Ms. Kelly’s music has been “all the” buzz lately with sexy tracks like “Kisses Down Low”, the ultra-personal “Dirty Laundry” and fan favorite “You Changed” featuring Destiny’s Child members Beyonce and Michelle.
Talk a Good Game is essentially the black girl’s diary for 2013. This album was also released on June 18th, along with J. Cole’s Born Sinner and Kanye West’s Yeezus. While Ms. Kelly wasn’t in the running for best hip-hop album of the summer, she may have the title for best R&B album. The former Destiny’s Child star takes the album from sexy, to personal to the 90’s and back in love. Tracks like “Freak”, “Kisses Down Low”, and “Red Wine” set the tone for sexy with Kelly’s sultry sounds and explicit lyrics.
The Album title track “Talk A Good Game” reminds us all why we love R&B’s love lost ballads and the smooth collaborations between R&B and hip-hop. Track eight “I Remember” has that power to take us back to a place of love memories whether you are single or seriously committed. Kelly’s vocals and the airy melody of the track bring back that 90’s R&B vibe. Rowland’s Collaboration with the other members of Destiny’s Child on “You Changed” reminds us all why we loved the famous girl group and miss the 90’s. Unlike the track “Nuclear” the first new track from the group in almost eight years, this track does not disappoint Destiny Fulfilled Fans. “You Changed” is a classic Destiny’s Child ballad about a lost love and a lover who missed out on the best love of his life.
The perhaps most talked about single is “Dirty Laundry” where Rowland reveals the many skeletons of her musical career. Kelly has since received much criticism for the track but I applaud her for the honesty in her music. Let’s be real who wouldn’t be jealous of Beyoncé’s success, not that Rowland would ever wish anything bad on her sister Bey. The track also references Destiny Fulfilled track “Girl” where Rowland was also the victim of an abusive relationship. Little did fans know of the real pain the now 32 year old was feeling at the time? To have the strength to talk about being a victim of this sort is quite powerful and shows her growth since her solo career began. Perhaps now fans and critics alike will see Kelly Rowland as more than just Beyoncé’s back up but a star in her own right. What do you think of the album as a whole?
