Psalm One

Psalm One breaks down the stereotype of "she raps good for a girl”; any emcee that tours with a T-shirt that says, "I made out with Psalm One” has to have skills, and she does. This self-proclaimed quirky b-girl/former chemist, hails from Inglewood, Chicago with two albums already under her belt called Bio:Chemistry and Bio:Chemistry II: Esters and Essays. Her Rhymesayers debut is fairly comparable and just as interesting as her last albums with most of the beats coming from Overflo and Thaione of Birthwrite Records, with another track, the hardcore sounding "Stand By,” produced by Ant. The beats range from smooth and laidback with twang-y, blues guitar riffs and soulful vocal loops to some Latin and Indian inspired rhythms, some upbeat joints and straight-ahead hip hop. But the beats are not the main focus — Psalm One and her other personalities, Crystal and Kizzy, are the focal points of this album. She is an exceptional emcee whose education and life’s experience shine throughout this album. She has intricate and clever wordplay and a voice that is distinct and engaging; sometimes she can be wailin’ out and sometimes she has this interesting pattern of repeating words in this sing-song relaxed kind of way. She spits about how not to use sexuality to gain respect, to "cut that shit out,” gain skills and pay your dues. Psalm One could battle anyone anywhere, as she raps better than most dudes. So who’s laughing now?