:

“Baby gave me head, that’s a low blow
Damn she make me weak when she deep throat
I need a rich bitch not a cheap ho
They be on that hate shit, I peep though.”

She doesn’t stop there, though.  Her rhymes continue to comprise of sex (shocker).  The line of the song appears further down the verse:

“If that’s your chick, then why she texting me?
Why she keep calling my phone speaking sexually
Every time I’m out, why she stressing me?
You call her Stephanie? I call her Headphanie (OOOUUU).”

Final Thoughts

So… The first EP from Young M.A – how does it stack up ultimately? All in all, this is a sound start for the rapper, but not game changing.  Clearly, M.A has tons of potential.  The problem is, she needs to expand her scope.  The script is a bit predictable.  If the script is predictable on just seven songs, how much more predictable will it be over, say 10 or more? Still, there’s a lot to like about the foul-mouthed MC, so look at Herstory as only “scratching the surface” of what’s to come.

✓ Gems: “Hot Sauce,” “JOOTD” & “OOOUUU”

Young M.A • Herstory (EP) • M.A Music/3D • Release: 4.28.17

Photo Credit: M.A Music/3D