My Favorite R&B albums Part One

I feel like i dont show enough love to Contemporary R&B so here are some of my favorite albums

Aaliyah:Aaliyah- The self titled album from Aaliyah is one of the better R&B albums I’ve heard. The Timbaland beats are smooth and varied. Aaliyah was in her prime here, R.I.P. to the baby girl.

Alicia Keys Element of Freedom- I believe this is Alicia’s best album overall. It doesn’t have any lackluster songs. I really like Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart and Unthinkable(I’m Ready)

The Dream- Love Hate- The extraordinary songwriter’s debut album is has its ups and downs but the highs are really high if you will. Like SHawty is the Sh**, Fast Car, Livin a Lie, and Nikki.

Amerie Because I Love It- This is the album that really got me into Amerie. I’m surprised this didn’t come out in the U.S. This album is incredible. Amerie has some really varied songs like Hate2loveu, Crazy Wonderful, and Losing U.

Amerie In Love & War- Amerie’s best album to date has a lot of different sounds. She seems completely in her element as well. The 1^st half is more uptempo songs, while the last few songs are heartbreaking slower songs. My favorite song is the single Why R U.

Beyonce B’Day- This album is short, but its Beyonce’s best in my opinion. The songs with Jay-z are tight. Ring the Alarm and Irreplaceable are also grade A songs. B’s vocals match the great production easily.

Chris Brown: Exclusive the Forever Edition- This is the album that solidified Chris as a star. The album is loaded with hits like Kiss Kiss, With You, Down, and Fallen Angel. Chris isn’t in his element like he is on F.A.M.E. but this album is loaded with good songs.

Janelle Monae: The ArchAndroid-Her first full length album has a lot of cohesiveness. It’s a very interesting album with plenty of great songs like Tightrope, Cold War, and Wondaland. This is one of the most unique albums I’ve ever heard

Keri Hilson : In a Perfect World – Keri’s debut album is a pretty dynamic album. Theres a good variety of songs like Turn Me On, Get Your Money Up, and the incredible Knock You Down. Energy, the lead single is a gem.

Lauryn Hill: The Miseducation of L.H.- A classic album with incredible songs. I’m not really sure if you could count this as a rap album…but in either case it’s a classic.

Mariah Carey The Emancnipation of Mimi- A pretty good come back album. It has one of my favorite R&B songs of all time; We Belong Together on it. Some songs sound to similar but overall this is one of my all time favorites

Nas Albums Worst to Best

20) Nastradamus (75)- It really shouldn’t be a surprise to see this one ranked so low. The lyricism isn’t abysmal but everything is pretty average. How does a song like “Big Girl” make it to a Nas album?? It’s just a boring album plain and simple….I don’t really have a lot to say about it. 19) Street’s Disciple (82) -I hate having this one so low. I honestly like a lot of the songs on this double disc. Unfortunately there’s quite a bit of filler here just like with Jay-z’s Blueprint 2. Disc one has hits like “Nazareth Savage”, “American Way”, “ Just a Moment” and “ You Know My Style”. Disc 2 has some heat on it too: “Suicide Bounce”, the title track, “Virgo”, “Bridging the Gap” and “Thiefs Theme”. 18) T he Lost Tapes 2 (86) -This one I admit I haven’t heard that much…but its pretty decent. It gets off to a good start with songs like “Vernon Family” and “Jarreau of Rap (Skatt Attack)”. A lot of these songs are ok….but not muc...

Album Review: Kid Cudi-Insano (regular version)

I gotta admit I didn't like this album that much when I first heard it over half a year ago. I've heard that Kid Cudi doesn't exactly play to his strengths....that's partly true. I do like his rapping here tho. Honestly most songs here kinda blend together....."Keep Bouncin'" is really hype....and it gets the album off to a good start. "At The Party" with Pharrell Williams and Travis Scott may be my favorite song. "Wow" with A$AP Rocky is another highlight. Overall tho I feel this album tries too hard to be trendy. Cudi needed to put more of his pain into it. I mean a happy Cudi album isn't a bad thing but it really seems odd to me. You're not getting alot of singing or hums here know what I mean? However the production I found to be very good. Cudi is one of my favorite rappers like top 20 and I guess this will do for 2024. Lyrics 20 Beats 23 Depth 21 Tilt 21 Verdict 85

Album Review: Lupe Fiasco's Tetsuo & Youth

Lupe has come back, and with a classic album. He seemed to be back on tracks with Food and Liquor II, but F&L2 wasn’t as fun to listen to as his earlier albums. Even LASERS was more fun. This album however, is very complex and fun to listen to. It’s also incredibly well produced. Lupe proves he’s still a top lyricist in the game. Check out his lyrical showcase on Mural, or storytelling on Prisoner 1 & 2. He’s got a really long song called Chopper which features a lot of guests but its all good. The last song might be the weakest which features Ab-Soul. No Scratches feat. Nikki Jean is one of my favorite songs here. The interludes are pretty intersing, but ultimately skippable. This album is already up for album of the year, and honestly it will be hard for anyone to match this effort. The verdict... its 10/10 for me. This is a great album

Chesstown King's Reviews and Thoughts

Search This Blog