talking about her "ill na na" ("Tramp") or making pretentious bids for big Willie (Wilma?) status ("4-5-6"). Mostly, though, Chyna Doll just sounds like any number of New York-based rap albums, especially with its commercial formula of shuffling high hats, catchy hooks, and recycled funk loops. In the end, Brown's self-exploitive (sexually and racially) cover art is likely to offer more provocative statements than the album itself. --Oliver Wang  (less)

Doll ), Foxy's rhyme skills haven't gotten any better or worse--she still exhibits the focused monotone that first got her noticed in 1995 on LL Cool J's "I Shot Ya." Broken Silence can't be called a revelation, but it does showcase a less ill, more introspective Na Na. Gratuitous battle rhymes are still very much in effect, but the effort she's made to explore her recent painful experiences has resulted in some pretty compelling material. Foxy explains her position, pointedly making thinly veiled references to the many industry beefs and relationship problems that have made her name prime fodder for the rumor mills. Many of the best tunes found here, including the ragga raw "Oh Yeah," are heavy on the reggae vibe, but, quiet as it's been kept, Foxy's been ...  (less)