Tuesday, June 10, 2008

I'm OK now ...

... last night, not so much.
The finale for Ego Trip's Miss Rap Supreme on VH1 was last night and it did not turn out the way I expected. Though she wasn't my pick to win it all, I would like to congratulate Rece Steele on her victory.
The last time I did a post, I think Lady Twist had just gotten the boot. In case you're not as avid a viewer as I am, let me catch you up. When I last posted about M.R.S., Bree, Nicky2States, Chiba, Ms. Cherry, Byata and Rece Steele were the last ladies standing.
Bree exited the show after a less than stellar showing during the video challenge. That week, she, Chiba and Ms. Cherry were teammates competing against Byata, Nicky2States and Rece Steele to create the best video possible. They had to write a song and make a video using some of the craziest props and extras.
Surprisingly, I thought the low-budget video and song, i.e. Bree's team, was better because they were more creative. The problem was Ms. Cherry out shined the rest of her group members and one of them had to go. It really wasn't that shocking to see Bree go. She stayed longer than I thought she would.
Next to go was the foul-mouthed Nicky2States. With only five folks left and two team captains being chosen from the pageant, that left three ladies to be chosen for a team. That means that three people were on one team and two on the other. Byata was teamed with her arch enemy Chiba and Ms. Cherry, while Nicky2States teamed up with Rece Steele.
For that challenge, the ladies had to write a song that would cross over to the pop audience. Byata said being the white girl came in handy for that challenge and after a power struggle with Chiba, Team Byata reigned supreme. That left Rece and Nicky up for elimination. After the most emotional elimination of the show, Nicky had to leave, but all was well because she pledged that she was going home to "get some."
Last week's episode left Chiba, Ms. Cherry, Byata and Rece Steele to battle it out to get the top three. That show was probably the most funny because Chiba tried to get back in the other ladies good graces and ended up drinking a bit much and stupidly admitted to maybe using previously written rhymes.
Long story short, there was no pageant so it was every femcee for herself. Since there were no teams, nobody got immunity. Chiba did win the competition but of course the other ladies assumed that the rhyme was previously written.
Byata threatened to quit, YoYo fussed her out like Tyra Banks did that model chick Tiffany when she got eliminated. Hearing the ladies' concerns about a possibly cheating Chiba, Search and YoYo deliberated and opted to have Chiba step off because they didn't trust her. I was happy, because, well, Chiba had been on my good nerve for a couple of weeks.
Last night left the top three, Ms. Cherry, Byata and Rece Steele. First off, I think I predicted that Rece Steele was leaving in like week four, but she didn't. I picked Ms. Cherry and Byata for the top three and what can I say, two out of three isn't bad, right?
Anyway, the final pageant was a battle between the three ladies left. Ms. Cherry being from ATL, she wasn't fluent in battle rapping. Byata claimed she doesn't battle, but that didn't stop her from ripping Ms. Cherry a new one, but she went easy on Rece. Rece, however, did NOT return the favor. She cut both of them down like blades of grass and of course breezed through the pageant.
Ms. Cherry had to go because, well, her battle raps sucked. I would still buy her music. I hope Lil' Jon or Luda picks her up because the girl is alright.
That leaves us with Rece Steele and Byata in what I call the "Battle of the Burroughs." Both ladies are from New York City, but Rece hails from the Boogie Down Bronx while Byata hails from Brooooook-lynnnnnnnnnnn!
Their challenge was to write a 16-bar verse and a song complete with a hook to perform in front of an audience and guest judges Mona Scott from Violator Management and Missy Elliot. Both the ladies stepped up to the stage, did their thing and Rece Steele reigned "supreme."
There could be several reasons that the judges chose her, I personally was rooting for Byata. I think the girl can rap, she's got a nice flow to her and she's about having fun. Rece on the other hand is a little too hard for me. She was talking about murdering folks and I can't co-sign on that.
She can battle rap her butt off, but I wasn't feeling her song or her 16 bars in the finale. But, that's why I wasn't judging, they know more about hip hop than I do. I just listen to what I like.
Personally, I think that Rece needs to link up with the Rza, the Gza, Raekwon the Chef, Method Man and the rest of the Wu-Tang Clan. For one thing, we've been knowing since '94 that they "ain't nothing to F@#* with" and I think they need one of those ride or die chicks on their squad and she's it.
All in all, it was a good show. A wonderful alternative to the regular "Celebreality" nonsense on VH1. I can't wait for the next season.

5 comments:

PCD (Pretty Circle Drawer) said...

i loved byata...wanted her to win, but i like rece too, so congrats to her!

Tiffany S. Jones said...

Yea, I guess that's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes.

Sheletha said...

okay so since i don't watch the show..which is which???

Eb the Celeb said...

I always like Ms. Cherry...

to me... she has the best voice and marketability... and that's what its about... although I liked Reece's flow... she came off too heavy sometimes...like when Queen latifah first came out... but that hardcore female rapper isnt going to sell nowadays

Tiffany S. Jones said...

@ Eb, I know. All the rap out now is kind of "poppy" and it's light enough to cross over. Need I bring up Soulja Boy?
@ Sheletha, the pics correspond with the paragraphs with the exception of Rece. I didn't want to completely give it away with the picture.
And how did you NOT get into this show?