Amanda Blank ‎– I Love You

The much-anticipated Amanda Blank debut album exceeded any expectations I had after "Bump". That's how I discovered her, actually, through her collaborations with Spank Rock. While there is no shortage of potty-mouthed white female MCs (Lady Sovereign, Princess Superstar, Uffie, etc.), Amanda Blank is ahead of the pack because she's actually a GOOD RAPPER and not to be misconstrued as some sort of novelty act. I go out of my way to find any remix she's laid vocals on because I'm a fan of her as a raunchy lyricist, but I was pleasantly surprised to hear a more humbled Amanda Blank on I Love You, fawning over boys and lamenting past loves. Much of her earlier material is rooted in Baltimore booty music, but Blank, not one to be pigeonholed, recorded this very accessible pop album with the help of hitmakers Diplo, Switch and XXXchange, the latter having produced Spank Rock's brilliant YoYoYoYoYo album in '06.

Two tracks worth mentioning would be "A Love Song" and "Big Heavy". "A Love Song" is essentially LL Cool J's "I Need Love" from a female perspective, but it should also be noted that it had been released a year prior on Diplo's Top Ranking mixtape and is his remix of Santogold's "I'm a Lady". Thankfully, it was re-recorded and sounds much cleaner and professional this time around; it's truly a beautiful hip-hop love ballad. On the plastic wrap I Love You came in, there was a sticker that featured an album review that likened Blank to Blondie and after hearing "Big Heavy", you'll understand why. Many female rappers can be good at spitting rhymes, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're any good at singing. "Big Heavy" showcases her talent as a truly versatile artist. Listen to the last minute-and-a-half and you'll understand why I think Amanda Blank could've easily been a disco queen in a past life.

On a critical note, it's a shame that Aaron LaCrate didn't produce a single track on the entire album! Just because Amanda Blank is on the verge of becoming an international pop star and queer icon akin to Peaches, doesn't mean she should stop putting out club bangers! Let's not forget to "keep that shit nasty", Miss Blank!