Beethoven loved blowjobs. Loved ’em. Though this may have been the case, I’m damn sure the Ninth Symphony was not written about fellatio or a well-powdered wig. What’s the point you ask? Unless we choose to remain close-minded and reactionary we must admit that some of the most interesting music being produced today is beat-oriented and electronica-based. The people working with beats and beat-driven music are not Beethovens but they are creative and often very gifted musicians. Rap producers make up a significant portion of the group working within the beat realm. The problem is that, unlike Ludwig’s case, much interesting rap music is too often coupled with ridiculous content. Diamond Princess the sophomore release by Trina, Miami’s answer to East Coast’s Lil’ Kim, is a prime example of this phenomenon. Trina’s album is dedicated entirely to possession of sorts — possession of looks, sex, clothes, and jewelry. When I complain about lack of content, understand that I’m not asking for Coltrane-like expressions of universal sadness or beauty, just something real, some genuine emotion, maybe a personal detail. Unfortunately Diamond Princess does not possess personality, wit, or intellect.
Yet the musical side of Diamond Princess is quite good and features some of the best producers of the hip-hop world. The list of contributors to the album reads like an all star roster — production by Missy Elliott, Cool & Dre, Supa, and guest appearances by Tweet, Eve, Ludacris, and Fabolos. The production style on most of the disc uses fast thin staccato beats (