Don't let the look fool you. Amanda Perez may appear to be hardcore, but she may probably be the most real, down to Earth Hip Hop and R&B act right now. After hearing the emotional plea from Angel, the hot single played all over major radio stations, I expected something one dimensional, but the Ft Wayne, Indiana native surprised me to no end.

     Amanda Perez is a gifted singer with a lot going for her. The writer, producer, singer and rapper has released a CD with many layers and versatility. The CD, entitled Angel, named after her cousin, Mike, who died of heart failure at the age of 31, has a wide range of emotions including love, lust, heartbreak, hate, sensuality, anger and more, keeping Perez in tune with listeners and making the artist very approachable despite her tough demeanor.

     "I believe that my life is to show people that I go through what they go through and there’s someone out there just like them,” she said.

     That is evident right from the first track; the flirtatious, fun, I Like It. I like it when you lick me right here/I like it when you touch me right there/I like it when you run those fingers through my hair/oh you do it so right/can we do it tonight/cause you know I like…/I like it.

     The mood changes with the first hit release, Angel, where like me; tired of the heartache, she asks for someone to love her and treat her right. It’s been five months/since you went away/left without a word and nothing to say/When I was the one who gave you my heart and soul/but it wasn’t good enough for you/No, oh/So I asked God/God send me an angel/from the heavens above/send me an angel/to heal my broken heart/from being in love/cause all I do is cry/God send me an angel/to wipe the tears from my eyes.

     She even hits us with a remix of Angel with a tender rap that really brings freshness to the song. Perez raps again with the beat-filled, head bobbing track Whoa, about catching a man two-timing on her. Her rapping continues and improves with the hot track Where You At? This song kicks ass with a really catchy hook and a different sound from most female rappers. Now what, where you at/Now what, where you at/Now what where you at/I’m way in the front/you way in the back (repeat once more), (repeat again, but this time with a crowd chanting the hook). This is a really cool anthem that seems perfect for use in sports. I loved it! Let the cheerleaders say it loud!

     Angel is a great CD. I enjoyed it a lot. It isn’t perfect. There are some tracks that sound too similar, some lines that come off corny and forced and some songs that just didn’t cut the mustard, but for the most part, Amanda Perez really impressed me. This is definitely a career to follow.

     Send your comments and or questions about this article to JMinners@ybfree.com.

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