Angel De

When it comes to pop elements, hip-hop purists can be a lot like jazz purists — they tend to have an "us and them" mentality and have little use for those who try to reach pop audiences. So a rapper as pop-minded as Angel De stood little chance of appealing to hip-hop's hardcore. But that doesn't mean that this self-titled CD is without artistic merit — if you like your rap laced with lots of pop, R&B, and dance music, Angel De makes for likable though unspectacular listening. Angel's style of rapping is playful and girlish, and the image she projects is unthreatening. But for all of her pop/R&B appeal, the Atlanta rapper isn't afraid to get into sociopolitical lyrics on occasion. "Date a Dealer" candidly warns the girlfriends of drug dealers that they're playing Russian roulette, while the haunting "Keep the Pace" reflects on the mortality of prostitutes and crack addicts. With the right exposure, Angel De might have become a big name in crossover rap, but commercial success eluded the obscure MC.