Now, I don't want to act like she don't deserve her acclaim.

But how the hell this chick 33 and already had a career of twenty years in this industry game? This is partially sour grapes on my part because yes I am about to turn 32 myself.

The other part is.. okay we all know everyone else my age Britney, Justin, Ryan Gosling, all got their start on the Mickey Mouse club and some even had to sing their asses off on Star Search before they got there.

Brandy's back story is just.. TADA! she is on TV (Thea, 1993) and signed a record deal the same time.

Is there a Driven or Behind The Music on Brandy? I know her ass isn't Unsung.

How did this happen?

Not exactly humble beginnings when your debut single is on a major label and the remix had MC Lyte and Queen Latifah on it.

I know I am probably talking out my ass. But it just seems like I turned around and it's like damn, Brandy should be some sort of ubiquitious legend or icon. Remember you had to be like Chaka Khan or Prince or even a Madonna to claim a 20 year career.

Now you turn around and it's like yep Brandy's been here that long too! Guess that Boy IS hers.

Even Dre was boasting on California Love "I been in the game FOR TEN YEARS makin' rap tunes" and we all thought like damn, yeah he really done did it. Ten years.

Brandy mainstream poppin on TV, movies, platinum CDs and we don't know nothin' about her! Even her brother is famous.

I know you don't have a two decade career by sheer luck. Yes she has talent to back it up. But now I am trying to figure how it lasted so long. What's the formula?? That wasn't her sex tape, nahmsayin!

Now you can call that new album a flop if you want to, but I am telling you... the woman flopped before and she never went away (Not that I want her to).

Look I even peeped her wiki page and can't seem to gleam an inspiring story out of it. All I see is non-stop contracts, opportunities and work.

Atlantic (1993–2005)
Knockout (2005-2008)
Epic (2008–2009)
RCA (2010–present)

Especially this day and age where legends end up without a home, and the industry is so tough. Did Brandy ever have to go blond like Beyonce to stay relevant; I don't think she did? Brandy even bucks the trends and keeps it moving.

The inverse of this argument has me sounding bitter or something. All I know is the last time we had a star for twenty years we knew everything about them, their parents, their struggle for success, their huge moment that transformed the industry that had an image they can't seem to shake (Bobby Brown doing the running man, I'm looking at you). AND everyone and their mama knew a few hits.

Shouldn't she have had a few major world tours and books written about her too at this stage?

I got People magazine's special issue Before They Were Stars, look Brandy isn't even in there!

Is there really no dramatic back story? Pushy stage momager? Nope, wiki says her mom was a "district manager for H&R Block". How special.

Um, I always liked Brandy for years...but it never even occurred to me to think of her as "an icon." In fact, I'm puzzled as to how or why that consideration even would arise...

purplethunder3121 said:

Um, I always liked Brandy for years...but it never even occurred to me to think of her as "an icon." In fact, I'm puzzled as to how or why that consideration even would arise...

I liked her since her debut single. But I liked Warren G too and yknow I can't find his arse anywhere these days.

Nobody knows enough about Brandy to answer back to this thread,

She's been here for a long time, we should understand her way better than this!

This thread was meant to be somewhat humorous. Part of it has to do with coming out a star in the 90s but a lot of 90s stars did not make it past that decade, so now I just want to do a little analysis on Brandy okay?

I don't mean to put her down if you *don't* consider her an icon right now. I just want to point out the fact that she has a little longevity and it is discussable.

Cinny said:

Nobody knows enough about Brandy to answer back to this thread,

She's been here for a long time, we should understand her way better than this!

This thread was meant to be somewhat humorous. Part of it has to do with coming out a star in the 90s but a lot of 90s stars did not make it past that decade, so now I just want to do a little analysis on Brandy okay?

I don't mean to put her down if you *don't* consider her an icon right now. I just want to point out the fact that she has a little longevity and it is discussable.

Gotcha! Yeah, I don't think she was or will attain "icon" status... but what does that matter in the long run? She's probably better off for not having achieved it. And as you pointed out she has sustained some longevity in this business... I respect that. She has a nice voice, presence, and is a good actess to boot... My only problem is that, with her voice and talent, I wish she would make better song choices to match those talents....

I'm kinda related to Brandy [through my uncle...so she's the epitome of a distant relative ], so I really can't give a genuine answer, but I've always been a fan of hers. I've never met her or anything [she doesn't even know I exist either ], but she's definitely an icon to me .

She had a "Driven" episode. I believe it was in 2002, the Full Moon era.

Nope don't consider her an icon. Even though I like some of her songs, I've always liked Monica better over Brandy...and I don't consider Monica an icon either.

[Edited 9/10/12 5:20am]

I certainly don't consider her an icon.

I see your argument Cinnie. Brandy has been in the entertainment industry longer than The Spice Girls, Britney, Christina, and everyone else within that generation of celebrities. But the main reason why Brandy will never get icon status is because she never had a culturul impact like Britney has.

I have all her albums and grew up on her, and some of her work, like full moon and afrodisiac have underrated tracks on them. But I don't throw legend around loosely, to me she's just Brandy, a very talented singer with good songs and soul, and she's only a few years older than me, I'm used to looking up to artists much older than me that took the world by storm, those are some of the qualities I think of when I think of legend, and especially if they have changed the game. Brandy didn't really change the game though if she did, maybe she paved the way for teen stars to have multiple careers in music and acting at the same time (I know janet did it and so did a few others, but it became common after the 90's with Disney)

There are tons of other artists who are far more talented that have been in the business way longer than Brandy but they are not considered icons. I don't listen to most of the younger girls in the industry but have any of them listed Brandy as an influence? Brandy may be considered an icon by her fans, but, no, the general public nor no one in the industry has dubbed her an icon.

I REALLY like Brandy and YES she is underrated in respect that she exactly makes R&B music as well as having a unique voice and she doesnt follow trends although I cant defend her latest single.

I like her over Brittany, Rihanna, Beyonce, Christina etc any day of the week

HOWEVER

I do not consider her to be an ICON. People use that word to loosely and base that sometimes on the number of years you have been in the industry when that doesnt mean anything. It is not about the amount of time you have been in the industry, it is about the QUALITY of things you did in the amount of time. There are people that have been in the industry longer than Brandy that are not considered to be Icons and then you have some that have been in the industry for a short period of time that are considered to be that just because of their popularity which is a meaningless way to determine how Iconic an artist is.

ICON means that you are doing shit that NOBODY is doing or has done ever and people are influenced by that and NONE of these artists are that, are doing that or has achieved that level and popularity doesnt determine that. (This has nothing to do with TALENT alone)

I dont even considered Brittany, Beyonce, Rihanna etc to be ICONS because they have not done anything innovative, groundbreaking or trendsetting to be considered as such so why would I call Brandy one?

So once again, Brandy is underrated but I wouldnt call her an Icon but you also have to look at other artists who have been in the industry longer than her who I considered to be more underrated than her.

I considered a band like Mint Condition to be more influential and very very very underrated than any of them honestly....

Brandy will always be underrated because she wasnt really a POP star to begin with so I dont think award shows or the industry itself would acknowledge her or give tribute to her since they dont really give props to the real R&B singers/ bands anyway.

Icons are artists like Madonna, Janet, or Whitney

Legends are artists like Michael Jackson, Prince, Marvin Gaye, etc.

They influenced GENERATIONS and set trends didnt follow them....

[Edited 9/10/12 7:40am]

Never in a million years!!

You have to be a VERY SPECIAL person to be considered an icon. There's veterans who have had 20, 30-year careers but they're never considered icons either (or even legends for that matter).

Not a chance.............

There's got to be another title that gives her props for her talent and longevity, without over exaggerating. I think "Icon" needs to be reserved for those that broke barriers or symbolized some major accomplishment.

Timmy84 said:

Whoa, definitely not. "The Boy Is Mine" is so vile, that would be one major reason.

Longevity does not an icon make, I'm afraid.

For me she was an ICON in training. Seems like when she got with Mr. Smith she fell off and her material never regained the growing resonance and incredible richness of her younger days. She was heading toward some movies after Brandy and Moesha - coulda been really big big big. I think she lacked confidence in her talent.

FUCK.....NO......

Nope.

I love Brandy and I jams to her new song.

allsmutaside said:

For me she was an ICON in training. Seems like when she got with Mr. Smith she fell off and her material never regained the growing resonance and incredible richness of her younger days. She was heading toward some movies after Brandy and Moesha - coulda been really big big big. I think she lacked confidence in her talent.

Didn't she admit in an interview a while back?

Honey Boo Boo probably looks at her as an icon, but I sure don't

[Edited 9/10/12 14:27pm]

Mr. Smith?

I've always said she should've kept her original producer. I don't know what contractural or personal things happened between them but it halted her progress artistically. Forget the back and forth with Darkchild, know what really sounds good.