Angie Martinez - Animal House

Where has she been?

Named after her newly formed record label based around the shining star that is Sacario (what happened to this kid?) this album shows Angie stepping up her game and putting Cool & Dre to work before they were Fat Joe's go to beat makers, and before they were big time producers for that matter. When Angie dropped her first album it seemed she was counting on her radio ties to make a name for herself by loading the album with big name guests. That album was also received as some what of a joke being that she was a radio DJ (and quite a successful one at that). But with this album she is trying to show that she actually does have some skills on the mic and has an ear for talent as she picked up the aforementioned Sacario and Cool & Dre before anyone else new about em. The lead single "If I Could Go" featuring Lil' Mo and Sacario is a hot club banger with Mo dropping a hook very well and both Angie and Sac come with it and Rick Roc drops an infectious beat that can double as both a hip hop club song and as a song that you could salsa to. She calls on a few big name friends such as Missy Elliott, Petey Pablo and Noreaga to come in and add some life to a few tracks. Her alliance with Fat Joe goes beyond just picking Cool & Dre to produce over half the album as Tony Sunshine drops in on the Ski produced "F*cked Up Situation" (10) and Fat Joe himself joins her and Sac on "Live Big remix" (13). This album does a good job of introducing us to some new talent and giving Angie Martinez a name as a solid emcee and not just someone who is trying to hustle her NY fame into worldwide fame. March 7, 2006

WOW, no disappointments here.

I simply love Angie Martinez, she's got so much flava and she can definitely work it.
I was well impressed with her debut UP CLOSE & PERSONAL and ANIMAL HOUSE certainly doesn't disappoint, her albums are the type that you can put on and let play.
My favourite song off ANIMAL HOUSE has to be F'ked up Situation, it's just fantastic the way she keeps her cool on the track whilst deep down inside she's hurting about a failed relationship but in true ANGIE style. I also love the last track very melodic and a great finish to the album, I'm not to sure about the interludes in-fact they crack me up on anybody's album, but she definitely makes up for the very few interludes there are with some tight songs.
I recently went through a break-up but I found this album a real comfort in a way that I didn't sit and cry all the time, I got on with life and I knew that Angie had my back.
I wish there was more female rappers like her, the Latin cross over is great, y'all remember LIVE AT JIMMY's? How fly was that track?
September 10, 2004

Second Time Around

When I heard "If I Could Go!" on the radio, at first I didn't who it was until it came to the chorus and then I realized "oh this is Angie's new joint!" Then I went to search for the full album and I found it. Let me say that it's a good follow up to the debut "Up, Close and Personal" but it's not as good as the debut. She kicks off with "Animal House" along new comer Sacario who's featured in three of the songs on the album including the debut single "If I Could Go!" with Lil' Mo and "Live Big (Remix)" with Latin Rapper, Fat Joe. Songs which may really may peeps remember what Angie's about is "A New Day" and "Never" She talks freely to the public in both the songs sayin' I'm here so you either love me or leave me. Angie is not really as hardcore as Lil' Kim, so when it comes to relationship songs, Angie becomes like an R&B star, just saying what she wants. She displays this on "If I Could Go!" and the R&B/Soul/Hip-Hop/Rap styled "F***ed Up Situation" Which is a ballad talking about a past relationship, the song features Tony Sunshine who worked with Angie on her previous record. Missy Elliott makes an appearance on Angie's album on the club bangin' "What's That Sound?" which is really cool. Angie is still keepin' herself real but I'd had to say this album is more for the West Coast as it's that Funk styled album which you get from most West Coast rappers. It's about her Miami life whereas "Up, Close and Personal" was about her life on the East Coast in New York. Well, she's still one of the tightest female rappers to date and she better keep on selling and making millions of fans. C'mon y'all must come support Angie Martinez. Make her fan list an Animal House! November 9, 2003

could've been better

This cd was allright but some of the songs were really old school and pretty boring if I have to say so.I mean this lady is supposd to be a rapper and half of the songs can't even get a party started. June 26, 2003

Animal House - Up, Close and Personal Part 2!

After a long "Up, Close and Personal" album, Angie returns with something a bit shorter. "Animal House" is the face of Hip-Hop and Rap music, it brings the life to it. Of course she's already proved on "If I Could Go!" which features Lil' Mo and Sacario, which I think was the hottest song in 2002, forget about Nelly's Party tracks! This is some real Rap! Other songs to prove it's beauty would be songs like "A New Day" which brings you into the world of Angie and also "Never" which was one of the tightest songs on the album. Angie has never been a sexual rapper, but she keeps her relationship issued songs like "F***ed Up Situation" featuring Tony Sunshine, harsh name, romantic tune! To let the peeps still know she's got Latin flavour, she throws in "We Can Get It On" with N.O.R.E, a party Latin track. Speaking of party's "What's That Sound?" and "Live Big [Remix]" are two Old Skool Hip-Hop party tracks which really bring back the memories of the good old days when peeps still remember what RAP and HIP-HOP actually was (not the Rap of the present day!). She has to be one of the artist of the present day who still remember the defined meaning of the words: Rap and Hip-Hop. Everyone should respect her for that! Go Angela! April 18, 2003

More reviews at Amazon.com ...