Hot on the heels of her 32nd birthday last week, we salute R&B singer-songwriter and actress
Brandy by taking a look at her classic 1998 album,
Never Say Never. Having released her debut album
Brandy four years earlier at the age of 15, [interestingly featuring
Rahsaan Patterson and
Robin Thicke behind the scenes] Miss Norwood piqued many people’s interest. Brandy had gone on to become the muse of the hit TV series
Moesha and had garnered the love of many who could identify with her character.
Brandy had matured in both life and her vocal ability and this is the premise of the creation of the album. She was paired up with the little known, soon to be powerhouse producer
Rodney “DarkChild” Jerkins and his team of talented writers, including LaShawn Daniels.
With other names involved in the creation process being
Marc Nelson, Dianne Warren, David Foster, Harvey Mason Jr and
Dallas Austin, the album was set up with the muscle to make the album perform well. All that remained was for Brandy to bring her vocals into the mix. She did, and the results were phenomenal.
Early on lauded as one of the most popular artists in her genre and still one of the most celebrated and emulated, Brandy returns triumphantly with her sixth studio album Two Eleven, to once again stand in the lane she carved into R&B music.
It’s hard to select a Commissioned album for classic review. Formed at the cusp of the 1980s, the standard of this Gospel super-group’s back catalogue is so high, any one of their pre-1999 albums could be analysed in depth for their timeless appeal.
Nevertheless, 1994’s Matters of the Heart is noteworthy for a few reasons. It was the first album recorded without erstwhile mainstay Keith Staten; he of the operatic style that should have been out of place in a soul outfit but somehow strangely fitted in.
It was the last studio album that Gospel legend Fred Hammond, one of the original and most pre-eminent members of the line up, recorded with his old band. Hammond had already released at least one solo project at this stage-‘I am persuaded’-but joined his soul brothers one more time for his Commissioned swan song.
Forget Hip Hop alone – Timothy Mosley can finally add his name to the list of the greatest producers music will ever behold. Arriving onto the scene a decade ago with brilliant scores for his close knit family of Missy Elliott, Ginuwine and the late Aaliyah, he has since elevated through the rankings up to the status of Producer Extraordinaire.