We love Amerie. No, really, we LOVE her. But we're approaching this new Def Jam situation with extreme caution, as the label's track record with female R&B/Pop singers is shaky at best. (Let's see... Rihanna is known as a "singles artist" that can't push an entire album; they approved that last Mariah CD off the strength of the previous one which was twenty times better, and don't get us started with Discipline.) The good news is that she's been in the studio. The bad news is, well, let's look at the list of potential producers/writers that could make the cut and let you be the judge of how this could turn out.
(Disclaimer: I have an unhealthy predisposition towards current "R&B"/Hip-Hop/Pop producers so forgive me if some of this is a little mean.)
[1] Salaam Remi: I can get down with this. Amy Winehouse, Nas and The Fugees all benefited from this cat. He can be soulful and grimy at the same time, which may tip an Amerie track in the favor of a die-hard Hip Hop head.
[2] Sean Garret: Hooked up
The Pussycat Dolls, Usher, Mary J., Janet, and Beyoncé among many others. Seemingly this guy can do no wrong, but with a discography as packed as his, there are bound to be
stinkers.
[3] Bangledesh: I still don't know the difference between him and Polow Da Don, in that they both mostly irritate me with everything they do.
[4] Los Da Mystro: Produced "In Bed" for J. Holiday. I hate "In Bed" by J. Holiday. But he didn't write it, The-Dream did. The-Dream is the one to blame for those irritating lyrics. And sometimes I like The-Dream. But I don't want Amerie sounding like The-Dream.
[5] Dallas Austin: I'm not sure what to make of this. In the '90s, Dallas was one of those cats to beat with his Monica, Boyz II Men and TLC stuff (even his contributions to Madonna's Bedtime Stories were dope). Then we look at the Rock tunes he did for Pink's Missundaztood, which were also tremendous. But his work on later TLC albums was lacking, not to mention how ill-timed Janet's "Just A Little While" was (it just didn't mesh with the rest of that album). In short, I can definitely see Dallas and Amerie working something out, but I'm putting him on notice.
[6] Tricky Stewart: Again, I don't want Amerie sounding like The-Dream! The joints he did for Mary are great, but that's because they're Mary. But he did Janet and Mariah dirty. For that, I will never forgive him.
Who she SHOULD work with:
[1] Ryan Leslie: He's capable of composing solid R&B jams that have a slight late '90s feel, a sound that suited Amerie fine on All I Have.
[2] 88 Keys: Why? Because not enough people are working with him that should be.
[3] Chucky Thompson: This has been a no-brainer since Amerie first came out, especially taking into account the DC/Rich Harrison connection. And if the words My Life aren't enough to convince you, then we really can't continue this conversation.
[4] Rich Harrison: Earlier rumored but not part of the recent news leaks. It is without question that you do you not take Brandy away from Darkchild, you do not take Missy away from Timbaland and you do not take Amerie away from Rich Harrison. This is science!
So what say you, SoulBouncers? Are you excited about the new Amerie album? What sounds would you like to see her explore this time around?
Comments
We need a return of her original LP! Some good jams and slick R&B! I'm nervous as hell for ol girl.
Rita | April 16, 2009 12:13 AM | Permalinkthis is funny. the 1st thing i thought was, if she doesnt work with ryan leslie then the album is a fail. sure enough who was the 1st person that you named that she should work with?
malael | April 14, 2009 10:55 AM | PermalinkI'm a huge Amerie fan and I feel everything you're saying. I personally don't buy into the whole idea that because you're the producer or writer of the moment that you fit with everybody. I blame record labels and the demise of the "true" A&R for this constant mishap. Anyway, I strongly agree that Rich Harrison and Amerie are peanut butter & jelly, cookies & milk, mac & cheese, Harold's chicken & mild sauce (lol..I'm from Chi). Bottom line is they work, so I hope they work it out! All in all Amerie is the truth and I look forward to purchasing her next album.
Greg "Olskool Ice-Gre" Lewis | April 8, 2009 12:46 PM | PermalinkI also LOVE the work she did on BILI and it showed she does have that drive and skill. now that she is signed to IDJ and if LA Reid has anything to do with it he will strip her of most of her creative control which is sad and is what doomed Discipline.
blknite | April 8, 2009 9:48 AM | Permalinki think he should hire the services of Usher's young brother, J Lackey, i like his production, its different
KevyKevyKelvin | April 7, 2009 11:36 PM | PermalinkI dont think she should do the whole hiphop soul album...if you listen to BILI the 80's new wave style fit her sooooooo damn perfect..Crazy Wonderful, Crush, When loving you was easy and Weekend love were all great tracks that showed of her vocals without her screaming. She has a beautiful voice when she is not screaming over pops and pans. I would like to see more of that.
Kim | April 7, 2009 10:40 PM | PermalinkSalaam Remi is not all that people say. I don't know if ya'll have been there yet, but Jazmine Sullivan's album is not all that. I know the lyric to have much to do with the producer all of the time, but her lyrics are weak...if she were 15 I'd understand, but dang. Thank goodness I didn't spend money on it and just previewed it via my local library. I think he is to Amy Winehouse what Rich Harrison is to Amerie...he isn't for everyone.
Ever since "Why Don't We Fall in Love", I have been liking Amerie's voice and her multi-racialness...but her albums don't live up to her gift.
If you listen to "Just Like Me" off of Touch, you KNOW Amerie has the skills and power to get at it, like it needs to be gotten...but something keeps holding her back.
I support Chucky Thompson (2 words...My Life...1994...u better ask somebody!)
Dallas Austin did the dang thang with TLC in 1995, so why not give a little to Amerie.
Amerie needs some hip hop heads up in her production staff. I read somewhere that she is a big hip hop fan and that there was a mixtape floating around somewhere of her singing over some hip hop beats (sounds like Mary circa 1991 and 1992!...and later Faith...kinda). How about MF Doom as a producer...or Madlib (you know he worked it out for Erykah)..and whoever produced Q-Tip's Renaissance...get that person....I know one of them was Madlib himself.
That's all I got.
R Nebs | April 7, 2009 8:12 PM | PermalinkI would roll with Mark Batson and Mark Ronson...and probably Salaam Remi. Keep it very musical and very instrumental. But that would probably not make it past the number crunchers at 825 Eighth Avenue. The problem today...well I won't callit a problem I'll call it a governor to good cohesive albums is the stopping starting and change in bodys on the production/engineering level. It can be over come if you keep the studio and tech congruent but when you get different producers that are not in touch with one another it leads to a volitile album mood and tone....bottomline. These people are proven, it would also help if the writing was done by the singer. Those typically have the tightest arrangement...and no I'm not singling Ms. Rogers out...just stating the obvious.
And can we please stop intimating that the downfall of the last album was anything other than substantive issues heavily weighted on the shoulders of said Ms. Rogers?
Manamongst Hussein | April 7, 2009 4:48 PM | PermalinkWhat I want is what she did prior, she worked with "boutique" or still fresh faced urban talent, and wrote & arranged the material herself. She worked so hard to move away from the producer's puppet monicker, to step back just to (possibly) move more units isn't the way to go.
BILI was such an amazing LP, and I was so disappointed it didn't get the U.S. attention it deserved. Of all the new talent orbiting her, Dallas Austin excites me most because he tends to take an uncoventional, but marketable approach. I loved his work on Macy Gray's third record "The Trouble With Being Myself," and the stuff he did with Janet on "Damita Jo."
I guess I'll wait & see & support Amerie as I do like her, though I doubt she'll top "Because I Love It."-QH
QH | April 7, 2009 1:44 PM | PermalinkWhichever producer(s) she works with, her sound should be slanted more toward the hip hop soul vibe as opposed to a pop sound. All I Have was a knocker, I think she should have stayed consistent with that sound and let it flourish. To me it seems like her musical style has been all over the place and I would like to see it come full circle.
hiphopmuse | April 7, 2009 12:20 PM | PermalinkI read somewhere she was in the studio with Justice League also.
j | April 7, 2009 11:44 AM | PermalinkI actually agree with everyone on your list of who she SHOULD work with along with SAlaam. I'm a huge Amerie fan and needs that big breakthough to show the people what alot of use already know.
blknite | April 7, 2009 11:41 AM | Permalink