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When Lil Mama burst onto the scene back in the mid 2Ks, talking ’bout how her lip gloss be poppin’, most people within earshot of a radio and a TV found themselves bopping their heads to the pre-pubescent chica from Brooklyn, even grown ass men.

The song was a brilliant marketing scheme executed by Lil Mama who sang about a sacred object adored by adolescent girls all over the world: lip gloss, that oily gateway into teenage craziness. 

So, yeah … I am aware of Lil Mama.

Her transition from radio and music video to TV was really striking and fast, and her behavior and words thereafter shocked millions: lecturing a transgendered dancer on being a lady on America’s Best Dance Crew, jumping on stage with Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, claiming that Nicki Minaj bit her style and breaking into tears after a radio host called her ugly. 

I’ve never owned a Lil Mama record or downloaded any of her MP3s or intentionally played any of her songs. When I used to listen to terrestrial radio, I’d hear that one song that made her pop’s little darling. 

Then along came “Scrawberry,” Lil’ Mama’s homage to MC Lyte. A friend played the video for me and at under three minutes, it left me wanting more. The budget of the video, directed by Phil Lee, is suspect, but the imagery of a multi-wigged Lil’ Mama dancing in a dollhouse of a lil’ black girl, rapping about her car (?), was cute. The message there was suspect, too. I guess it’s all about control? I don’t know.

“Scrawberry” is old school, off beat and catchy. It samples Special Ed’s “I Got It Made” and is familiar to me ‘cuz, when I was in junior high school, I used to listen to Special Ed and watch his videos on Video Music Box with Ralph McDaniels while practicing my dance moves in front of a closet door mirror.

But “Scrawberry?” Really? What’s that about? The spelling and enunciation made me think of skrippers and skrimps, recalling class privilege and middle class desire of the poor, pretty much what Special Ed did with the song in ’80s. I like the song, though. It grows on you like a fungus, or cheese that matures with age, and it’s different from what’s playing now. Lots of people are feeling it, too. They don’t want to admit it because calling Lil Mama a wack job is what’s popular or cool.

Most of the press on this interesting young lady ignores her good deeds because it’s easier to write horrible things about a person.

“Scrawberry” is a fun song that binds two old school giants into a knot tied by an overzealous, over confident young lady, yes, but that’s OK.  

I hope it does well for Lil Mama and I hope she does more. Not feeling that blonde wig though.

-Cacy Forgenie