Amerie “1 Thing”

1 Thing“ by soul\R&B singer Amerie was released as the lead single to her second album entitled “Touch” in March 2005. The track was produced by Rich Harrison who had also worked with Amerie on her previous album “All I Have“. Surprisingly Amerie‘s record label Columbia\Sony Urban Music felt the track sounded incomplete and didn’t share the artists and management’s vision and so asked them to rework the track several times. Eventually Amerie & Rich Harrison decided to leak “1 Thing“ to radio stations where it received continuous airplay across the USA. Initially Columbia Records attempted to suppress and play down the track as an unofficial release partly because another of their artists Jennifer Lopez had shown interest in the song. However after seeing the response and popularity that “1 Thing“ had received Columbia Records changed their mind and began promoting it as a single. “1 Thing” has been Amerie‘s biggest single to date reaching number one on the US billboard hot R&B\hip hop chart in 2005. It was also voted as one of the top 25 tracks of the noughties decade by Rolling Stone Magazine.

Amerie “1 Thing” 2005 Columbia Records

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1 Thing” contains a sample from a composition called “Oh Calcutta” written by Stanley Walden and replayed by classic funk artists The Meters for their second album “Look-ka py py” that was released in 1970. The MetersLook-ka py py” album has been widely Continue reading

Amerie “Because I love It” Album Review

Amerie‘s “Because I love it” LP was released in the UK in May 2007 and surprisingly did not come out in the US until 15th January 2008. The album was supposed to be called “None of the above” and was set for release in Autumn 2006. Amerie’s music is amoung some of the most collectable soul and R&B released to date.

The “Because I love it” LP contains the same musical DNA as the golden age hip hop music from the late 80′s early 90s. I think this is why I have found the LP so appealing as a hip hop DJ. I have played tracks from this LP at weddings, functions and live events and the tracks always rock the crowd. I have decided to give an insight and a personal opinion on some of my favourite tracks from the album.

Hate 2 love U

Hate 2 love U” contains samples from a popular funk track called “Give it up” by Kool and the Gang originally released in 1969 on their debut LP entitled “Kool and the gang“. Give it up” along with the rest of the LP is a pure instrumental funk album containing several drum breaks and grooves that would in later years be used by DJs and producers as the building blocks of golden age hip hop alongside other bands like the JBs and The Meters. Continue reading