Chesstown King's Reviews and Thoughts

Are of Pleasure continues down the path that her last album went. This time however the album is purely about sex and pleasure. Janelle's singing and rapping is very on point here. This is evident from the first song "Float" which is a major banger. There is a strong reggae sound on this album as well. The production is pretty good, but its not amazing like on previous works. "Lipstick Lover" and "Water Slide"are infectious singles as well. "Phenomenal" is a smooth song too. Overall this is a great album but its not quite on the same level as her previous works. Some of that is due to the fact the album is short...only 30 some minutes. Some of the songs are really short too. Complaints aside tho I liked most all the songs. Janelle continues to prove she's one of the best artists of the century. Lyrics 24 Beats 23 Depth 23 Tilt 23 Verdict 93

  Bracket A   1)Beyonce’ vs. 9)Janelle Monae : While Queen B had it relatively easy in the first round this round should be a lot more competitive. Janelle is looking for an upset. Vocal Ability- I really feel Beyonce’ is a great singer but Janelle is just as good. 5-5 Albums- This is kinda tough to call but not really. It’s another tie due to Janelle having only classics, and Beyonce’ having classics to match. 5-5 Collaboration-  This round things look better in this category for B. She has had quite a bit more collabos. 7-3 Versatility- Janelle takes this category with a wide array of song styles. B is good here too tho. It’s a reasonable split. 4-6 Impact- This is closer than you might think. Both artists make some truly great music. Issa tie. 5-5 Comm. Success- This is where B tells you to “bow down b**ches” lol. It’s not a good look for Janelle here. 10-0   Beyonce’ wins 36 to 24.  Janelle was more competition for Queen B but ultimately she loses here prett...

Vocal Ability:  The artist’s ability to sing. (pretty self explanatory) Albums:  The artist catalogue strength. How many albums and how good are they? Collaboration:  The artist collaboration ability on other artist’s songs; can be a fellow RnB artist or Rapper’s song. Versatility:  The artist’s ability to make different kinds of songs. That might be ballads, club bangers, or average tempo songs. Impact:  The artist’s landmark they leave on the Rhythm and Blues nation. Their music’s ability to last. Commercial Success:  How many albums did they sell during their careers. Bracket A 1)Beyonce’ vs. 16)Keri Hilson:  The Queen B Beyonce goes up against Miss Keri baby. An upset is not expected here. There’s some hostility in this matchup as well should be lit. Vocal Ability-  So I honestly feel this is closer than you think. But I gotta give Beyonce’ the edge here. 6-4 Albums-  This is where its unfortunately for Keri, not close at all. Keri has 2 ...

*Note* You wont see some albums here cause I only listed albums I heard, so no Carter V yet. Jay Z and Beyonce' (The Carters)- Everything is Love: A terrific album. The chemistry  between the two is incedible. I love how it sounds kind of like the classic albums from the 2002-2007 era. The songs "Nice", "Ape S***"  and "Black Affect" are very good. 5 stars Logic- Bobby Tarentino II-This one really grew on me. Logic spits that "T**ty rap" and its dope. I love the way he attacks tracks with ferocity on the mic. 4.5 Stars Kanye West -Ye-This crazy man makes good music! Ye was short and sweet. It sounds kinda like 4 stars Janelle Monae -Dirty Computer: This was the best album of last year. It hit all the points I look for. I'm so happy Janelle kept us waiting for this masterpiece. 5 Stars Nas -Nasir- Nasty Nas returned. But not with the rumored Trillmatic. Instead he came with a terrific 7 song album. Songs like "Cop Sho...

This is her 3 rd album and lets just say Janelle Monae legend is completely solidified with this album. Just listen to songs like “Django Jane” where she raps “Is the goat now will anybody doubt it?”   The album is weird for her in the sense that its not really a science fiction themed album. So yes this is the first time we don’t get Cindi Mayweather but we get Janelle herself. The album is just basically on point from start to finish….The production is varied and fresh. Janelle’s singing and rapping is terrific also. And how about that awesome album artwork tho? It’s a small gripe but when an album has weird artwork….it kinda turns me off….Pick this one up! Verdict: 10/10

Janelle/Cindy returns for her 2 nd full album. This album has a more traditional feel than the Arch Android, but it still showcases her talent. She strings together quality songs back to back with ease here. The album is really accessible with songs like Dance Apocalyptic and Q.U.E.E.N. The album has a nice guest list which includes Miguel, Erykah Badu, Solange, and even Prince. Janelle’s lyrics are excellent as they have been on past works. The beat selection is also very good. Complaint wise I think that some songs are just too generic like Look Into My Eyes or It’s Code. The skits are very good also. I feel that Suite V is more ballad based than the first Suite (IV). However the first part of the album features more uptempo songs. Overall I’d have to say this is one of the best R&B albums ever and maybe the best album of 2013 Overall its a 9.75/10 for me. Not perfect but great.

-Janelle’s first official album is a classic. Lyrically its excellent, and every song feels like it belongs together with the other songs on the album. The album has few guest spots, but they aren’t really needed. Tightrope is a great song which features Big Boi. The album is just so creative and well executed. There is an occasional moment where things seem like a bit too much, but those moments are few and far between.  I give this album a 9.75/10. I can’t wait to hear more music from her.