For many the release of Timbaland’s “Shock Value II” came and went without a second thought. Which is a shame because the man has brought us some great music over the years. Where would we be without Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me a River,” Missy Elliot’s “The Rain,” and our dearly departed Aaliyah? I mean, airbrushed t-shirts haven’t been the same since.
“Shock Value II” is definitely not a failure. If you experienced the first album in the Shock Value series, it’s essentially more of the same. Timbaland rounds up the most random collection of musical artist and creates a CD full of unexpected collaborations and radio-friendly Top 40 hits. You’ve got some new introductions to people like French singer/song-writer/rapper/producer/pin-up girl SoShy. There are the obvious appearances by Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado. And there’s no shortage of WTF moments on tracks that feature the likes of Miley Cyrus and Chad Kroeger of Nickelback fame. (The tracks those two yahoos appear on are actually not that bad, but I’ll deny it if you ask me in public.) More on that next week.
However, the biggest WTF moment of “Shock Value II” is the two collaborations with some rapper named Bran’NU. Who is this Bran’Nu character sounding like a bootleg Lil’ Kim with whack rhymes like “I’m taking off like a rocket, I got this beat in my pocket?” Well it is none other than Brandy “Sittin’ Up in My Room” Norwood. That’s right, Brandy of Moesha fame. The girl who brought us “That Boy is Mine,” “I Wanna Be Down,” and some of the tightest braids of the past two decades is now a rapper.
Apparently killing someone has given her the idea that she has enough street cred to grab the mic and spit it.
Her appearance on Shock Value II leads to the obvious question of what actually did happen to Brandy? Poised at the end of the 90’s to launch into superstardom with 2 hit albums, several Grammy nominations, and a hit sitcom under her belt, Brandy seemed to have cemented her status as an artist here to stay.
Yet the new millennium saw several setbacks personally and professionally for Ms. Norwood – several album failures, the fake marriage to producer to Robert Smith and the following baby, the beginning and end of an engagement to some NBA player, ended record deals with Atlantic, Epic and Roc Nation, and of course the 2006 car accident in which someone in the other car was killed. Though there was not enough evidence to convict her of manslaughter, it is certain that Brandy’s psyche and pocketbook are currently strapped.
Most would say it is time for Brandy to throw in the towel officially and go use what I’m sure is her extremely useful alleged degree in psychology from Perpperdine University. Yet I say there is something there. While the idea of Brandy as a rapper is ridiculous, and her rhymes are just a notch above weak, her cadence and tone are not far from the mark. Her appearances as Bran’Nu are by far much better than Mary J. Blige’s turn as rap alter ego, Brooke. And the truth is with Foxy Brown and Remy Ma locked up, Lil’ Kim a hot-plastic-mess, and Salt-n-Pepa too old, there is certainly room for a new female rapper to take the Top 40 charts. Even if Brandy aka Bran’Nu fails on an epic scale at least she has Moesha money to fall back on. But something deep inside tells me I wanna be down with Bran’Nu and that we haven’t seen the end of her yet.
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Tags: Bran'Nu, Brandy Norwood, female rappers, manslaughter, Moesha, Music, R&B, Shock Value II, Timbaland
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bran’s ok as a rapper.. Foxy is out of jail … some of the the songs from her upcoming album black roses tracks have leak online over the last couple years .. but she’s starting fresh from what i know suppose to be out next year.
go to youtube & search “foxy brown – black roses” some of the songs will pop up.
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It would be nice if people like you did a little research before making a blog post. First of all, Brandy was not only nominated for Grammys, she won one. Second of all, Brandy has done pretty well for herself in the 2000s. Full Moon(2002) went platinum, Afrodisiac(2004) went Gold. And as for Human(2008) had she promoted it properly, it would have been huge. And as for the rapping thing, this was just something Tim approached her about. It is not permanent. Brandy is in the studio now recording a new album. So anyway, the next time you try to come hard on someone, know your facts.
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Oh come now. Everybody knows Brandy’s career has been on a downward spiral for sometime now. I think you’re being too harsh on the reviewer.
Just take a look at the numbers.
In 1994, Brandy, self-titled album debuts and becomes 4x Platinum with 4,000,000 copies sold in the US (4,126,000 worldwide). She’s instantly a star.
Four years later, in 1998, Never Say Never makes a huge splash and goes 5x Platinum – 5,000,000 copies sold in the US (~6,780,000 copies worldwide). Brandy is on a top-rated TV show, Moesha; she wins a Grammy Award; and she stars in her second film, I Know What You Did Last Summer.”
In 2002, Full Moon debuts selling few copies. Eventually the record goes platinum (with a 1,195,000 copies sold). No number 1 single, no Grammy. The TV show Moesha is off the air, and Brandy is no longer starring in films. Her fake marriage is exposed after her 4-part MTV stint.
In 2004, Afrodisiac debuts to modest sales and goes Gold (~500,000 copies sold worldwide).
1n 2006, she becomes involved in a deadly car accident and she finishes her stint on America’s Got Talent.
In 2008, Human debuts. No Gold. No platinum. No Grammy. No number 1 single. No TV show. No movies.
You do the math.
I love Brandy. I will ALWAYS be a fan, but you have to admit that starting a new career as a female rapper is hella hard — especially, since most hip-hop artists deeply value their street cred. Hip hop was born in the inner city not the suburbs. This is by all appearances a strange move for Brandy career-wise. She’s an artist who grew most of her career on R&B ballads and pop songs, not Hip Hop. Perhaps, Brandy and Whitney Houston are both in the same position — they’re both facing a new record industry paradigm — one they’re unsure how to navigate.
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One thing happened to Brandy and hindered her ascension. It’s called: Beyonce.
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Tom, I heart you.
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Bran’nu ain’t half bad!
I may have to give this album a listen. Got caught up with the holidays and overlooked it, myself. -
@Blackout Blog: Why don’t you write the review for HN then? I’m curious to read your POV.
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Album sales, celebrity and artistry are 3 different things, my friends and no matter what Brandy has sold or what has happened in her career, her artistry remains the same: She is one the very best singers we have today and her musicality is unparalleled. Her rapping is simply an extension of her artistry. If Brandy wants to continue to explore that incredible instrument and gift she has I will be there as a fan every step of the way.
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@Ari Gold: Nicely put. Thanks for stopping by Ari! I’m a fan!
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@Ari Gold: Maybe you and Bran’Nu can do a song together. I’m sure it would go straight to #1.
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