Jazmine Sullivan Delivers A Masterpiece Of An Album With “Reality Show”

The beautiful and super talented R&B songstress Jazmine Sullivan is gearing up to releasing her long awaited third album titled "Reality Show" which will follow up her 2010 album "Love Me Back" in 2010, this is what she had to say about it during her interview with Rap-Up : “I’m really proud of it. I worked harder on this album than any album, I put a lot of pressure on myself ’cause I haven’t been out in so long. The songs are really colorful, just about life in general and reality from my eyes.”


She opens up the album with the Meek Mill assisted single "Dumb" which is an emotional charged mid-tempo number with a drum heavy syncopation and militant choral chants which all create a great foundation for her lace up the track with lyrics that find her letting her man know that she won’t tolerate any more of his bullshit : “I know you know you ain’t right. Please stop, I know where you was last night and if you’re gonna lie, then at least be good.” While the song was meet with a lukewarm response from her fans, it did serve as a great reintroduction.

"Mascara" is a solid mid-tempo number that was produced by Key Wane, the laid-back production provides a great foundation for Jazmine to showcase her amazing storytelling skills as her words paint such a very powerful and sad reality that some women live that they base their own value on men`s attention (who only want one thing from them and that's sex.) by degrading themselves and never feeling beautiful within, which is a huge issue in our generation: “Most people think I’m shallow ’cause I’m always dressed like I’m goin’ out to the club but I gotta keep up ’cause there’s new chicks poppin’ up every day and they want the same thing...”

 "Brand New" is a show-stopping number with a piano driven production that features great jazz elements within it, it finds the songstress singing from the point of view of "down-ass chicks" who got ditched by her just-signed musician boyfriend: "Baby fuck you and your new crew you`re rolling with, they don`t know you like I do. I swear when n*ggas start making money, they start acting funny, there`s no love when they come up, they get brand new..." Love her approach to this topic which is very relatable to many people who have been holding down their man/lady who finally gets the chance to get their shine, only to see them change for the sake of fame and drop you like you were nothing to them. Love her slick interpolation of "Drunk In Love" within it and she beautifully displayed her fully register throughout the song.

"Silver Lining" is a lush jazzy number with a smooth production which sounds so similar to the works of Stevie Wonder and Frank Ocean, she laces it up with lyrics about a desperate provider who turns to crime to provide for her family and is hopeful that things will change for the better in due time:"If you don`t know where to find me, I`m looking for the silver lining". Sullivan makes her vocal presence front center on the track, serving up a smooth vocal delivery that compliments the production perfectly.

 "#HoodLove" is a stomping drum driven number that has a somewhat of an ole' school vibe to it that she laces up with a smokey - bluesy vocal delivery that is full of sass as she sings about going hard for her man: "If he says go, I ain`t asking questions I`m parking up my stuff and I`m on the next plane, no renter baby I consider him a blessing, so I follow his lead in whatever he say. cause he always did what he had to do for me, I never had to worry about a thing when I`m with him...." She continues to talk about the topic further on her seductive track "Let It Burn" which is a slow tempo number that features 80`s influences, "Call me crazy but I think I`ve found the love of my life" she sings with so much passion as she is overjoyed with love.

"Veins" is a dark sensual number with throbbing dystopian electronica production which finds her taking a bold move as she got seriously sexy and also ties it up with the feeling of addiction: "Writings on the wall but I can't see the words, it's right in front of me but my vision is blurred, is this love that makes the clear eyed blind? is this love that has me losing my mind?" 

"Forever Don't Last" is a stripped-down ballad allows Sullivan to showcase her powerhouse vocals as she sings about a relationship that she tried to save but she has come to accept the reality of the relationship: "Lord knows I gave it my all, I couldn't save us from falling cause some people aren't meant to be together forever. "

"The most personal song is called 'Forever [Don't Last],'" "I'm basically crying on that song. It's a ballad, and that's classic Jazmine. It's a letting-go song which is why it's so personal. I feel like I came to a point in my relationship where [I needed] to let go and move on. I just had to do it."

‘Stupid Girls’ is a retro number that finds her talks of a relationship that she gave her all in but still found herself left hurt and confused and warns women to be careful with their hearts. “Men roam the world. looking for us,  someone they can fuck around with. Make us really trust them and we never have a clue, we never see it comin'. Trainwreck headed for us but we never think of runnin'..." she sings in her signature warm tone and with passionate riffs.  

Another highlight from the album has got to be ‘Stanley’ which is a sassy funky mid-tempo number that features a sample of Norwegian songstress Annie`s track "Greatest Hit" that also samples Madonna`s classic hit single "Everybody". The track finds her telling her man that she is unsatisfied and unappreciated, telling him to “You don`t pay me no attention Stanley, I need your attention baby, show me some appreciation, take a bitch to dinner” or watch her walk away from the relationship. Love the way her vocals ride on this production, huge risk that paid off amazingly well.

She follows it up with her self-empowerment song called ‘Masterpiece (Mona Lisa)’ which is a guitar-driven number that finds her embracing everything about herself: "Every part of me is beautiful, I'm a work of art." She goes on to close the set with an uplifting mid-tempo track called ‘If You Dare’ she kicks it off singing in her lower range which so commending and unique before going ham throughout the song which has a bubbly hook.

This album is her "Channel Oranges" as it finds her showcasing her amazing musical versatility throughout and shows why she is one of the most captivating artists today, she is not scared to go places that many artist are, she throws herself into her art. 

Standout tracks: "Mascara","Brand New","#HoodLove","Veins" ,"Forever Don't Last" and "Stanley"
Rate: 8/10

I highly recommend everyone to head over to their nearest music store on January 13th and purchase this album as it`s a masterpiece.

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