Ain't Nuthin' But a She Thing

Surprising fact: less than 5% of all philanthropic dollars annually in the U.S. are granted specifically to women and girls, and virtually all clinical trials are done on men. This realization, sparked by the breast cancer death of a well-respected executive at Sire Records, prompted colleagues to start The Shirley Divers Foundation for Women, the beneficiary of proceeds from Ain't Nothing but s She Thing. The all-female compilation focuses mainly on light pop and soul from the like of Salt-N-Pepa, Vanessa Williams and Queen Latifah, broken up by spikes of altogether less glossy offerings. Patti Smith's solo piano excursion down Nina Simone's "Don't Smoke in Bed," and Annie Lennox's moody "Mama," and Luscious Jackson's Euro-retro "69 Annee Erotique" are the keepers here.