Album: Lil’ Mo – Pain & Paper

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Pain & Paper is the third studio release from Lil’ Mo. Formerly the protégé of Missy Elliott, Lil’ Mo has been known for her popular collaborations with the likes of Jay Z, Next, Missy Elliott, Fabolous and Ja Rule (Lil’ Mo was the predecessor to Ashanti). But apart from 2003’s 21 Answers (a response to 50 cent’s 21 Questions), Lil’ Mo is not widely known for her solo efforts. Pain & Paper is testimony to this fact.

Only a woman with an agenda would include 17 tracks on an album (I’m sorry but unless you’re Lauryn Hill, there is no excuse), and my my, what an agenda she has. After being unceremoniously dumped by her previous label in which her album never saw the light of day, Lil’ Mo wants everyone to know what she is capable of. Well, she can sing acapella and she can self promote-that’s a given. The rest of this album is repetitive, dull, filled with too many ballads, wailing vocal gymnastics, b-grade production and inconsistent song sequencing.

Lil’ Mo has self penned the title The Godmother for herself and I just don’t get it. I had such trouble connecting with this album which was disappointing. It is one thing not to pigeon hole yourself to one style but it is another to have no direction on an album at all. Although there are collaborations with Fabolous, Da Brat and Trina on Pain & Paper, next time someone up top needs to say three key words: Less is More.

Available through Ice Age Entertainment