Search - Angie Martinez :: Animal House

Hip Hop's Every Woman Returns

Anthony Humphrey | Manhattan | 08/21/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Hot shot on-air personality Angie Martinez has done it all. Besides holding down the most popular radio show in all of New York on WQHT Hot 97 FM, modeling, acting & being the ambassador of the Puerto Rican Day Parade, she has branched into rapping. After appearing on "Heartbeat" with Krs-One & Redman, a slew of successful collaborations followed, including Lil Kim's platinum certified single "Ladies Night", and remixes with Beenie Man & Noreaga. After performing live with Kim on the MTV Video Music Awards, Elektra records signed her to a 3 album deal that winter. She eventually issued her debut album -=Up Close & Personal=- last year. The album, which recieved mixed reviews from fans and critics, did OK on the charts and spawned three successful singles "Mi Amor" with Jay-Z "Dem Thangz" & "Coast 2 Coast" with Wyclef Jean, the latter of the three getting her nominated for Best Female Hip Hop Performance at the 2nd Annual B.E.T. Music Awards. Now after accomplishing nearly everything, Martinez is set out to prove the haters wrong, by dropping her sophomore album, Animal House, named after her new production team & lable imprint.The album is a big jump forward from the material on her debut. The album's best song & easily one of the year's best is "Never", where she disses critics, rivals (WBLS on-air personality and rival in radio stardom, Wendy Williams) & everyone else that has negative comments to say about her. "A New Day" is very good, with a nice flow & a catchy hook this joint can potentially dominate urban radio. Speaking of dominating urban radio the album also includes "If I Could Go" (Featuring Lil Mo & Sacario) & "Live Big" [REMIX] (Featuring Fat Joe & Sacario), two of the summers biggest hits. "Take You Home" (Featuring Kelis) is the next song to hit radio playlists, and its a blazin' club number. For those who were feeling the latin influenced tracks from her debut, "We Can Get it On" with Noreaga will be an instant favorite. Though his cameo is almost non-existent, Petey Pablo's contribution to "Waitin On" is appreciated. Missy Elliott's contributions to the album were weak, but the beat produced by Martinez's exclusive production team on "Whats that Sound", is hot as all hell. The Tony Sunshine guested "... up Situation" is hot, and its very much like "Song Cry" from Jay-Z's last solo album -=The Blueprint=-.Overall Martinez shows that she was signed for a reason and not just on the strength of her name in the hip hop community. Along with the tracks I listed, look forward to the beats, which are incredible and suit Martinez's sultry vocals better then those that appeared on her debut. Its very rare to find an album that is consistently well with beats that perfectly fit the song's theme & lyrically subject matter. Martinez has impressed me here because she has stepped up huge, but I know for a fact that their is so much more inside of her lyrically & musically and I just can't wait for her to let it all out and prove to the world that she could do it. A great deal of haters will be hushed, but no matter what people are always going to hate."

Animal House - Up, Close and Personal Part 2!

Matt V | Brooklyn, New York | 04/18/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After a long "Up, Close and Personal" album, Angie returns with something a bit shorter. "Animal House" is the face of Hip-Hop and Rap music, it brings the life to it. Of course she's already proved on "If I Could Go!" which features Lil' Mo and Sacario, which I think was the hottest song in 2002, forget about Nelly's Party tracks! This is some real Rap! Other songs to prove it's beauty would be songs like "A New Day" which brings you into the world of Angie and also "Never" which was one of the tightest songs on the album. Angie has never been a sexual rapper, but she keeps her relationship issued songs like "F***ed Up Situation" featuring Tony Sunshine, harsh name, romantic tune! To let the peeps still know she's got Latin flavour, she throws in "We Can Get It On" with N.O.R.E, a party Latin track. Speaking of party's "What's That Sound?" and "Live Big [Remix]" are two Old Skool Hip-Hop party tracks which really bring back the memories of the good old days when peeps still remember what RAP and HIP-HOP actually was (not the Rap of the present day!). She has to be one of the artist of the present day who still remember the defined meaning of the words: Rap and Hip-Hop. Everyone should respect her for that! Go Angela!"

WOW, no disappointments here.

DP | England | 09/10/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I simply love Angie Martinez, she's got so much flava and she can definitely work it.

I was well impressed with her debut UP CLOSE & PERSONAL and ANIMAL HOUSE certainly doesn't disappoint, her albums are the type that you can put on and let play.

My favourite song off ANIMAL HOUSE has to be F'ked up Situation, it's just fantastic the way she keeps her cool on the track whilst deep down inside she's hurting about a failed relationship but in true ANGIE style. I also love the last track very melodic and a great finish to the album, I'm not to sure about the interludes in-fact they crack me up on anybody's album, but she definitely makes up for the very few interludes there are with some tight songs.

I recently went through a break-up but I found this album a real comfort in a way that I didn't sit and cry all the time, I got on with life and I knew that Angie had my back.

I wish there was more female rappers like her, the Latin cross over is great, y'all remember LIVE AT JIMMY's? How fly was that track?

"