Rapsody’s brave new album, ‘Please Don’t Cry,’ displays strength through vulnerability

By GARY GERARD HAMILTON
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — If truth has the power to set one free, then Rapsody’s new album, “Please Don’t Cry,” has removed her from emotional imprisonment and gifted her immeasurable liberation. The three-time Grammy nominee is not only frequently lauded by critics as the best female lyricist, but also as one of the best in the genre. But the recognition hasn’t translated into the commercial success of some female peers. But her plight isn’t unusual for rappers labeled as “continuous” or extremely lyrical, regardless of gender. She says “I was looking at what everybody else was doing instead of worrying about myself.” “Please Don’t Cry” is by far the most personal of her four studio albums.