This one is for the ladies. Jean Grae represents the women who
do not want to rap about breast size and sexual prowess.
- Music Reviews
Her sophomore album, This Week, talks about life’s
struggles, estranged relationships and other matters that most
people can relate to. Her rhymes are smooth and skillful wordplay
and wit to keep listeners interested.
Each song reveals something about her personal experiences.
“Style Wars” showcases her thug attitude, making it
known that she will take it to the streets if need be. Soft and
mellow, “Supa Luv” is about the search for the love
that will be forever. “Give It Up” is about battles
that women fight at various stages of life. She asks if she should
pursue a romantic relationship with a good friend that could
possibly ruin the friendship, but might turn out to be that special
love.
“P.S.” is written in a similar style to
Eminem’s “Stan.” It reveals e-mail exchanges
between an ex-boyfriend and Jean expressing the way most people
feel after a break-up, but rarely admit. She is honest enough to
tell him that she knew it was wrong and feels bad about the way
things happened. “P.S. I just had to get this off my chest /
I hope you’re well / I really wish you the best / And as you
can tell I’ve done a lot of growing up / And time goes fast
with no sign of slowing up / So if its any conciliation karma got
me bad / And anything I did wrong I wish I never had / I hope all
this drama we can leave in the past / Please feel free to write
back.”
The one negative aspect of the album is the interludes heard
throughout. These skits were meant to be funny, but are unrelated
and seem to be randomly inserted.
Each song is different enough that Jean is able to reveal a
creative lyrical style that doesn’t come off as monotonous.
It’s well-written and well-produced. Jean Grae’s This
Week succeeds as a unique entry into any hip-hop collection.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars