The influx of hip-hop style and substance into white America's musical consciousness has given pop music a series of bad boys who, in another era, would be hanging out at the nearest fraternity keg party.

For this, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, a band with many otherwise noble qualities, has much to answer for. Luckily, the Chili Peppers' musical children are not limited to Limp Bizkit, Korn and Kid Rock.

Tokyo's Babamania starts with the basic Chili Peppers recipe of heavy funk- and hip-hop-inspired beats and bass, tongue-twisting poetic lyrics (all in English no less), and full-throttle guitar. But while the Chili Peppers are tattooed love boys to the core, Babamania cuts the testosterone with a bit of female soul, courtesy of co-lead vocalist Mari.