Destiny Fulfilled:

The Review

Nfared





They hail as one of the most remembered girl groups of our time. They are Pop.
They are R&B. They have changed members more than some small churches. They, are
Destiny’s Child and no matter what, they seem to have survival at the top of
their agenda. Since their debut (not this particular version of the group, but
well, you get it) back in 1998, DC’s presence has always been consistent, even
if their members have not. Internal drama and public speculation has not seemed
to slow the girls as they have come back with their fourth (or second) CD,
Destiny Fulfilled. Recorded in three weeks, Destiny Fulfilled is the result of a
promise to reunite after each of the girls went off to do solo projects. The
reunion is here, and while some things are different, some things remain the
same.


Voice and Production
Here is where things are different. One of the reasons DC has been able to
become so successful is their ability to integrate R&B and Pop into a peaceful
blend. Their sound is definitely original and distinctive. However with Destiny
Fulfilled, the nine different producers (Beyonce included) go straight R&B. This
change makes a very interesting listen track wise. Vocally though, there is the
looming question of whether or not you are listening to a DC project or another
Beyonce solo effort.



The DarkChild produced “Lose My Breath” was actually an excellent choice for
first single. The simulation of a marching band as a track is very addictive.
Even when I put the CD in to listen to another song, if I forget and let this
one start playing, I end up listening to the entire song. The ladies sing to the
beat perfectly. What’s even better, a usually upfront Beyonce takes somewhat
of a smaller role in this song, letting Kelly and Michelle show their vocal
ability. The only own down fall would be that Kelly sounds too much like Beyonce
in the second verse.



In music, some tracks have a sexy aura before the beat even drops. Within the
first few seconds of T-Shirt, you instantly know the direction the song is going
to take. Producers Andre Harris and Vidal Davis, who are very well known for
creating all kinds of beats, do an excellent job of creating a track that is
simple, yet catches the ear the minute it starts. Though Beyonce starts out the
first verse a little to loud, for the most part the singing in this song is soft
and appropriate for the track.



There is a problem though. This song does not sound like a total group effort.
There is no harmony in the chorus at all, and again, Kelly sounds so much like
Beyonce, listening has to be very intentional to tell the difference. It’s
almost like this song was recorded without the intent of using the other ladies
in the group. While this may not strike as a huge issue, it does pose of a
question of why the group would get back together to record and end up doing
songs where all of them are not being utilized to their full potential.



“Is She The Reason”, produced by 9th Wonder and Beyonce definitely stands
out as one of the production highlights of this project. Here again the track is
instantly noticeable. It’s a calm track with the beautiful addition of a
trumpet to add feeling. What is really excellent about this song though, is the
hook. There is perfectly executed harmony (yes HARMONY) throughout the chorus.
Of all the Destiny’s Child songs that come to mind, this is one of the ones
that actually shows full group participation. This can be appreciated as a true
Destiny’s Child song.


Writing and Creativity
DC has always been known for their creative writing style. Not necessarily
ground breaking or amazingly moving, but in the past, their lyrics have
definitely been able to hold their own. With Destiny Fulfilled though, it seems
as if there was little thought put into the lyrics.



Lyrically, T-shirt would have to stand out as the most creative song on the CD
and probably one of the most provocative songs ever done by Destiny’s Child.
Writers Beyonce, Kelly, Michelle, Andre Harris, Vidal Davis, Sean Garrett, and
Angela Beyince (for some reason I have a hard time believing ALL these people
wrote this song) did an excellent job with word play. The title of the song
itself is so suggestive listening is almost irresistible. The chorus seals the
deal, “When you’re not here/I sleep in your t-shirt/I wish you were here/to
take off your t-shit/after we make love/I sleep in your t-shirt/wake up in your
t-shirt/still smell the scent of your cologne. When I need your feel/I sleep in
your t-shirt/I need your help/after we make love/I need your help/to take off
your t-shirt/after we make love/I sleep in your t-shirt/wake up in your
t-shirt/still smell the scent of your cologne”. This love song would have to
go in the books as a Destiny’s Child classic.



T-Shirt though, is the only song that seemed to have any lyrical worth.
“Soldier” was picked as the second single from the CD, but the song is
questionable on so many different levels you wonder what writers DC, Rich
Harrison, Sean Garrett, Dwanye Carter and Clifford Harris were thinking. Take
the chorus, “If his status ain’t hood, I ain’t checkin for him, better be
street if he looking at me, I need a soldier/that ain’t scared to stand up for
me/gotta carry big things and you know what I mean/“If his status ain’t
hood, I ain’t checkin for him, better be street if he looking at me, I need a
soldier/that ain’t scared/gotta know to get doe and he better be street.”
While a nice effort to be different, this song actually goes off the deep end by
1) being totally out of the way of something DC would sing about and 2)
glorifying thug life. Then there is the issue of believability. While DC has not
been necessarily known for being clean cut, it is hard to believe that
either of ladies of DC would be dating a pants saggin, gold tooth havin kat
from the hood.



Girl is boring, Cater 2 U is so opposite of Indendent Women Part 2 it’s hard
to believe the same group did both songs, and Bad Habit does not hold your
attention. There are just too many songs on this CD that have a feeling of just
being put together lyrically to fill space.


Final Grade
I have never been all that excited about DC. Yes the talent is there, the skill
is there, but the group has never been about the group. I have no problem with
that in sense, but it just seems as if all of these years all of the different
women that have been in the group have been there to stoke Beyonce’s ego. This
CD, though not a totally useless effort at reuniting, still centers on Beyonce.
Also, while production wise the CD is off the charts, the writing is
disappointing at best. The final product is solid, but the expectation from a
group of this caliber would be something exceptional, particularly with all the
noise made about the reunion. To that end, solid is just not good enough. Final
grade, D+






Rap Review
Fabolous



Most kats lay where the hood rats be boo, but I’m the kind of kat that strays
away- Fabolous



Most people who listen to rap music don’t have trouble spelling, or at least
you would not think so. Just in cause though, Fabolous will constantly remind
you how to spell, particularly when it comes to his name. After only a year, Fab
is back with “Real Talk”, his third solo project.



Honestly, Fab’s talent is up there with those that are considered to be some
of the best rappers in hip-hop (Jay-Z, Nas, 50 Cent). He is a strong rapper with
a definite ability to captivate. His style is so sincere if he didn’t go
through half of the things he raps about, it’s hard to tell and at a certain
point, you just don’t care. However, he does not have the same exposure as the
other top rated artists and this current project may present some reasoning
behind this.



First there is the title. “Real Talk” does not really say “Come by my
CD”, particularly now that this term is being thrown around like hip-hop
royalty titles. Then there is content. Yes, the kid is witty, humorous, and his
word play gets your attention, but after listening to this CD and then going
back to listen to 2003’s Street Dreams, there is little lyrical growth. While
some phrases are great to have as trademark sayings, if you are still using them
on your third CD instead of saving them for live shows, something is awry. With
Real Talk, spelling is still going on, women are still swallowing babies and he
is still goin “A-A-A-A-O”. Switch it up. Perhaps say “O-O-O-A”. Then
there is the album cover. Who ever thought of that idea should really be fired,
immediately.



There are of course favorites. The Just Blaze produced “Breathe” (track 13)
is probably one of the most exciting rap songs of this year. The song is
infectious and brings up the question of why this song was not chosen as the
title track (it is much better then “Real Talk”). “Holla At Somebody
Real” (track 11) is another highlight, partly because Lil Mo joins him on the
track, and these two together have never disappointed in the past. Content here
is also interesting as he talks about the dangers of bein wit someone who is not
“real” (“There’s some who be willin/to skim in/and dive into a
relationship cuz I got a million/to swim in/They’ll throw it to you faster
than Shilling and Clemmons/but feelings ain’t the only thing/you can catch
now).



There’s the catchy “In My Hood” (track 16) with the children in the
chorus, and Fabolous’s personal tribute to the police on “Po Po”.



Being a fan of Fab since his debut, being unbiased is a little difficult. So the
final grade would have to be a B- with a disclaimer. If you are not currently a
fan of Fab then you may not be able to get into this one. If you are a fan, you
will probably listen and feel as if you were expecting something more exciting.
The project is not totally disappointing, but you feel like something is
missing.




Go read my music reviews!!

www.middlechildpromotions.com ---NFARED













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