| Black Diamond | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 28, 1999 | |||
| Length | 54:46 | |||
| Label | Arista | |||
| Producer |
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| Angie Stone chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Black Diamond | ||||
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Black Diamond is the debut studio album by American singer Angie Stone. It was released on September 28, 1999, by Arista Records. The album is named after Stone's then-teenaged daughter Diamond Ti'ara. [1]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| USA Today | [3] |
| Hot Press | 9/12 [4] |
| Rolling Stone |  [5] |
In his review for Billboard , Michael Paoletta declared the album "a musically rich and empowering journey through life's many ups and downs" that pairs "smooth, mellow grooves [...] with emotion-packed lyrics." He further wrote: "For those lamenting the lack of honest R&B/soul, stop worrying: With Black Diamond, it's back where it belongs." [6] AllMusic editor Theresa E. LaVeck noted that "purposefully positive, the album chronicles Stone's journeys maintaining personal faith and loving relationships, resplendent with new takes on traditional soul sounds. Stone supports her songwriting and vocal talents with help from A-list musicians/writer/producers such as Lenny Kravitz and D'Angelo. The sophisticated mix is elevated by Stone's incredible voice." [2]
USA Today 's Steve Jones remarked "South Carolina native Stone honed her songwriting skills penning tunes for people such as D'Angelo and Mary J. Blige, but on this earthy debut she quickly establishes herself as an artist to be reckoned with. Stone's rich, mature voice lends an authenticity to lyrics that touch the jagged surface and underlying emotions between people trying to work out or move on from relationships. She deftly blends old-school sentiments and current sensibilities and wraps them around grooves that work at any time." [3] Ayana Byrd, writing for Rolling Stone , compared Stone's vocal performance with Chaka Khan and Gladys Knight and remarked that "Stone's Southern country-road sensibilities prevent her from being derivative of her obvious influences; instead, Black Diamond shines with the intensity of brilliant soul." [5] BBC Music critic Daryl Easlea called the album "a fine debut" that proclaims "after years of struggle, Stone's arrival as an artist in her own right." [7] Kerry Potter from Q described Black Diamond as "a low-key album of quietly poetic soul, epitomised by the muffled funk of "Green Grass Vapors." [It] is meandering and over-polished at times, but, in the main, hints at a sparkling future." [8] Exclaim! editor Del F. Cowie complimented the album for its "classy and subdued mood." [9]
Black Diamond debuted at number 144 on the US Billboard 200 in the week of October 16, 1999, [10] with first week sales of 10,000 copies. [11] It was not until February 19, 2000, that it peaked at number 46. [10] Two weeks prior, on February 2, 2000, the album had been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). [12] By September 2003, Black Diamond had sold 812,000 copies in the United States. [13]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Freedom (Intro)" | Angie Stone | Stone | 0:42 |
| 2. | "No More Rain (In This Cloud)" |
| Stone | 4:42 |
| 3. | "Green Grass Vapors" |
|
| 4:14 |
| 4. | "Everyday" |
| Russell Elevado | 3:28 |
| 5. | "Coulda Been You" |
|
| 4:25 |
| 6. | "Visions" | DJ U-Neek | 3:31 | |
| 7. | "Life Story" | 4:07 | ||
| 8. | "Just a Pimp" |
|
| 4:12 |
| 9. | "Trouble Man" | Marvin Gaye |
| 2:33 |
| 10. | "Bone 2 Pic (Wit U)" | Muhammad | 5:19 | |
| 11. | "Man Loves His Money" |
|
| 4:11 |
| 12. | "Love Junkie" | Stone |
| 4:18 |
| 13. | "Black Diamonds & Blue Pearls (Interlude)" | Stone | Stone | 1:35 |
| 14. | "Heaven Help" (bonus track) |
| DeVeaux | 3:19 |
| 15. | "Don't Wanna Ride Without You" (hidden track) | Stone | 4:10 | |
| Total length: | 54:46 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15. | "Without You" | Stone | 3:35 |
| 16. | "Thank You" |
| 0:23 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Freedom (Intro)" | Stone | Stone | 0:42 |
| 2. | "No More Rain (In This Cloud)" |
| Stone | 4:42 |
| 3. | "Everyday" |
| Elevado | 3:28 |
| 4. | "Bone 2 Pic (Wit U)" |
| Muhammad | 5:19 |
| 5. | "Life Story" |
|
| 4:07 |
| 6. | "Visions" |
| DJ U-Neek | 3:31 |
| 7. | "Coulda Been You" |
|
| 4:25 |
| 8. | "Just a Pimp" |
|
| 4:12 |
| 9. | "Black Diamonds & Blue Pearls (Interlude)" | Stone | Stone | 1:35 |
| 10. | "Green Grass Vapors" |
|
| 4:14 |
| 11. | "Baby Slow Down" |
| DeVeaux | 4:09 |
| 12. | "Love Junkie" | Stone |
| 4:18 |
| 13. | "Trouble Man" | Gaye |
| 2:33 |
| 14. | "My Lovin' Will Give You Something" |
| DeVeaux | 4:33 |
| 15. | "Heaven Help" |
| DeVeaux | 3:19 |
| 16. | "Life Story" (Jazz Hop Mix) (includes hidden track "Don't Wanna Ride Without You") |
|
| 8:14 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15. | "Thank You" |
| 0:23 | |
| 16. | "Heaven Help" |
| DeVeaux | 3:19 |
| 17. | "Life Story" (Jazz Hop Mix) |
|
| 4:16 |
| 18. | "Without You" | Stone | 3:35 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Freedom (Intro)" | Stone | Stone | 0:42 |
| 2. | "No More Rain (In This Cloud)" |
| Stone | 4:42 |
| 3. | "Green Grass Vapors" |
|
| 4:14 |
| 4. | "Everyday" |
| Elevado | 3:28 |
| 5. | "Coulda Been You" |
|
| 4:25 |
| 6. | "Visions" |
| DJ U-Neek | 3:31 |
| 7. | "Life Story" |
|
| 4:07 |
| 8. | "Just a Pimp" |
|
| 4:12 |
| 9. | "Trouble Man" | Gaye |
| 2:33 |
| 10. | "Bone 2 Pic (Wit U)" |
| Muhammad | 5:19 |
| 11. | "Man Loves His Money" |
|
| 4:11 |
| 12. | "Love Junkie" | Stone |
| 4:18 |
| 13. | "Black Diamonds & Blue Pearls (Interlude)" | Stone | Stone | 1:35 |
| 14. | "Heaven Help" |
| DeVeaux | 3:19 |
| 15. | "Without You" | Stone | 3:35 | |
| 16. | "Thank You" |
| 0:22 | |
| 17. | "Baby Slow Down" |
| DeVeaux | 4:09 |
| 18. | "Ear-Responsible" | 4:32 | ||
| 19. | "Work It Out" | Stone | 3:23 | |
| 20. | "My Lovin' Will Give You Something" |
| DeVeaux | 4:33 |
| 21. | "I Gotta Thing for You" | Stone | 5:08 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "No More Rain (In This Cloud)" (StarGate Radio Mix) |
|
| 3:57 |
| 2. | "No More Rain (In This Cloud)" (Erick Sermon Remix) (featuring Loon) |
|
| 4:17 |
| 3. | "No More Rain (In This Cloud)" (Wookie Vocal Mix) |
|
| 4:48 |
| 4. | "Everyday" (Mike City Remix) |
| 3:58 | |
| 5. | "Everyday" (Neptunes Remix) (featuring Pusha T) |
| 4:20 | |
| 6. | "Everyday" (Suli & Stef Bass Remix) (featuring Mad Snake) |
| 4:49 | |
| 7. | "Everyday" (Full Crew Rap Mix) (featuring Phoebe 1) |
| 3:52 | |
| 8. | "Everyday" (Soultown Mix) (featuring Phoebe 1) |
| 4:23 | |
| 9. | "Life Story" (Jazz Hop Mix) |
| 4:15 | |
| 10. | "Life Story" (Full Crew Hip Hop Mix) |
| 4:21 | |
| 11. | "Life Story" (Booker T Vocal Mix) |
| 5:39 | |
| 12. | "Life Story" (Club 69 Future Mix) |
|
| 3:36 |
| 13. | "Life Story" (music video) | 4:08 | ||
| 14. | "Everyday" (music video) | 3:26 | ||
| 15. | "No More Rain (In This Cloud)" (music video) | 4:13 | ||
| 16. | "Behind the Scenes" (video) | 8:02 | ||
| 17. | "Everyday" (Neptunes Remix) (music video) | 3:29 |
Notes
Sample credits
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Black Diamond. [19]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands (NVPI) [28] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) [29] | Gold | 100,000^ |
| United States (RIAA) [12] | Gold | 812,000 [13] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Region | Date | Format | Edition | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | September 28, 1999 | Standard | Arista | [30] [31] | |
| Germany | November 8, 1999 | CD | BMG | [32] | |
| Canada | February 8, 2000 | [33] | |||
| Japan | February 16, 2000 | EMI | [17] | ||
| United Kingdom | February 28, 2000 | Arista | [15] | ||
| Germany | March 20, 2000 | Reissue | BMG | [34] | |
| Various | September 18, 2012 | Digital download | Deluxe |
| [18] |
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