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Album Review: CTRL (SZA)

SZA’s CTRL isn’t just a debut album, it’s the climax of an essential chapter in her journey towards self-realization in love, self-worth, and purpose. With tracks penned for Rihanna and Beyoncé, we knew SZA had the writing chops and with CTRL there is no doubt that she is a force to be reckoned with. 14-tracks deep, this project is rich with potent lyricism, multilayered production, and pushes a powerful theme that creates a space for open exploration in defining our womanhood through concepts of control.

CTRL opens with “Supermodel.” Driven by a poignant guitar riff, this song is an open letter depicting revenge, insecurities, and a deep thirst for the thing that both destroys and completes her being. Pharrell tops off the track with rhythmic whispers and the seemingly hollow production lays an open foundation for the intricate and varied aural skeleton that frames this album’s soundscape.

Next is, “Love Galore.” Assisted by Travis Scott, this track offers listeners a little bounce. The visual, directed by Nabildo, supports the story of regrets in love. “Should’ve never let you hit it / I split it with you / I regret it / You gots a fetish / You gots a problem / Now It’s a problem.” In the end, SZA gets the laugh and finds a way to put self first, fully escaping her lovers control over her self-worth. The video ends with Travis Scott, love interest, savagely murdered.Nabildo, supports the story of regrets in love. “Should’ve never let you hit it / I split it with you / I regret it / You gots a fetish / You gots a problem / Now It’s a problem.” In the end, SZA gets the laugh and finds a way to put self first, fully escaping her lovers control over her self-worth. The video ends with Travis Scott, love interest, savagely murdered.lovers control over her self-worth. The video ends with Travis Scott, love interest, savagely murdered.Nabildo, supports the story of regrets in love. “Should’ve never let you hit it / I split it with you / I regret it / You gots a fetish / You gots a problem / Now It’s a problem.” In the end, SZA gets the laugh and finds a way to put self first, fully escaping her lovers control over her self-worth. The video ends with Travis Scott, love interest, savagely murdered.Nabildo, supports the story of regrets in love. “Should’ve never let you hit it / I split it with you / I regret it / You gots a fetish / You gots a problem / Now It’s a problem.” In the end, SZA gets the laugh and finds a way to put self first, fully escaping her lovers control over her self-worth. The video ends with Travis Scott, love interest, savagely murdered.Nabildo, supports the story of regrets in love. “Should’ve never let you hit it / I split it with you / I regret it / You gots a fetish / You gots a problem / Now It’s a problem.” In the end, SZA gets the laugh and finds a way to put self first, fully escaping her lovers control over her self-worth. The video ends with Travis Scott, love interest, savagely murdered.

With a guest appearance from fellow TDE-mate Kendrick Lamar, “Doves In The Wind” is a tale of pussy power. Kendrick snaps on his verse delivering each line with his signature texture of pocketed rhythm and melody, “Niggas’ll lose they mind for it / Wine for it, dine for it (pussy) / Spend time for it, see no colored line for it (pussy).” Followed by lead single “Drew Barrymore” and “Prom,” “Doves In The Wind” is a brief reprieve from finding answers by grappling with control in the sense of what a man does to women and rather articulates the blinding power a woman can have over men.

The sixth track, “The Weekend,” is definitely a stand out. But more importantly, it’s a side chick anthem… After listening to the song I felt the strong desire to join in on the fun and shout from the depths of my soul, “These niggas for everybody!” — Shout out Juicy J. SZA doesn’t deliver a modest or defeated explanation for side chick-ism. She re-appropriates the concept, empowering women to not get caught up in the mess of a man, but to simply get what we each need and keep it pushing. The hook reads, “My man is my man is your man / Heard that’s her man too / Tuesday and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday / I just keep him satisfied through the weekend / You’re like 9 to 5, I’m the weekend / Make him lose his mind every weekend.”

During an appearance on the Breakfast Club SZA explained the next track “Go Gina,” as being somewhat in the vein of character Gina from the classic 90s series Martin. “Gina was always like the semi-corporate, kind of stuck up, but also really beautiful and had a sense of humor, but she looked like if she lived like Pam she might have more fun.” SZA caps everything off with the idea of just living your life and not being afraid to be crazy.

Soothingly bright, “Garden (Say It Like Dat)” departs a bit from the more vibey tone of the project, but stays on the mark with the overall theme, showcasing a desire to be wanted and reassured by a lover. This track delivers the line that just might get the most Insta-caption/Twitter play, “Lie to me and say my booty getting’ bigger even if it ain’t.”

“Broken Clocks,“ released on June 2nd is a vibe for sure. If I had to pick a song that showcases the muscle of SZA’s vocals and syncopation, this would be the one. The next track “Anything,” backed by a fluttering, technology-esque beat, reminiscent of the album cover, also highlights her ability to create a trance with her raspy, yet buttery, vocals and her rhythmic flows.

If James Fauntleroy is on an album, you know it’s good. He pops up on the album’s interlude, “Wavy.” SZA mentioned on Twitter that a full version of the track exists, thus prompting us all to desperately salivate until it’s dropped. Tracks “Normal Girl” and “Pretty Little Birds,” the latter featuring another TDE artist Isaiah Rashad, prepare us for the final song of CTRL… “20 Something.” This track seamlessly puts a face to the angst that is so central to the experience of living, growing, and finding yourself as a 20-something year old. “How could it be? / 20 something, all alone still / Not a thing in my name / Ain’t got nothin’, runnin’ from love / Only know fear / That’s me, Ms. 20 Something.” I’ve been extra thirsty for this song since hearing a preview at the beginning of the short behind the scenes/documentary piece, “SZA — Where Have You Been: Road to CTRL,” released back in February. It’s the perfect conclusion to CTRL and offers a point of relief for young 20-somethings wondering if we’re in this alone.

Prior to the CTRL rollout, it wasn’t clear where SZA was going to take her career. After tweeting “I Quit,” and tagging Punch, The president of her label/management company, TDE, fans speculated that she was having issues with the TDE team. She recently mentioned during an interview, with Nessa of Hot 97, that the tweet was more about quitting music all together, but triggered by a conversation with Punch. “I am very dramatic, and I’m like easily angered and I was having an exorbitantly bad day, completely unconnected to music, on some family shit. And then I got into an argument about some music with Punch and it just took me over the edge. And I was like wow this is a hobby I don’t want to continue anymore.”

Thankfully, after four years of hoping and waiting, CTRL is out and this project is crucial for, not just urban music culture, but music culture as a whole. It’s one of those projects that are hard to box in with the, sometimes limiting, label of a genre and it’s one that could become a definitive marker or soundtrack for an entire generation. As her official debut album, CTRL, hits hard and solidifies the foundation for SZA’s freshman chapter in music, setting her up to become one of the greats.

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/ctrl/id1239976329

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/76290XdXVF9rPzGdNRWdCh

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#NoJulz & The Mass Silencing of Black Women in America. 

Black Twitter erupted this past Friday when headlines rang out that Snapchat personality YesJulz was dropped from two Toronto events for her use of the N-Word in a Twitter post. After being dragged to pieces the socialite proceeded to communicate to fans how “sorry” she was by posting a series of fake-tear filled snapchats that seemed more like “shit I’m losing money” than sincere.snapchats that seemed more like “shit I’m losing money” than sincere.snapchats that seemed more like “shit I’m losing money” than sincere.snapchats that seemed more like “shit I’m losing money” than sincere.

What was more interesting (though not surprising) than the YesJulz of it all was the clear divide between Black women and men on the issue. While many Black men expressed their disgust with YesJulz, others quickly jumped to her defense and this did not go unnoticed.

“Look At Me!” rapper Xxxtenacion defended Julz tweeting, “when she said “niggas” she meant males, all ya’ll stupid as fuck and need to take the hate somewhere else, tired of seeing sensitive shit.” Julz went on to attend the “Rolling Loud” hip-hop festival, didn’t hesitate to let us know how wrong we were for the hate, and later emphasized all the Black (male) love she received.

So back to the sunken place us Black women go, right?

This wasn’t YesJulz’s first run in with the Black women of Twitter. In 2016 she came under fire for an old tweet stating, “Black girls don’t like me cuz black men do!” The “issue” of some Black men’s preference for white women is as old as it is polarizing. And it often focuses on the Becky of it all, rather than prompting discussions about Black women and esteem… Black women and femininity… Black women and self-worth. Black women’s issue with YesJulz is not an issue of hate and jealousy, but rather an issue of, 1. Who gets to control the dialogue, 2. Respect and 3. Authenticity.

I have a problem with what girls like Julz, Miley Cyrus, and Kylie Jenner represent, because while they so easily “turn from good girl to ghetto,” and back again, they reinforce stereotypes, create false masks out of our realities and fail to offer our culture anything in return — or even acknowledge that it was our culture to begin with. And this is the danger of cultural appropriation. It keeps those on the bottom at the bottom with false labels, stereotypes and whatever else the “mainstream” wants us to have, while stripping us of our culture and turning it into a fad to be casually consumed. And then when we choose to speak up and acknowledge this damaging cycle they blame us…

But this is nothing new… It seems to pretty regularly work like this. When a Black woman speaks a little truth and people can’t figure out a way to participate without feeling guilty or less important, they get mad and try to discredit what was said. Even when you’re Beyoncé.

Beyoncé drops the iconic line “He better call Becky with the good hair.”

Enter YesJulz: So… am I allowed to wear this shirt at the festival tomorrow or nah.

Anyway… In an article titled, “5 Reasons I No Longer Date Black Women” Donovan Sharpe explains how his personal “development” made Black women “practically invisible to [him].” French Montana received backlash after derogatorily responding to a Twitter user who jokingly questioned his relevancy. Iyanla Vanzant and OWN dedicated three entire episode’s of Fix My Life to Black men explaining why they no longer date Black women (*rolls eyes*). At the root of these instances of Black men denigrating Black women are ideas of us being shallow, simple minded and promiscuous. And while I most definitely do not need (or want for that matter) to be desired by any of these “men,” It is hurtful to think that they would advance this type of problematic rhetoric.

It troubles me that definitions that often surround Black Womanhood are largely decided by people who find strength and security in silencing our truth(s) and then repurposing that same truth for their personal benefit. And it’s even more troubling that when we try to reclaim what was ours or stand up for ourselves they tell us we don’t really matter.

So #NoJulz, we aren’t hating on you. We don’t want to be you. And we don’t care how you feel… YOU don’t really matter here.

It’s time for Black women to be able to not only feel but express how we feel, without our truth being miss-categorized as hate and jealousy. It’s time for our voices to be heard, without cries of “the angry and/or sensitive Black woman trying to bring brothas down.” I’m sick of witnessing some Black men and white women attempt to silence our voices while replacing our truth(s) with lies that keep them comfortable and secure. I no longer care to cater to anyone’s insecurities and also don’t find my strength in acknowledging the things that you are lacking.

I am not invisible and my purpose isn’t defined through you.

So Black women… Let’s continue to speak our truth regardless of how people who don’t understand our experience try to spin it. Because the elephant in the room is… niggas lie a lot.