This sista writes the coolest songs. I'm really feelin' her new jam "I Ain't Hearin' U"


http://www.youtube.com/wa...mcRHn7qPZo

Her opening line is "I got a good man", which is so contrary to what the labels have been demanding from their pre-packaged pop tarts. Unlike the typical "you ain't no good", "you can't have me because I'm too good for you" "you're a dirty cheat" "men ain't sh*t" themed songs that tend to stink up the R&B airwaves these days, Angie refutes it all with a professing of faith in her man and a declaration of the strength of black love - all done to a bouncy groove and a catchy hook. This is such a breath of fresh air but not a strange move from Miss Stone, who also authored the beautiful ode to black men called "Brotha" just a few short years ago.
"He wouldn't take my heart and break it in two" is almost foreign in this day and age where almost every R&B chick on the mic is spouting anger, grief and attitude in one breath while spewing thug lust in another, perpetuating a big ball of confusion in the minds of the young girls who hang on their every word.
Here's where you separate the girls from the grown women. Unlike these young, inexperienced in life, self-proclaimed divas and these older, bitter, girls in grown womens' bodies, Angie Stone displays a level of self confidence that is almost unseen in the music business as well as in many aspects of life.
"I'm sure daddy will explain and make it plain to me; I ain't hearing you - that's not something he would do" Wow. A black woman who believes in her man. When was the last time we heard something like that in a song? Its been a while.
This sort of expression of faith in song is one of the crucial elements missing from R&B that created a nice balance in the 80s and beforehand that almost fell completely out of music in the 90s - the "sass" years. We have also seen this manifest itself in the black community in the form of panic among black women with so many programs, magazine articles and internet chatter recently about the decline of available eligible black men per black women in the U.S. and the decline in black marraiges. Well, this record serves as a good beginning blueprint for keeping a brotha. It starts with trust. Its such a shame that there are so few sistas like Angie making music about love and the substance in a relationship instead of superficial platitudes of love and emotional love only. Its too bad she seems to be one of the few who's trying to help keep the balance going in music.
In a business where you have to either Beyonce-mixed-message, Mary J. Blige bitch-n-moan, Rihanna-attitude or fill-in-the-blank-slut-of-the-month your way through to the airwaves, its nice to know that under the right circumstances, there's a small chance you can "Angie Stone" your way through if you're an up-and coming singer. Its beautiful to have Angie as an option to listen to as well.
Sorry for the rant.
[Edited 1/7/10 1:41am]

Chubby girls make the best music.

BlaqueKnight said:

I love Ms. Stone music as well. "I Ain't Hearin' U'"

I feel the just of your comments; Ms. Stone is coming from a real, positive, and reaffirming place. I've always enjoyed Jill Scott, Queen Latifah, and Lala Hathaway music for the same reasons. Even so, I do understand artist like Mary J. Blige, her life experiences have been her muse. I haven't walked in her shoes but I do understand the struggles of the human condition. So, Ms. Blige music is just as real to me, as Stone, Scott, Latifah, or Hathaway.

There's no doubt R&B in the 90's became a lil' bit darker, tacky, even mean spirited, but on the whole, "You done me wrong..", "I gave you everything and you left me", "I tried to make you happy", "You've treated me wrong and cheated on me".. has been apart blue, jazz, pop, soul and R&B music forever and sung by men and women alike. As far as black women being in a panic, the African American community should be in a panic for a host of reasons. I don't need music, chatter, the net, nor TV tell me our neighborhood in trouble, big trouble.

A thread was started about her new album about a month or so ago and so many people were slamming her album. I kinda like it. You guys should go get it. "Maybe" is my favorite track on the project.

daPrettyman said:

I didn't see it. I'm going to download it now.

TD3 said:

My point was not to discount Mary J or any other artists but to make the point that the industry is very imbalanced when it comes to the R&B market. They have been deliberately sabotaging artists and messing up the vibe for years now.

BlaqueKnight said:

Point noted BK. So Ms. Stone not getting the press or notice because of the positive message and/or to some she doesn't have the "look"? I've had my suspicions the same is true for Scott and Hathaway. If so, how long do you think this silliness can continue... no one is really burning up record sales are they?


As always org members come through again... love the album and DaPrettyman "Maybe" is the bomb. Got listen to it a couple more times. Thanks gents.

she's all that and a bag a chips.

I understand where the threadstarter is comin from, but I'd say whatever emotion is in songs, as long as it's real&authentic, it's all good. Also, when you go through things in life and want to get things off your chest, that's when music is created many times. When you're happy and things go your way, you don't make music. You're busy enjoying the moment.

inia said:

Uh, let me say this again: MY COMMENTS WERE NOT PARTICULAR TO ANY ARTIST EVEN THOUGH I GAVE EXAMPLES. I WAS MAKING REFERENCE TO THE IMBALANCE OF CERTAIN TYPES OF SONGS BEING PUSHED THROUGHOUT THE R&B MARKET AS OPPOSED TO OTHERS. Sometimes people are mad and depressed and pissed off and tired of their mates. Sometimes, not ALL OF THE TIME. We could easily go through the list of R&B songs on the charts and not find that many songs like this one. Much too much of the R&B being pushed these days is negative or very superficial in nature.
And some people do make music when they are happy and things are going their way. Not all music is made from pain and depression. Many artists make music because they feel compelled to do so and that is not something that is dominated by the state of their emotions at the time.

This song reminds me so much of a Prince song with the vocal arrangement and music. Price could easily have written and recorded this song. With a few lyric cnanges. If u know what I mean....lol[i]

Also Angie always talk positive about us black brothas. There r some good black men left. Angie makes them know there is. Love her positive vibe she gives us. She looks gr8 to.[i]