Soulstar | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | December 9, 2003 | |||
Recorded | 2002–2003 Home Cookin' Studios Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 70:26 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | 88-Keys, Carvin & Ivan, MAD, Junius Bervine, Da Gutta Fam | |||
Musiq chronology | ||||
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Soulstar is the third studio album by American singer Musiq Soulchild. It was released on December 9, 2003. It debuted on the Billboard 200 at number thirteen, spending 23 weeks on the chart and exiting on May 29, 2004; on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart where it peaked at number three, it spent 37 weeks, falling off on September 9, 2004.
This would be Musiq's final album for Def Jam's Def Soul subsidiary, before he transitioned to Atlantic in a de facto trade[ citation needed ] for his next album Luvanmusiq (2007).
The vinyl release of Soulstar has a different track listing from the CD. The songs "whereareyougoing" and "leaveamessage" do not appear on the vinyl version of the album. [1]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Entertainment Weekly | B [3] |
USA Today | [4] |
Vibe | [5] |
Soulstar garnered positive reviews from music critics. AllMusic editor Andy Kellman said that despite the length of the record, he praised Musiq's growing musicianship to craft modern R&B tracks that don't carry gimmicks or personas that give his performances on them "a sense of intimacy that many of his contemporaries lack." He concluded by calling it "one of the finest contemporary R&B releases of 2003, with both style and substance in good supply." [2] Raymond Fiore from Entertainment Weekly said of Musiq being able to transcend his "humble-pie persona" amongst the other neo soul artists throughout the album: "But while the former ”Soulchild” is maddeningly predictable, the grooves on Soulstar prove surprisingly rewarding. Just when you think Musiq’s songs remain the same, he unleashes a series of harmonically lush chords that elevate him way above average." [3] Steve Jones of USA Today said, "Although he often wears his Wonder-Hathaway influences on his sleeve, his ever-improving songwriting and vocal phrasings set him apart. Love themes predominate, but his songs often paint detailed scenarios and are anything but simple." [4] In a mixed review for the New York Times , Jon Pareles praised Musiq's lyricism for being reminiscent of '70s Stevie Wonder but was off-put by Ivan Barias' production causing said lyrics in the tracks to "ramble until they begin to sound like recitatives." He later called Soulstar "an album of dense, fascinating textures and articulate lyrics that ends up pleasant but prosy." [6]
No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "soulstar" (featuring DJ Aktive & Carol Riddick) | MAD | 3:02 |
2. | "youloveme" | Carvin & Ivan | 3:50 |
3. | "womanopaly" | Carvin & Ivan | 4:55 |
4. | "forthenight" (featuring AAries) | Carvin & Ivan | 3:50 |
5. | "infatueighties" | Carvin & Ivan | 4:36 |
6. | "whoknows" | Carvin & Ivan | 4:55 |
7. | "babymother" | Carvin & Ivan | 4:43 |
8. | "missyou" | Carvin & Ivan | 4:00 |
9. | "momentinlife" (featuring Cee Lo Green & Kindred the Family Soul) | Junius Bervine | 4:43 |
10. | "thereason" | Carvin & Ivan | 5:29 |
11. | "dontstop/her" (featuring Bilal) | 88-Keys | 8:08 |
12. | "wherareyougoing" | Da Gutta Fam | 4:28 |
13. | "romancipation" | Carvin & Ivan | 4:10 |
14. | "interlude" | 0:38 | |
15. | "givemorelove/leaveamessage" | Carvin & Ivan | 9:46 |
Credits adapted from liner notes [7] and AllMusic. [8]
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Weekly charts
Certifications
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Taalib Hassan Johnson, better known by the stage name Musiq Soulchild or simply Musiq is an American singer and songwriter whose style blends R&B, funk, blues, jazz, and gospel influences fused with hip hop. Soulchild has released several successful studio albums that went platinum in the United States.
Juslisen is the second studio album by American singer Musiq Soulchild, simply known at the time as Musiq. It was released on May 7, 2002 under the Def Soul subsidiary of Def Jam Recordings. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, where it spent 35 weeks before falling off on February 22, 2003. It was nominated for Best R&B Album at the 2003 Grammy Awards.
Def Soul was an R&B-based division of American multinational record label Def Jam Recordings. It was formed in 1996 by Russell Simmons and Kevin Liles to expand R&B and soul music through Def Jam's said genre-related roster following the successes of Montell Jordan and Case.
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Southside is the debut studio album by American R&B recording artist Lloyd. It was released on July 20, 2004, via The Inc. and Island Def Jam. The singer teamed with several of record producers such as Chink Santana, Rodney Jerkins, Irv Gotti and Jasper Cameron, among others.
Phrenology is the fifth studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released on November 26, 2002, by MCA Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during June 2000 to September 2002 at Electric Lady Studios in New York. It was primarily produced by members of the band and features contributions from hip hop and neo soul artists such as Cody ChesnuTT, Musiq Soulchild, Talib Kweli, and Jill Scott.
Fishscale is the fifth studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, released March 28, 2006, on Def Jam in the United States. The album features guest appearances from every member of the Wu-Tang Clan, as well as Ghostface Killah's Theodore Unit. It also features production from several acclaimed producers, such as MF DOOM, Pete Rock, J Dilla, and Just Blaze, among others. The album follows an organized crime theme, and is named after a term for uncut cocaine.
Aijuswanaseing is the debut studio album by American singer Musiq Soulchild. It was released on November 14, 2000 through Def Soul Recordings and Island Def Jam Music Group. The album debuted at number 32 on the US Billboard 200 chart on December 2, 2000. On the Billboard 200, it peaked at #24 on April 7, 2001, and after spending 41 weeks on the chart, exited on September 8, 2001; on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart, it spent 67 weeks, falling off on June 1, 2002.
Hot & Wet is the fourth studio album by American R&B group 112. It was released by Bad Boy Records and Def Soul on December 9, 2003 in the United States. The album followed the successful Part III album, with the club tracks "Na Na Na Na" and "Hot & Wet" which was produced by Stevie J. It was also their first album not exclusively associated with Bad Boy, signaling the groups' eventual departure from the label in 2004.
Baby Makin' Music is the thirtieth studio album by the American Ohio musical soul group, the Isley Brothers. It was released on the short-lived Def Soul Classics imprint on May 9, 2006. Their first for the Def Jam-affiliated label, the album peaked at number five on the Billboard 200, while debuting at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Album sales were helped by the R&B chart success of the first single, "Just Came Here to Chill", and the R. Kelly duet, "Blast Off", which is the only collaboration with Kelly on this album, after he produced their last album, Body Kiss (2003). Other producers on Baby Makin' Music include Gordon Chambers, Jermaine Dupri, Tim & Bob and Manuel Seal.
Luvanmusiq is the fourth release by the singer-songwriter Musiq Soulchild, the first under his contract with Atlantic Records. The lead single, "B.U.D.D.Y.", was released to U.S. radio in late November 2006; it reached number two on the R&B chart, and number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100. Following its release, it entered the U.S. Billboard 200 at number 1, with 149,774 copies sold. During the same week, the second single, "Teachme", entered the U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number 54, and rose to number five in its thirteenth week. "Teachme" also entered the Hot 100 at number 92 on the issue date, May 26, 2007. By July 11, 2007, the album had sold 789,377 copies in the U.S.
"B.U.D.D.Y." is the first single from Musiq Soulchild's fourth album Luvanmusiq. It was released on January 30, 2007 after being given to radio stations in the US in late November 2006. It contains samples from De La Soul's "Buddy ", Taana Gardner's "Heartbeat" and interpolations from the composition "Heartbeat ". The song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 50th Grammy Awards but lost to "Future Baby Mama" by Prince. The lyrics are a man's attempts to persuade a girl he can be her "buddy".
"Halfcrazy" is a song performed by Musiq Soulchild, issued as the lead single from his second studio album Juslisen. The single was released only on vinyl; and it contains a sample of "Vivre Pour Vivre" by Francis Lai. The song is Musiq's biggest hit to date on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 16 in 2002.
"Whoknows" is the second and last single from Musiq Soulchild's third album, Soulstar. It was released as an airplay-only single in January, 2004. Former En Vogue singer Dawn Robinson is credited with contributing background vocals.
Raw Footage is the eighth studio album by American rapper Ice Cube. It was released on August 19, 2008, by his record label Lench Mob Records and EMI. The album features guest appearances from The Game, Butch Cassidy, Musiq Soulchild, Young Jeezy and WC. The album is his most political effort, since over a decade earlier with the release of his album The Predator (1992).
OnMyRadio is R&B singer-songwriter Musiq Soulchild's fifth studio album. It was released on December 9, 2008.
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E.S.P. is the seventh solo studio album by American rapper and producer Erick Sermon. It was released on September 25, 2015 via Def Squad Records/Caroline Records.
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