Alicia Keys is nothing less than the embodiment of consistency. Ever since bursting onto the scene with her piano heavy R&B eight albums ago, sheโs steadily built a catalog that would make any artist envious. I canโt think of one bad project sheโs put out; yes some are better than others but she always puts out very solid stuff. I forget about her sometimes though. Sheโs not in the headlines a lot, and outside of music she seems to pretty much stay to herself. But every other year or so when she pops back up again I know sheโs bringing some heat with her. So I expected nothing less from her latest release,ย Here.
โTellinโ you like it is, how we ever gonโ live?
If we ainโt gettinโ money, how we feedinโ the kids?
Itโs a revolving door, where brothers be doinโ bids
I know it sound wrong but the door will be what it isโ
Keysโ music, while R&B, has always stayed true to her classical, piano roots, weaving it in as much as she could with the more modern sounds. Sheโs better at this then just about everybody out there andย Here is tried and true Keys, but with an edge. Majority of itโs production is definitely rooted in hip-hop, in particular NY hip-hop. Itโs a sound that perfectly lays the groundwork for one of the main themes of her music, New York culture. On โShe Donโt Really Care_1 Luvโ she flips a sample of a Nas classic, โOne Loveโ, off his classic debutย Illmatic. This love shown to classic hip-hop is felt throughoutย Here, and she even slips in some very dope interludes from hip-hop icons speaking about various topics. Aside from the very โNYโ street sound she infused in her music this go around, she still has her tried and true ballads like โIllusion of Blissโ and โHallelujahโ where she lets her exceptional voice shine through.
โSaid Iโd be gone by five
But itโs sunrise and Iโm still in your bed
Goodnight usually means goodbye
Me replaying memories in my headโ
Man, that voice. Itโs as strong as ever and gives me chills when she lets loose and makes you feel the emotion she had when crafting the song. There seems to be a trend amongst artists these days of delving into topics of black consciousness and black culture because a lot of albums lately have touched on these topics. Alicia handles these topics with a better grasp than most others out there. She also touches on the culture of New York, family, struggles of black womanhood, and various other social issues. It all seems sincere and genuine, and she handles it all deftly while still keeping you engaged. She is the definition of consistent greatness.
Have you heardย Here? Whatโd you think about it? Did you like the more hip-hop sound she went with? What was your favorite track? Let me know in the comments below and be sure to leave a rating for the album.
