Tuneraker.com

If you like Gangsta Rap, then Yo Majesty are the antichrist. Hip Hop’s hot tempered brats spit on bling and designer schmutter, giving you nasty rhymes and dirty Electro beats instead.

For starters, Shunda and JWL are two Lesbians who dress like they’re straight out of the local Walmart rather than the Playaz Lounge. For a main course, Yo Majesty have given up on the smooth beats and the glossy studio production. The music is fast, trashy Electro stuff that sounds like it was knocked out on a $100 keyboard - Electroclash meets Space Invaders.

Curious? Watch Yo Majesty Perform Live

For dessert, they take the mickey out of Hip Hop stereotypes. Big time. All that pimpin’ and booty callin’? Forget it, Yo Majesty turn the joint upside down. Bragging ‘gangstaz’ sweat and stink under their leather jackets and utter cringeworthy chat up-lines before being put down with a ‘but I might fancy your sister’.

Even more confusing, Yo Majesty don’t knock the ‘Gs’ to set themselves up as the female equivalent. Nope, these girls live on a different planet. After trying to make it with more conventional sounding Hip Hop beats for a good few years, Yo Majesty have shrunk from a trio to a duo and have turned their back on Hip Hop fashion.

The result is an album that sounds as close to a ’70s Hip Hop jam in a Bronx community centre as you are likely to get these days. (Before you ask, I’ve heard the bootlegs.)

Dip straight in there with ‘Party Hardy’ and ‘Club Action’. Then get sucked in further by the fast Electro of ‘Take It Away’ before singing along to ‘Leather Jacket’.

Listen To Yo Majesty Now!

But even when the girls slow down the tempo you can feel the energy. ‘Get Down On The Floor’ and ‘Buy Lxxe’ are slow paced jams that can still tear the house down.

And here comes the Health Warning: ‘Futuristically Speaking’ will not be everybody’s cup of tea.

Thin digital beats, often lacking in bass, plus shouted vocals hovering on the brink of distortion make for uneasy listening. It’s a great party record when you’re in the mood, but a total stinker if you’re not.

Personally, I think Yo Majesty’s best tracks aren’t even on the album, but on the ‘Kryptonite Pussy’ EP which was released just before the album. Heavier beats, totally dope material: ‘Hey There Girl’ and ‘Kryptonite Pussy’.

Let’s see if you spot the Salt ‘n’ Pepa sample in ‘Kryptonite’ and the Sex Pistols’ reference on the label of the 12″ (hint: if you’re not near a vinyl emporium yourself, check out the iTunes ‘Kryptonite’ link below for the image). Answers in the comments section, please.

We say: