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Album Reviews:
Alicia Keys:
As I Am
DJ Unk:
Beat 'n Down Yo Block
The-Dream:
LoveHate
The Homie Jaz:
SUPACALI-
GANGSTAWITIT
J. Holiday:
Chocolate City Mixtape Vol. 1: (They Don't Sing No More)
NWA:
Straight Outta Compton 20th Anniversary
Nas:
Hip-Hop Is Dead
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Featured Review: Alicia Keys -- As I Am
Alicia! Why you have to run off with Kerry Krucial Brothers, who is looking like an idiot waving his hands around and saying "OH" in No One!!!
Alicia Keys has really matured on this new CD. I was actually pretty surprised to find her with a new polished image. (She's looking like a French woman with her curls; even her album art showcase all of her "light-skinned" features) With appearances aside though, As I Am is a very good CD.
Highlights of the album include "Teenage Love Affair". There is an urgency to the song which is akin to her earlier hit -- "You Don't Know My Name" from her Diary album. Alicia hits all the high notes, just like she did in her other song. I can picture in my head right now her singing -- "Nothing reaaaaaalllllllly MATTERRRRRRRRS cuz YOU are my baby BABY!!" Another song with a more toned down vibe is "Like You'll Never See Me Again". The video features Common (who nowadays is tagging along Alicia, or vice-versa, it seems, on a daily basis). "Superwoman" is another standout song on her album; it showcases the struggles that women go through and come out on top. "Lesson Learned" featuring John Mayer is a letdown. She should have pushed John to use his vocal talents more in the song. All he does do is hum "All right... All right" to end off lines in the chorus. "Where Do We Go From Here" is another one of my favourite songs from the album. And last but not least, "No One" is a song which Alicia is quoted to have said to be "Not old, and not new". In other words, it is timeless.
I think this album is better than Diary of Alicia Keys.
4.7 'polished look' out of 5
--Yuze Paul
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