Good Vibe made a great move when they scooped up Illadelph queen Bahamadia. She is the female crown jewel in a talent-laden lineup that this west coast label has to offer. Her reintroduction into the spotlight serves to satisfy the voracious hunger of a fanatical underground following Bahamadia has built from the 215 to Timbuktu.

Right off the bat let me just say that I'm feeling this EP like a blind person feels Braile. The seven tracks included are phatenin' butta baby! What's up world??? Bahamadia is one of us: Philly represent! PhillyHipHop.com, Lady B & myself are sooooo proud to be associated with such a regal spirit.

The BB Queen's Intro jumps things off with an old fashioned DJ showcase courtesy of DJ Revolution. Its tight- period. The posse cut "Special Forces" is the Eps first single and with good reason: Dia, Planet Asia, Rasco & Chops all flow fuuuun-kily. Fellow West Philadelphia Chops (of the Mountain Brothers) takes it up to a level of verbal dexterity that you'll never hear from the Bling- Bling crowd. I literally "rewound" (do we still do that?) the track over four times to take in the full complexity of what he was spitting. Ordinary females are celebrated on "Commonwealth." Bahamadia throws props to ladies who shop at Value City, Forman Mills & Franklin Mills like most real Philly woman do. This ode is a welcomed reprieve from the fake iced down flaunts that we've become numb to in Y2G. This is the ultimate definition of "keepin' it real." I think this accounts for a large portion of Bahamadia's appeal. She's the everyday around the way girl with skillz. Young ladies listen up: pay attention to the vocals contained within and use them as a guide for becoming the beautiful woman that you know you can become. Label mates Slum Village check in for "One-4-Teen." This is where you'll most recognize the classic Bahamadia flow that's differentiated her from the crowd. She & Slum collaborate seamlessly with expectedly groovy results. Bahamadia's instrumental dedication to our beloved home field "Philadelphia" is a masterpiece. It feels more like the best offerings of D'Angelo or Maxwell but feels right at home in the ethereal atmosphere that BB Queen is. This track has become an instant driving classic in my car. If you got a ride, you'll be feelin' me on this one. Dwele takes the opportunity to shine here and then on "Beautiful Things." Intelligent social commentary and slippery, candlelit grooves combine to create a true example of what soul music is. "Pep Talk" brings up the rear on some ole' other ish! The BMPs jump off the board in an experimentation melding high velocity drum n' bass with jazzy interlopes and accelerated rhymes.

Bahamadia never follows a format. She always keeps us on our toes. She sets the rules. I guess that's what a queen is supposed to do…

Review by Funk Wizard Snow
Editor- PhillyHipHop.com
August, 2000