MC Trouble’s debut album Gotta Get A Grip has a bit of everything for everyone ranging from love songs, freestyles, battle raps, to political songs. Her album is powered and fueled by an energetic New Jack Swing soundscape over hip hop beats. It takes no time to throw a line. Give her the time to cold break it down in a rhyme. Her lyrical agility is similar to MC Smooth. One has to wonder if both of them were feeding off each others styles or copying trends of the time.
Her album is one of Motown Records many forgotten rap albums that hardly ever gets any praise or mention by anyone despite the fact she was Motown’s first female rap artist. Which is truly a shame given how gifted of a lyricist she was. Trouble was gifted to give the best of her. 1990 was a good year for rap. One of the pinnacle years for hip hop/rap.
(I Wanna) Make You Mine is an energetic love song about Trouble’s attempt to make a man she loves hers. (I Wanna) Make You Mine is powered and fueled by an energetic New Jack Swing with poppish vocals that have a tangent of soul to them provided by Motown label mates The Good Girls.
Trouble sees a man she loves. She wants to make him hers. She just wants him to give her his love and affection. Trouble has been looking for a guy like him for a long time realizing that guys like him come only once in a lifetime. She’s got to check him out for her self and see what his madness is really about. He got the juice that keeps her hype. Meaning he’s got the clout. No doubt. She likes him because he is smooth. She likes her men with class. Not over-hyped masculinity.
She can see him and her sipping on a martini. With all these assets, life could be swell. Trouble ain’t bluffin’! She won’t even front. She can thrill him with a kiss. The Trouble don’t lie. It takes no time to throw a line. Give her the time to cold break it down in a rhyme.
The Push Up is a battle rap type of song that straight up hardcore and lyrical nonetheless. This is far from a smooth solo. Trouble is yet again out on the prowl looking for a man that will suit her. Only to get herself tangled in a love triangle.
Check this smooth rhyming. Trouble’s on the mic getting busy. She don’t want fall into a smooth solo to a beat which she throws to you like a pro. Not to be a smartie, but the dopest through a party. Operation push-up is in effect. Everybody hear her. So pump it up loud! Everybody rock the push up!
Trouble is lookin for a fella in the place that will fit her. Suit her tastes and needs. She met a guy that’s fly that is stacked and well packed, but is real whack. Trouble looked at her crew from another angle and all she saw was a love triangle. The dude to the back he didn’t lack. He had maxed. But this did not stop her or deter her. However she found him going down on another lady. Then he got slapped.
Seeing the complication of the situation, Trouble found an invitation to forgive because she never forgets. She ain’t whipped from the hump and dump game. Everybody’s out for the push up.
Gotta Get a Grip is one of her more politically conscious songs that is very much politically charged. Trouble went on a different tip during this song. She says through educating one’s self that we can be fit to fight for power and to fight the power along with oppression. Fighting for consciousness was the purpose of the song.
The United States constitution wasn’t written for African American people to have rights. So check your history. African American are still in slavery. A white man’s worst fear is an educated black person. Through educating one’s self that we can be fit to fight the power and oppression. We gotta get a grip in order to be fit to fight for power.
Trouble exposes how the United States constitution wasn’t written for African American people to have rights. She also exposes how democracy has got hypocrisy. Democracy can be a hypocrisy as philosophers says. She says through educating one’s self that we can be fit to fight for power and to fight the power. To fight the power is to fight oppression.
The constitution wasn’t written for me
So check your history we’re still in slavery
Democracy has got hypocrisy
It’s not a controversial plea
We speaking of the agonies
Of my race and voicing with my faculties
Refusing to be a victim of the Klan
A white man’s worst fear is an educated black man
So I’m undertaking responsibility
To educate minds
So we can
Self-education
In order to be fit to fight for power
We gotta get a grip
Live your life comatose with no hope dreams or broke. But with every roast of the pipe another brother smoked. She is angered to see the pace of destruction. We’re killing off our own race. Anyone comprehend this? We’ve gotta end this. Take your place in the world. We began this. What do you do when you’re born of the black race? The economy’s ran to try to keep you at a slower pace.
Fly Guy described the type of men Trouble liked. The song was a freestyle MC Trouble recorded when she was in the booth one day. This is a freestyle over a funky rhythm.
Trouble is a fiend for a king with a nice backside. A pure Nubian brother. And don’t ask why. Boys are high on her list. She love to have a cutie cold wrapped around her wrist. One to adore her. Like a Rolex to flex for. On a weekends, Trouble and her friends are chill until they see a physique fit to kill. Rolling down the boulevard. Head in a max. You know we got a few cute ones. But most are cold whack. Well keeping out the men on the strip.
Trouble has is enamored by this man named Pete. He has a big ole booty that women would love to see jiggle and wiggle But it’s packed so tight. It doesn’t even move a little. If his butt could hold a mic, no one could out rhyme him. The guy is quite dimensional with exceptional potential to be the man of everything Pete should have been a butcher because he had all the beef. He falls victim in a second or less to be exact. Now he’s keeping her stroll.
Way back in the days, Trouble had a boy named James. His smile was perfect and his face the same with a cocoa complexion the skin of perfection. Now with a mug like that, who needs to flex? The kind of guy she can take home to momma. Built like Magic and moves likes Jordan.
Black Line is another politically charged song on the album which is very much politically charged. Trouble went on a different tip during this song. She tackles issues such as racism, equality, literacy, and corruption. These are her opinions on such issues.
Trouble was not afraid to speak her mind. She was looking forward to a better day for mankind. She wants (wanted) a safe world where kids can play and to educate all that white versus black can only equal gray. Now she does not call for anything violent such as an insurrection due to her being pro-peace. She wanted racial equality for all and to end poverty. Now she was pretty woke for her time given there were not too many rappers who would and were not afraid to speak speak their minds.
These lyrics show how politically charged the song is. These lyrics were pretty woke for the time.
Issue one let’s tackle the racism
Decays the minds who call it the [?] of Nubian descent
I love my brothers, but being pro-peace I see no colors
Shout “down with the hunger, up with the giving”
“Down with the [?], up for better livin”
“Down with the homelessness, down with the drugs”
“Up with the shelters, down with the thugs”
Every man rise, down with the giving up
Everyone shout for Congress’ pay cut
So call me a nigga? How would you figure if I called you a cracker?
Would it matter?
Issue three—all men created and God wants peace for all people
Yet we fight, for ignorance to know wrong from right, when we should unite
Shout “down with the negative, up with the positive”
Down with the racism, up with the unity
Down with the ignorance, up with awareness
Up with the caring, down with the careless
Up with the sharing, down with the stingy
Up with the better, down with the dingy
Minds that corrupt the world
Let’s make a better place for our boys and girls
Get a grip before the world decays
With toxic waste, where will our children play?
With the building of bombs, when will the government grow up?
When it blows up will we end up
How do you think it was?
There are people on the street with nothing to eat
Nowhere to live, no shoes on their feet
The president stays a 500 plus suites with the taxpayers’ money
Now who’s the cheat?
I think of the mess, it only makes me frown
I see a hungry child, his wife in a hundred-thousand-dollar gown
People in the station can’t read or write
While million-dollar bombs are built, just for the fright and destruction of another human
Which is a whack ass plan, people on the streets, just begging for a buck
But Congress gets a race war and job with food
Now I’m not afraid to speak my mind
I’m looking forward to a better day for mankind
I want a safe world, where my kids can play
And educate all that white versus black can only equal gray
MC Trouble marked her place as the syndicate princess of Rhyme Syndicate on her solo song Here Comes Trouble. Time to get hype. Trouble’s hitting hard with the new tune zoom and making moves with a style that’s smooth. Trouble projects a dialect and make the perfects pickup lines. She was the queen of queens coming straight out of Motown. An African princess is almost what she is. So you better watch out! Here comes Trouble!
Trouble is in this to win this. So let her begin this. And it’s a proven fact, there ain’t no MC alive that can hold her back or cope. Rhyming is a habit for her. She will hype with a mic and move to a style that’s smooth. She ain’t no joke.
Let’s rock this party right. Here comes Trouble. She’s getting hyper. Time to get hype. Trouble’s hitting hard with the new tune zoom and making moves with a style that’s smooth. Trouble is untouchable, undustable, and uncrushable. Trouble is undefeatable. Her words are so hard and suave. Moving crowds was her job.
These words are hard and suave.
As I project a dialect and make the perfect pickup
Believe me when I say I got the look and the sound
Queen of queens coming straight out of Motown
Straight out of Motown, boy, we’re bustin bubbles
So you better watch out! Here comes Trouble!
Here comes the trouble. Feel the rhythm. Let her mind grab you. When she rock the microphone, you just say “Damn!” She’s got total control of the situation. There are no gimmicks. Just thrills and total penetration. Watch Motown lay down the funky music and funky scenarios. Trouble is gifted to give the best of her. Now Trouble approached the mic to make them scream and holla. Total satisfaction rolled up in a dolla. Now watch a lyrical mind celebrate.
Trouble paid homage to those who came before her and contemporaries of the time in these lyrics below.
BDP loved to start a little trouble
Public Enemy got into a lot of trouble
Doug E. Fresh knows a lot about trouble
MC Trouble marked her place as the syndicate princess of Rhyme Syndicate yet again on her solo song Power Move as she puts the power move on them. In-house producer Tracey got busy on the crossfade as Trouble kicked the rhythms and lyrics.
Here’s the syndicate princess. Another victim is added to that hitlist. She didn’t believe she could come this hard. You’re getting rid of your hopes as you play her tape. Damn, it’s getting funkier, funkier by the minute. Getting dumb with the strum. That’s why the people loved her. Trouble is taking lyrics by the shitload. She’s got the jones for funky ass rhythms. Now here comes the power move.
Hard is how she hits this because she meant this groove to be the shit. Trouble succeed at the rhythm where others have tried and lied about the ability to get with her. See, stop, and witness her rap songs. MC Trouble is down with the syndicate and is top contender. And the hardest MC of the female gender.
These lyrics show how MC Trouble was the hardest female MC.
Down with the syndicate and top contender
And hardest MC of the female gender
There comes the coronation, just groove
The syndicate princess reigns in the power move
Now you know now I have to bust a rhyme
By the name Trouble given to me by my homies
Proven by the suckas who were scared and now you know me
The title “Princess” given to me by my soulmate
Princess of the syndicate, can you relate to the style, the tempo
Take a memo cause it’s wild
Now it’s a very, very lovely day for dissin
All you little punks super close, steady kissin
Up heard my verse cut and called me whack
Now you’re praying for the day to smack my back
But I still chill time after time till the showdown
L-I-B-E going a hundred point five
People threat and beg—how could it be?
That Trouble is living? Don’t you see?
And what’s next? When a punk wants to step
My homie dropped a rhythm, I call it a set
The s-y-n-d-i-c-a-t-e, they all got my back, cause they’re down with me
Now stuck up punk take a walk ‘cause you’ll lose
It’s 1990, get ready for the power move
Thing For You is about Trouble having a thing for her man that she loves dearly. She discussed the feelings they shared because the feeling was mutual. There comes a time when a girl needs a man’s love. So many things are running through her mind. But this one’s for him. She’s got a thing for him. There just ain’t no disguising the facts.
The song uses a transpose where the song shifts and switches from A key to B key thus using the song of Ab key. However the song is played in the form of Ab key. The Ab chord is one of the most used chords in the song which is used 39 times. That is more times than any of the other chords that are used throughout the duration of the song. That’s more than Cm and Eb.
MC Trouble came back to prove a point on her song Points Proven as she has something to show and prove. MC Trouble rode that beat smoothly and killed that shit as always. Her lyrics are flawless. What you have in this song is lyrics combined with the bass drum. You can hear it in her style.
MC Trouble is riding this smooth beat like a jock. Some try to mock her, mimic her rap style, and bite off her style. But they never stop her from rocking a mic. They couldn’t cope because she was too hype. So they want to diss MC Trouble because she is dope. You soon will see. Don’t diss if you think that you can rock a joint better than she can.
MC Trouble is down for unity amongst brothas and sistas regardless of location because as they say we’re in this together. Sure she can take an MC and play it like checkers. But if we came together she could sell more records (well could have). Give her a mic, an amp, a rhythm, and she is set. She doesn’t have to say she is dope. You can expect to hear lyrics, lyrics, and more lyrics from her. Now her points proven.
These lyrics show how dope MC Trouble is.
Rocking a crowd, bass loud, and I’m rolling
Syndicated funk—this show’s stolen
My dance is dogged, around the stage I trot
Then I have a male fan me when I get a little hot
For you to dope, though not edible
Drop the taste of soap, and unforgettable
Piece of Trouble as they try to claw me
Jealous punks, you want to destroy me
But understand, every point I score
Is not a point against you
It’s a point for what we’re fighting for
Respect, bring respect to our music
So hand me a check before you use it
They’ll take you, make you, then gank you
You gotta know the business, or they’ll break you
Knowledge is prosperity combined with sincerity
I’m provin’, your movin’, I’m paid ya see
MC Trouble dropped knowledge on how the business is ran and operated in these lyrics reflecting corporate culture. A bit of knowledge on how corporate culture is run.
So hand me a check before you use it
They’ll take you, make you, then gank you
You gotta know the business, or they’ll break you
Knowledge is prosperity combined with sincerity
In these lyrics, she breaks down how her competitors are trying to find her weakness by finding a fault in her and by finding a fault in her lyrics. Her competitors, jealous punks, and haters analyze to find a fault in her when they are really in awe of her. Jealous punks want to destroy her.
And yo it’s fact, before I called you whack
You know it’s so I don’t have to say it
[?] proven, that’s why they play it
I see them analyze, to find a fault in me
They wanna break, when they really in awe of me
Rocking a crowd, bass loud, and I’m rolling
Syndicated funk—this show’s stolen
My dance is dogged, around the stage I trot
Then I have a male fan me when I get a little hot
For you to dope, though not edible
Drop the taste of soap, and unforgettable
Piece of Trouble as they try to claw me
Jealous punks, you want to destroy me
But understand, every point I score
Is not a point against you
It’s a point for what we’re fighting for
Respect, bring respect to our music
So hand me a check before you use it
They’ll take you, make you, then gank you
You gotta know the business, or they’ll break you
Knowledge is prosperity combined with sincerity
I’m provin’, your movin’, I’m paid ya see
Points proven
My points proven
Now at the very of this song is when Trouble gets woke by asking for a political revolution. Trouble went on a different tip during part of the song which is very much politically charged. The last part of the song was also a call for peace and unity.
We need peace and unity, stand together for all
Can you hear the cattle call?
Well check it, the death and destruction, government corruption
America’s the floormat and we’re just the doormat
[?] of America’s slime
The chemical to be a black on black crime
Brothers and sisters and fathers and mothers again
Brothers gotta move or get moved on see
I’m the type of girl that’s a bit more than curious
Down for trouble, bubble hands make me furious
There’s too much to lose and rope to chew
Instead of swinging booze, read the news
Instead of picking us as animals, let’s get the revolution moving
Let’s get our point proven
My points proven
Well Equipped is another lyrical freestyle of hers. Once again, she shows off how dope she really is. She was the lyrical queen of Motown back in 1990.
MC Trouble did come equipped. Direct in effect for a sucker in a set. Who’s next? Trouble is the infamous rhymer with a rep. Now she is gonna make a hit to stop suckas step. Now she’s shooting like an Uzi from a brain that’s deadly. Verse after verse like an automatic shutoff. Not even male MCs know how to step to her
These lyrics break down her technique and show how dope she really is.
I come equipped, direct in effect for a suck in a set and ask, who’s next?
Trouble the infamous, rhymer with a rep
Now gonna make a hit to stop suckas step
Now I’m shooting like an Uzi from a brain that’s deadly
Makes you wonder what in the hell my mother fed me
To grow up this fresh, and yes, I rhyme on a mic like a lady possessed
I go off, like an automatic shutoff
Verse after verse, I get up and you spit off
Mischievous, I’m devious, so when it gets [?], you better know who I’m [?]
Because breaking laws, busting doors, going underground with a sound you found, I’ll be down
A true female so zip the lip, I do not slip or flip
Cause I’m well equipped
I’m well equipped
First to, coming [?] fidelity
I ain’t the one, that other rappers get to see
I flip and rip the ones who ain’t equipped
To go down with the syndicate, I ain’t trip
To rule in the industry, I [?] the big fees
Not even male MCs know how to step to me, and I laugh
Cause I’m already set
Grown boys cry cause they ain’t on my level yet
Take my rhymes, put them in zigzags and roll it
Like dope you get ripped if you sold it
I’m lettin’ off, settin’ off, gettin’ off
I’ve be steppin off, we’ll be better off
I choose to move and groove to prove to all that fall and call and lie they try things I
With pride I roll the show to grow and flow and so, now you know
I’m well equipped
Take me lightly undoubtedly, how could you?
I am Trouble, one of us double
Most girls on a set talk “ribbi-ribbi-rubble”
See what I’m hitting at, getting at, [?]
All this, you talk and sittin’ that
I pump the brake on the track
I catch my breath, scratch my back
I’m well equipped
Cash is my residuals, what I have to show for this
Lines and rhymes, with total precision on a mission to get busy
I’m the definition of dopeness, with hope you could cope with this
Eyes shut, yeah delivered by a real lady, not a slut
You see you can’t face this, cause I
I kick with my philosophy, knowledge
Know-how brothers can only try to be my equal
I cypher like a viper, attack like a sniper to get the crowd hyper
I’m vigilant, vigilant, this hear prickly miss
I rate this album 5/5*****!!
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