True to form, Rucker’s albums are poetry in motion, guided by a time signature that speaks to the human experience with honesty and poignancy, where poetry and music intertwine, and emotion is poured out with piercing lyrical cadence. In her third album, Rucker sets her sights towards an ancient Egyptian Kemetic principle, the foundation of universal order and balance – ma’at – truth. Ma’at is the name of the goddess whose power works to keep truth and balance, “Some believe she is at the top of the hierarchy of Egyptian gods and goddesses, for without universal order there is nothing but chaos and destruction”. The Supa Sista has now evolved into Ma’at Mama”, her mezzo-soprano speak has spurned collaborations with the likes of Silent Poets, King Brit, Josh Wink, 4Hero, even composing cuts on three consecutive Roots albums, which exposed her to an international following. ‘Supa Sista’, her 2001 !K7 debut launched a talented poet as a solo artist with the affirmation of a strong lyrical voice. With ‘Ma’at Mama’, Rucker shows a new level of maturity in her writing, she explores socio political point of race, class, culture, religion and gender, with steel-cut precision. Then, there’s her life long love of Prince. “If I would go through a hard time I would listen to his music and it was all I needed,” she says with pride. A Prince-like influence is felt on her production choice, working with traditional African percussion, raucous guitar, and symbiotic synthesizers. Sensuality oozes with mention of body parts in ‘Black Erotica’. She kicks simple goodness in the acapella ‘Church Party’, an ode to the glory days, “They all stand in a buffalo stance/B-boy posin’/Skin and style pressed up against church hall wall/3-D graffiti hit/Somebody say, Exotic! Exotic!” These connections are made in intense outpourings of emotion, in subtler phrasing and more overt tones in other places. ‘Poon Tang Clan’ is among her power pieces, exploring women tough and street made. “Why am I so raw? Cause I don’t fuck with protocol or propriety […]”. Rucker does not shelter her audience. She’s honest, vibrant, heartfelt and at the core – true. She ends ‘For Women’ with a grand declaration. “Call me crazy, divine, Ma’at, true honeybun, Supreme Pontifica, electric lady, holy prostitute. I don’t care what you call me. I know who I is”. By her own definition, she is a ma’at mama to the core.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Martin Madigan
