Posted on 09/26/2005

 

This received five mics in The Source? Lil' Kim is currently serving a 366-day sentence for perjury and lying to a grand jury. The Naked Truth, her fourth album, was recorded throughout her Law & Order episode, and is now being released only days after she began serving her sentence. Conspiracy theories abound on just how this recording received a perfect rating from the once credible publication, but one thing is evident: The Naked Truth is far from perfect. In fact, it's terrible.



il' Kim has never been strong lyrically, and on this album the production supplied by such big names as Scott Storch, Fredwreck, and 7 Aurelius can't save her either. Storch's signature keyboard work—matched with pseudo-organic drums—on "Lighter's Up" reminds us of his Roots, but Kim's annoying, sing-songy faux-Jamaican accent makes the track nearly unbearable. Similarly, the reggae-flavored "Durty" sends obvious shots toward that other female rapper, Foxy Brown (who does have Caribbean roots, unlike Kim).



mitation abounds on The Naked Truth, but in no way is flattery involved. "Quiet", with G-Unit reject The Game, not only features a terribly generic wannabe-Eminem beat, but also showcases Kim dissing Jackie-O and 50 Cent with a distinctively Slim-Shady-like flow. Meanwhile, the pipe-organ crunk track "We Don't Give A…" finds Kim struggling to force a fast southern flow as she attempts to stand her ground with guest stars Bun B and Twista.



wful production is also a staple of The Naked Truth. "Shut Up Bitch" sounds like an outtake from an Atari video game, while the monotonous guitar riffs and synths of "Spell Check" feature Kim boasting of her mastery of the alphabet. Annoying flutes on "Gimme That" accompany Lil' Kim's typical raunchy, tasteless, and thoughtless lyrics, which also abound on the Middle-Eastern influenced club track "Kitty Box" (the title provides ample commentary).

To be fair, The Naked Truth has a few songs worth hearing. Lil' Kim is uncharacteristically introspective on "Last Day". Plus the funky horn and vocal samples on "I Know You See Me" make for an entertaining track, as Kim doesn't diss G-Unit or ramble on about sex, as she seemingly does on every other song.

The disastrous nature of The Naked Truth isn't surprising for Lil' Kim, who has had a very inconsistent musical career. But something is definitely fishy when this album receives anything close to a perfect rating...unless it's rated for perfect trash.