DAR Music: 6 Female R&B Albums From 2000

By @TrueGodImmortal

The year 2000 was an amazing year in music, and it was a transitional period for most genres. We would witness a number of artists put their music out during the year, with great albums coming from all angles. However, for me, I found this year to be rather intriguing for the ladies of R&B. While we looked at some of the ladies of R&B in the 90's, the 2000s would give us some interesting sophomore albums, some returns, and a classic debut. Let's take a look at 6 of those albums from the ladies of R&B in the first year of the new millennium.

*Sade- Lovers Rock

-I definitely feel that Sade is one of the best artists of all time and that her music is still top notch, but I admit I was way behind on her 2000 album Lovers Rock. With her fourth album Love Deluxe having been released in 1992, a hiatus of 8 years gave way to a return that had high expectations that likely were not going to be met. That is exactly the case. Regardless, whether you consider Sade to be jazzy soul, funk, R&B, or anything else, her music fits well within the genre. This album finds a nice blend of sounds along with some gems such as the hit single "By Your Side", "King Of Sorrow", "Flow", and "Immigrant". This album was another successful moment for the songstress, as it was certified nearly quadruple platinum and a big moment in music this year.

*Erykah Badu- Mama's Gun

-So, when we discuss the run of Badu and her music, her debut album is the album that most gravitate to in terms of her legacy, but her best album is for sure this one, her sophomore release. Badu weaves through amazing production on this album, putting her beautiful eccentric vocal touch alongside amazing sounds from James Poyser, Questlove, J Dilla, and more. The jazz influence in Badu's music is always showcased and here the soulful nature alongside the jazzy rhythms make for an enthralling listening experience throughout. There are a number of classic songs here, but my favorites are "Bag Lady", "Didn't Cha Know" (perhaps her best song), "My Life", "Cleva", and "Orange Moon". Following up a classic debut is always tough, but Badu more than succeeds on this classic sophomore project.

*Kelly Price- Mirror Mirror

-So, one underrated name for the genre in terms of ladies, is certainly Kelly Price. She isn't regarded with the top women from her era, but perhaps she should be. This album, her second, was an actual solid listen, though not quite as good as her first release. The highlights on this album include "Good Love", "You Should've Told", "She Wants You", and "Can't Run Away", all of which show the range vocally that Kelly Price has. Producers included R. Kelly, Warryn Campbell, among others, giving this project a sound that fits her perfectly.

*Mya- Fear Of Flying

-So, Mya is an underrated R&B star who made her name known over the years with catchy tunes and a bit of sex appeal. In the year 2000, she was releasing her sophomore album, after a successful run with her debut. The second album would be equally as popular as the first, and her sex appeal evolved, which helped her image. The music took a better sound as well, going from the late teenage to young adult sound of her debut to a more slightly mature and well rounded sound. Production on this album comes from Swizz Beatz, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Rodney Jerkins, Wyclef, and more, with features from Jadakiss, Left Eye, and Beenie Man. The most popular songs here are "Lie Detector", "How You Gonna Tell Me", "Case Of The Ex", and the huge single that would end up remixed, "The Best Of Me". The album would end up certified platinum, marking an achievement for Mya on her second go round.

*Toni Braxton- The Heat

-So, how do you follow two of the biggest selling albums in your genre for the 90's? How do you top that? You can't. So, with that in mind, Toni Braxton just did what she does best. The result? An album considerably lesser than her first two classics, but still enjoyable all around. What makes this album interesting is that it is a new era in music and this would see Toni go from her usual ballads to a more upbeat sound to get with the times so to speak. Working with Darkchild, Jazze Pha, Keri Lewis alongside usual collaborator Babyface, Toni crafts gems like "Maybe", "Spanish Guitar", "He Wasn't Man Enough", and perhaps the best song on the album, "Just Be A Man About It". All in all, The Heat was a solid album that did not replicate the critical and commercial success Toni was used to, but still was an interesting turn in her career nonetheless and an important album on the year that reached double platinum status.

*Jill Scott- Who Is Jill Scott Vol. 1

-So, Jill is pretty popular right now, isn't she? While her video that took over the internet is still making the rounds and being discussed, perhaps one could take a look back at her debut album and realize that Jilly from Philly has always been the way she is. She debuted on the scene and instantly grabbed attention, with her Neo-Soul style and music along with her breezy vocals endearing the listeners. The highlights on this album are plentiful, as Jill delivers on "Love Rain", "Do You Remember", "Gettin' In The Way", "The Way", "A Long Walk", and many more. Jill and Badu basically have the two best albums from the ladies listen and it isn't close. Neo-Soul wins the year.

-True