JANET 20 Y.O.

batmon · August 2006

Yah or Nay?Does she even have Becky's attention anymore? The Nelly collabo is wack.Can she pull a Mariah Carey? Does she have to reference CONTROL just to drum up sales?Can Jermaine Dupri sprinkle her w/ somethin'?Has she finally graduated from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis?Should she has pulled a Christina Agulerra and croon over some 90's retro beats?Projected numbers in the States?Has she missed the boat a long time ago - not adjusting to the Mary J. Blige sensability?

Mongo_Slade · August 2006

Yah or Nay?
Does she even have Becky's attention anymore?
The Nelly collabo is wack.
Can she pull a Mariah Carey?
Does she have to reference CONTROL just to drum up sales?
Can Jermaine Dupri sprinkle her w/ somethin'?
Has she finally graduated from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis?
Should she has pulled a Christina Agulerra and croon over some 90's retro beats?
Projected numbers in the States?
Has she missed the boat a long time ago - not adjusting to the Mary J. Blige sensability?

Does the album title refer to the fact that certain parts of her anatomy are conspicuously newer than others?

Young_Phonics · August 2006

I think she's look reeeeeeeeeal good in that photo, especially since she's been looking like a frickin' science experiment these past few years(You know that older person's neck skin with a young person face-skin...creepy).

I'm not mad at that new one, it's *listenable urban pop.

*i let it play when it comes on the radio, but by no means run out and "cop that janet piff for the club sets

deej · August 2006

In an interview, Dupri said he wanted this album to sound like Human League.

Potentially

Likely

In conclusion,

djanna · August 2006

I think she's look reeeeeeeeeal good in that photo, especially since she's been looking like a frickin' science experiment these past few years(You know that older person's neck skin with a young person face-skin...creepy).

I'm not mad at that new one, it's *listenable urban pop.

*i let it play when it comes on the radio, but by no means run out and "cop that janet piff for the club sets

dude, that pic is so airbrushed, it's less like a photo and more like a painting. look at her mouth, man, that's not real!

DJ_Enki · August 2006

dude, that pic is so airbrushed, it's less like a photo and more like a painting. look at her mouth, man, that's ~~not real!~~ Joker-esque!

batmon · August 2006

In an interview, Dupri said he wanted this album to sound like Human League.

Produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis...............

DocMcCoy · August 2006

In an interview, Dupri said he wanted this album to sound like Human League.

Produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis...............

Yeah, but the rest of that album blew.

I caught the video for that Nelly joint today - that lavish, high-concept Hype Williams thing seems to be a definite attempt to hark back to when she was still pretty hot, at least as far as the look goes. The song is nothing, though. Her last record was a piece of shit. Blame its failure on the fallout from the "wardrobe malfunction" all you like, but if there was anything hot on that record, radio would have been all over it and fuck all that titty bullshit. I was a real fan of hers for years, and I think she could still bring it back - she's nowhere like the lost cause Mariah seemed to be, and look what happened there - but a lot of it depends on whether or not there's any kind of audience for a 40-y-o black woman doing sub-Prince pop/r&b, or acting like she's Ciara or someone, because, to be truthful, she seems to lack the artistic range for much else beyond what she's always done. She's been married twice, and she's still talking about "exploring her sexuality" on her records? Come on, now. She hasn't got the skills vocally to go up against Mary on her turf, so the route Mary seems to be headed in - Anita Baker/Patti Labelle/grown and sexy - is out. Maybe she's become a little too tied in with Jam & Lewis' style, which isn't as universally hot and all-conquering as it once was, or it may even be a case that she's no longer a interesting enough performer for a new Janet Jackson record to be something you'd want to hear just because it's Janet Jackson.

batmon · August 2006

I caught the video for that Nelly joint today - that lavish, high-concept Hype Williams thing seems to be a definite attempt to hark back to when she was still pretty hot, at least as far as the look goes. The song is nothing, though. Her last record was a piece of shit. Blame its failure on the fallout from the "wardrobe malfunction" all you like, but if there was anything hot on that record, radio would have been all over it and fuck all that titty bullshit. I was a real fan of hers for years, and I think she could still bring it back - she's nowhere like the lost cause Mariah seemed to be, and look what happened there - but a lot of it depends on whether or not there's any kind of audience for a 40-y-o black woman doing sub-Prince pop/r&b, or acting like she's Ciara or someone, because, to be truthful, she seems to lack the artistic range for much else beyond what she's always done. She's been married twice, and she's still talking about "exploring her sexuality" on her records? Come on, now. She hasn't got the skills vocally to go up against Mary on her turf, so the route Mary seems to be headed in - Anita Baker/Patti Labelle/grown and sexy - is out. Maybe she's become a little too tied in with Jam & Lewis' style, which isn't as universally hot and all-conquering as it once was, or it may even be a case that she's no longer a interesting enough performer for a new Janet Jackson record to be something you'd want to hear just because it's Janet Jackson.

Chuurrch.

Damita Jo was trash.

And I've kept an eye on her. Maybe she's more relevant to Asia and Europe's Beckys, ala Madonna?

faux_rillz · August 2006

And I've kept an eye on her. Maybe she's more relevant to Asia and Europe's Beckys, ala Madonna?

I think gay record/ticket buyers mostly keep Madonna in business these days. Not sure if Janet's got that kind of appeal.

deej · August 2006

Dupri did it for Mariah. I'll wait to judge til the album's out. I'm with you guys that she doesn't seem to have too many options though.

faux_rillz · August 2006

Dupri did it for Mariah. I'll wait to judge til the album's out. I'm with you guys that she doesn't seem to have too many options though.

I think it's more likely that working together will hurt JD than that it will help Janet.

I was recently telling somebody that if JD ever wanted to put out another album as a rapper, being Janet's man would absolutely sink him. Not that anyone checked for his last two albums, anyway, but still...

Young_Phonics · August 2006

Dupri did it for Mariah. I'll wait to judge til the album's out. I'm with you guys that she doesn't seem to have too many options though.

you'll most likely co-sign on it.

faux_rillz · August 2006

Dupri did it for Mariah. I'll wait to judge til the album's out. I'm with you guys that she doesn't seem to have too many options though.

you'll most likely co-sign on it.

[deej]She should rap![/deej]

deej · August 2006

Dupri did it for Mariah. I'll wait to judge til the album's out. I'm with you guys that she doesn't seem to have too many options though.

you'll most likely co-sign on it.

[deej]She should rap![/deej]

You don't know me

wtf when have i advocated R&B stars start rapping?
also this 'you like everything' shit is way off base.
But please enjoy "Dear Summer" elevator music whilst I bump mary j.

faux_rillz · August 2006

Dupri did it for Mariah. I'll wait to judge til the album's out. I'm with you guys that she doesn't seem to have too many options though.

you'll most likely co-sign on it.

[deej]She should rap![/deej]

You don't know me

wtf when have i advocated R&B stars start rapping?
also this 'you like everything' shit is way off base.
But please enjoy "Dear Summer" elevator music whilst I bump mary j.

Your presence on this board has been marked by a consistent advocacy of women with no discernable rapping abilities doing just that.

Ex. 1: Shawnna

Ex. 2: Trina

And unless you're listening to one of Mary's first two (maybe three) joints, you're listening to elevator music.

jlee · August 2006

Your presence on this board has been marked by a consistent advocacy of women with no discernable rapping abilities doing just that.

Ex. 1: Shawnna

Ex. 2: ~~Trina~~

And unless you're listening to one of Mary's first two (maybe three) joints, you're listening to elevator music.

SouthCrackalack · August 2006

just to let yall know..I dont think that is the official cover for that album. She had a little "design my album cover" contest and I think that is the current front runner or winner of the first round(or something?). Maybe I am wrong all together and that is the winner, but I surely hope not.

faux_rillz · August 2006

Your presence on this board has been marked by a consistent advocacy of women with no discernable rapping abilities doing just that.

Ex. 1: Shawnna

Ex. 2: ~~Trina~~

And unless you're listening to one of Mary's first two (maybe three) joints, you're listening to elevator music.

C'mon now--she had the perfect voice to recite the lyrics that Trick wrote for "Na'an," but do you really want to hear an uninterrupted four minute attempt to deliver her own lyrics?

Brian · August 2006

trina can rap

deej · August 2006

Dude, Trina's first two albums are good, and she can definnitely rap.
neither her or shawnna are R&B stars so I'm not sure what you're saying though.

Also, Mary J's last album is fucking great. There's a reason shit way outsold the previous one. (That U2 cover was garbage obv but that shit doesn't even show up til the end of the album)

I'm not gonna bother defending shawnna anymore, she's not in any way my favorite rapper or anything but she has skills and your obsession with that shit is zzz

faux_rillz · August 2006

trina can rap

Okay, Trina fans--you win. I'm not even gonna argue this one.

deej · August 2006

C'mon now--she had the perfect voice to recite the lyrics that Trick wrote for "Na'an," but do you really want to hear an uninterrupted four minute attempt to deliver her own lyrics?

"Pull Over"

faux_rillz · August 2006

Also, Mary J's last album is fucking great. There's a reason shit way outsold the previous one. (That U2 cover was garbage obv but that shit doesn't even show up til the end of the album)

The reason being that it hit with the Oprah demographic.

Mary is tired, she's embarassing herself, and she needs to hang it up.

jlee · August 2006

Your presence on this board has been marked by a consistent advocacy of women with no discernable rapping abilities doing just that.

Ex. 1: Shawnna

Ex. 2: ~~Trina~~

And unless you're listening to one of Mary's first two (maybe three) joints, you're listening to elevator music.

C'mon now--she had the perfect voice to recite the lyrics that Trick wrote for "Na'an," but do you really want to hear an uninterrupted four minute attempt to deliver her own lyrics?

i ain't gonna buy her discography anytime soon...but "no descernable rapping abilities" is a tad harsh.

and i will ride for this verse:

Who got more ass than the average bitch?
You know it's the baddest bitch
Number ten in the face slim in the waist
Fat in the ass, do you want a taste?
Pop to the bass I'mma make ya drop
(Whoop! Whoop!)
Trina fixin' ta make ya hot
Uh me and the girls hit the club and clown
Going back to the old school, Dodo Brown
M-I-A-M-I baby
Slip 'n' Slide and I'm going crazy
Cause my shit firm and tight, just right
And if the price is right I just might

deej · August 2006

Trina's first album is pretty great, I would say her second one is pretty good too. Her singles have all, up til this last album, been excellent.

As for Mary J, I donno what your take is on modern R&B so I'm not sure how to argue w/ you about this faux rillz, but I like Andy Kellman's review in AllMusic (and yeah some amg reviewers are garbage, but Kellman is a notable exception) and as for disparaging the 'oprah demographic,' who do you think you are, 50 cent?

At the end of 2005, Mary J. Blige's career was supposed to be anthologized. The singer had her way, however, and one of her best studio albums came out instead. In retrospect, her previous album, 2003's Love & Life, was awkward; the P. Diddy collaborations, likely intended to recapture the magic the duo put together on What's the 411? and My Life, didn't always pay off, and Blige was about to become a wife, so the songs steeped in heartbreak and disappointment weren't delivered with as much power as they had been in the past. The Breakthrough also contains some of the drama that fans expect, despite Blige's continued happiness, but it's clear that she has gained enough distance from the uglier parts of her past that she can inhabit them and, once again, deliver those songs. The past does play a significant role in the album, as in "Baggage," where she apologies to her husband for bringing it into their relationship. "Father in You" sounds like a note-perfect facsimile of a classic soul ballad, rising and falling and twisting with a sensitive string arrangement, but the lyrics are pure Blige, acknowledging the ways in which her husband has made up for the absence of her father. On the nearly anthemic "Good Woman Down," she sees a less matured version of herself in young women and uses her experiences to advise. She jacks the beat from the Game's "Hate It or Love It" for "MJB da MVP," where she reflects on her career, thanks her supporters, and reasserts her rightful position as the soul hip-hop queen. It's one of several tracks to beam with a kind of contentment and confidence that Blige has never before possessed. Take "Can't Hide from Love," where she's such a force that Jay-Z dishes out a quick introduction and knows to stay out of the way for the remainder of the track, or the glorious "I Found My Everything," her "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman." Beat for beat, the album features the best round of productions Blige has been handed since the mid-'90s. Apart from only a couple lukewarm tracks and a poorly recorded version of "One" with U2, it is completely correct.
-Andy Kellman

In my opinion the production on breakthrough is some of the best she's ever had. Its a real

mature soul album that is also incredibly consistent.

DocMcCoy · August 2006

The reason being that it hit with the grown and sexy[/b] demographic.

Mary is tired, she's embarassing herself, and she needs to hang it up.

Maybe there's a case to be made for the idea that Mary's core audience might secretly yearn for her to be not quite so happy in her personal life, inasmuch as she can't really "sing their pain" when she's finally got herself a good man, is clean and sober and generally seems to be at one with the universe. Although I wasn't really feeling "The Breakthrough" at first, there's some proper old-fashioned soul music on that joint, and irrespective of what some might think of that U2 cover, I give Mary major props for getting on a record with the biggest rock band in the world, and handing their asses to them on their own song. Personally, I would love to hear Mary do a straight-up rock album - she'd kill the Stones' "Wild Horses", for example. Anyway, since I'm not yet convinced that fine-ass Keyshia Cole is much more than just fine-ass, I'm going to stick with Mary, "elevator music" and all.

jlee · August 2006

the past 3 Mary J albums have all sounded the same to me...

snoozefest.

but when i was in 8th grade and '411' came out, she was the shittttt.

faux_rillz · August 2006

The reason being that it hit with the grown and sexy[/b] demographic.

Mary is tired, she's embarassing herself, and she needs to hang it up.

Maybe there's a case to be made for the idea that Mary's core audience might secretly yearn for her to be not quite so happy in her personal life, inasmuch as she can't really "sing their pain" when she's finally got herself a good man, is clean and sober and generally seems to be at one with the universe.

Well, I probably can't claim to be a part of the demographic that you have in mind when you refer to her core audience, but I'm not at all secretive about the fact that I think she made her best and most important music when her personal life was a mess. I really can't stomach her self-help guru incarnation.

Brian · August 2006

kelis' album will be better than all this shit

faux_rillz · August 2006

The reason being that it hit with the grown and sexy[/b] demographic.

Mary is tired, she's embarassing herself, and she needs to hang it up.

Maybe there's a case to be made for the idea that Mary's core audience might secretly yearn for her to be not quite so happy in her personal life, inasmuch as she can't really "sing their pain" when she's finally got herself a good man, is clean and sober and generally seems to be at one with the universe.

Well, I probably can't claim to be a part of the demographic that you have in mind when you refer to her core audience, but I'm not at all secretive about the fact that I think she made her best and most important music when her personal life was a mess. I really can't stomach her self-help guru incarnation.

And hasn't a "Mary has finally gotten herself together" media blitz accompanied each of the last three albums? Was she lying about it the first two times, or what?

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JANET 20 Y.O.

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