Welcome back to TGJ Replay!
Designed much like our ‘Retro Rewind’ and ‘From the Vault’ features, ‘Replay’ is That Grape Juice‘s newest reflective segment to act as a written quest to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday. Unlike its TGJ retrospective predecessors, ‘Replay’ looks to dust off and showcase entire albums (and eras) from a library of pop and Urban pop music hits.
Now, as her faithful #Navy await official news on the release of “R8” – the eighth full length studio album from music’s leading bad gal Rihanna, we pon de replay with an ode to her sophomore effort ‘A Girl Like Me.’
“Everything on this album is from a female’s perspective. This album is very personal to me and everything’s coming from my point of view…” – Rihanna, 2006
Much like Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias, and Jennifer Lopez with the late 90s’ “Latin Explosion” before them, Billboard’s early 2000’s charts saw a deviation from pop and hip hop dominance in the form of a “caribbean explosion” captained by Sean Paul, Elephant Man, and later, Jay Z‘s protege/then-newcomer Rihanna.
Making a major splash in 2005 with her debut top 10 hit ‘Pon De Replay’ and its moderately successful top 40 follow-up ‘If It’s Lovin’ That You Want,’ the Barbadian teen would catch the tail-end of the island music wave as, by her debut album’s release, interest in the movement was fading almost as fast as it’d risen.
In fact, ‘Lovin’s failure to replay the success of ‘Replay’ saw many quickly write the youngster off as a “one hit wonder” – a label she’d fight hard to defy with her sophomore project ‘A Girl Like Me’ (released just 8 months after her inaugural project).
Enter its lead single – 2006’s ‘S.O.S.’:
S.O.S.
Originally written for, but later passed on by, ‘Dip It Low’ diva Christina Milian, the song – which samples the hit 80’s tune ‘Tainted Love’ – would get some serious love on U.S. radio and digital outlets. Ditching her original reggae/island inspired sound for that of one with more pop lean, the risky move quickly proved itself a lucrative one. Skyrocketing to #1 on the Hot 100 shortly after its release to radio, its performance on charts immediately quelled any murmurs of Ri’s ‘one-hit wonderdom.’
Her first official release as an adult, its accompanying music video would act to assist in the young singer’s journey from child star to adult sex symbol. Shedding her tomboyish baggy jeans and sneakers for a vixen-esque look, the transformation instantly drew comparisons to the day’s top R&B diva – Beyonce (a likening that would become a mainstay in her career).
On the heels of the success of ‘S.O.S.,’ the album slid right into the Billboards 200’s top 10 upon its spring 2006 launch. Debuting at #5 and selling nearly 115,000 in its premiere week (twice as many as her 1st album ‘Music of the Sun’), it was becoming more and more evident that Ri’s rise to stardom just igniting.
Anxious not to let the steam built by ‘S.O.S’ cool, Ri & team swiftly moved on to single #2 – the Ne-Yo penned ‘Murderer’ (later renamed ‘Unfaithful’).
‘Unfaithful’
Giving the budding diva her first taste of controversy, the number – an R&B ballad that narrates a woman’s remorse for acts of infidelity – drew criticism for its metaphoric depictions of gun violence. Despite the concern from music lovers and radio/tv stations alike, the coverage only assisted the song’s hoist to top 10 glory as it peaked at the #6 spot on the Hot 100.
Delivering the singer’s 2nd top 10 from this album (third overall), ‘Unfaithful’ beamed as yet another testament to Ri’s hitmaking power. A power put to the test with its follow-ups ‘We Ride’ and ‘Break It Off.’
‘We Ride’
‘Break It Off’
While ‘We Ride’ would ride right into chart obscurity and miss the Hot 100 all together, its successor – featuring dancehall hitmaker Sean Paul – saw the likely pair ride to the tally’s top 10 the next year despite the absence of an accompanying music video (giving Ri her 3rd top 10 from one album).
As early 2007 brought the era to close, the collection of hit singles not only kept the album afloat on music charts worldwide, but sailed it right to the platinum mark less than a year after its release. The absence of critical and industry-recognition (i.e. Grammys, American Music Awards, etc.) would not stall the album’s sales progress as numbers presently hover near the 4 million worldwide mark nearly a decade after its release. A feat, we’ll argue, is impressive given the short promo campaign it was afforded.
Arguably, ‘A Girl Like Me’ set ablaze an album trend quite prevalent in the Bajan beauty’s career – hitmaking factories shipping chart-topper after chart-topper in the face of manifesting no long-term sales support for its parent album. This, of course, partially due to the dearth of long-term promotional support from Ri & team as each project would barely see a yearlong campaign on its behalf before they moved on to the next album (see: May 2007’s ‘Good Girl Gone Bad’).
By no means her magnum opus, but for what it’s worth, ‘A Girl Like Me’ has a very important place in Ri’s discography as it was a turning point album in her career (the calm before the storm so to speak). From an image perspective, it was not only the last shred of innocence the now daring diva would purport, but it was also the last time she would blatantly give off Beyonce-isms in her essence – a move we applaud her for. Musically, it operated as a pilot to allow her to test pop waters and, thusly, open the door for her to completely ditch the R&B/caribbean angle that was, to great degree, a pigeonhole for her.
Since ‘Girl’ she’s comfortably skated on the thin line between pop and Urban, often leaning more to the radio friendliness of the former while interestingly still openly accepted by Urban audiences and never widely labeled a sellout (a feat not even Beyonce can attest to). If you ask us, ‘A Girl Like Me’ is to thank for that.
And, while it’s not uncommon to hear ‘P.S. I’m Still Not Over You’ on repeat here at TGJ HQ, we want to ask you:
This was such an amazing album I loved sell me candy,rehab, and unfaithful. This slays bday
ummm that’s Good Girl Gone Bad album you’re talking about x_x
It was a very bright and cute album for her age. I loved all the singles too esp S.O.S. She was gearing up for the main show with GGGB tho.
Rashad, I appreciate you for your professionalism. I don’t see it for Rihanna or her “Ray of Light” moment because my Fave already had hers with her self-titled album, anyways… Sam could never write a post without bias or this much depth. *runs away from post before it gets messy*
Your fav is in Stealyonce? Hilarious since you were stanning for Rihanna two weeks.
Steal Yonce lol ho.Ain’t your fav the one who dressed like Bey cause Kanye low key obsessed with Bey dying Kim’s hair to make her just like Bey.Isn’t Kim the ho who stole Paris idea of a sextape then fame.stfu & get in line,just like the trail of men who dumped their protein shakes in Kim’s walls
Self titled was Beyonces Ray of light moment? I like her but what kind of delusion lol….
I know rih is cocky as f*** and should flop but I want R8 to come out already
Rihanna looked so cute on the cover of her album a great album before her Bad Girl era and image kicked in she was wholesome and innocent.
For me both AGLM and GGGB were just cute, hot and s***, when reloaded came out things has changed (Disturbia for example). It was also this very moment, where she could flop hard into oblivion with 4th album (same struggle with #R8) and I’m a fan (not delusional one) I have to admit this whole boxing gala media drama beaten Rihanna thing helped her to built her empire up. She knew how to play cards right to put herself on top of the game along with the names like Beyonce, Michael, Kanye, Whitney etc. Everybody knows her, whether you like it or not. She paved her own lane in industry called ‘Rihanna’. She’s very likeable cause of her bad gal attitude now and catchy songs. She has exotic beauty, unusual one, putting all the basic standards aside and shes not afraid of showing her flaws (forehead). Enough of this fuckery, I want to see solid body of work like she did with Rated R now or go into “Diamonds” sound route, suited her well. Impress me this time. Impress the rest. I doubt it she will but I can feel it’s going to be very Rihanna album (aggresive, loud and full of joints and no f**** given).
We ride is so cute and underrated
I STILL REMEMBER THIS ERA. SHE WAS SO CUTE. BUT LIKE EVERY FEMALE ARTIST SHE TURNED DARK. I PREFER THE NEW RIHANNA (POST GGGB), BUT THIS ONE WILL ALWAYS HAVE A PLACE IN MUSIC LIBRARY.
b**** better have my money rises on BB100 it’s now #15
Sips tea.. Nuff said
Chart Check
Rihannas BBHMM New peak at #15
Janet Jacksons No sleeep falls off bb hot 100 after one week.
Since ‘Girl’ she’s comfortably skated on the thin line between pop and Urban, often leaning more to the radio friendliness of the former while interestingly still openly accepted by Urban audiences and never widely labeled a sellout (a feat not even Beyonce can attest to).
This is so true, the perception of the public is that “she can sing all type of music” instead of a “sellout”, it comes naturally to us cuz the girl is good at it, only a few artists can change their image and genre and still being successful, in this, she joins the likes of Madonna and Bowie as music greatest chameleons both visually and musically.
Aww, what a compliment! I agree. She walks that line VERY well.
No offense but she pulled an Aaliyah like most girls. Start the first two albums innocent and tomboy and then go full ho after that cause she had no Aaliyah notes.
I don’t see it but the truth is that Aaliyah has influenced lots of people, males and females, more than we think or imagine.
An Aaliyah? Didn’t most females and female groups do that? Didn’t Janet do that way before Aaliyah was laid up with RKelly at the precious age of 14?
Look at those eyes! So s***.
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Anyway, I didn’t really like the album. It had a lot of reggae and sounded like MOTS, but it was cute. ‘S.O.S’ and ‘We Ride’ were cute. ‘Unfaithful’ was an amazing treat.
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Then came GGGB. She sounded like a whole new woman. The production was amazing; she sounded stronger vocally, and as they say, the rest was history.
Yes cause her first album was no dangerously in love or DC album. Seethe for the Gods ho all of them,triton,neptune and Zeus included. You were damn well reaching on that Bey post
Sad, this is When Riri showed promise. Too bad cigarettes, weed and heavy drinking and bumps of coke would make these vocals become her vocal peak. She could have vocally became so much better had she practiced her voice as much as she practiced joint rolling and did her vocal scales as frequently as she did lines of coke and popped bottles. The vocal/ live performance growth from this album to now is so minimal it’s sad.Sad. I like this album a lot.
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Rihanna is great a being diverse that is why she never gets labelled a sellout like Onika.
Too bad neither are great a being live performers. Remedial is best to describe their natural, un-studio enhanced efforts,
Yes girl Rih ain’t no sell out.I mean its not like she sold an innocent girl image one minute and a ho the next..
On a different note I’m so happy.Iggy,Demi,Katy,Ariana,Miley etc of my favs have 50% off their albums and I need to get my CD collection in order. IMA need to beg my parents for a loan cause I want to take as much advantage of the sale.
“A Legend Like Me” this album <3 <3
*Awaits for Rihanna's biggest stan of them all HIV_hive/Rihnavy/Slayonce*
A legend like me? LMFAO
Never compare Madonna’s ‘Ray of Light’ to any Beyonce album. Such fallacy. I am disgusted. A BIG No.
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You clearly must’ve not heard the album or grasped it’s sound and cultural significance. I’m gagging at this BS.
Lmao, i’m dying 😀
LOL. People really try to make themselves look like they know more than they already know, which is nothing outside the Beyonces and the Lil Waynes of music That comparison was utter bullsh*t. ???? ???? ????
You can stomach those fakeass Rihanna receipts ccan’t ya. I’m pretty sure your bowels can keep the food down
You see your seething everyday and that’s more bs
When Beyoncé is Madonnas age (60ish) she will be more akin to a Patti or Aretha, Tina, Diana, Barbara Streisand. Meaning she will be gracious and still making her music (for the love of it) doing her, living her life and touring. She won’t be on stage showing her breàśts, tying to act like she’s 20 and acting thirsty for attention. She will be a gracious legend. Like the chicks I named, love Madonna though forever, no shade
At age 14, when I first saw the S.O.S video, I was simply mesmerized. From that moment alone, I knew that she was going to be a star.
This was back when Rihanna was being a Beyonce knockoff. Using Bey’s Choreographers/backup dancers (She dated on of them too, Anthony Burrell). Looking like a beyonce mini me performing SOS until Jay changed her image.
Aww “Bey Ima Have Ur Money” is #15 on billboard now, how cute! After the IHeart Radio Performance, the BET Awards sneak peak, and the 7 minute shorr film….I’d expect it to be #1 by now *sips tea*
And outsold ratchet/11 and flopping myself
It outsold 7/11 though
Rigghhhttt and you can thank SNL, Jimmy Kimmel, and IHeart Radio for that *claps hands*
Rihanna has become an icon from the millennial generation. She has become every fashion designer’s muse, and every producers’ dream artist. She has had girls from culdesacs in America to metropolis’ in Asia shaving off their head. She has continually changed the sound on radio whether it be making EDM a Top 40 staple, making ballads #1 singles again, or making hip-hop produced tracks R&B staples. For almost every current trend whether it be in fashion or music, the statement “Rihanna did it first” is applicable. As all of this is noteworthy, the most fascinating part is that she has done all of this in only 10 years. Whether you like her or not, her worldwide cultural impact is undeniable, and she has proved herself to be a 21st century namesake.
I wouldn’t save every producer, just the ones who are more catering to pop music. Someone who produces vocalists and are inspired by soul , vocals and true r&b doesn’t truly wanna work with Rihanna.
I would say 94.933813% of produces do! She is now working with Timbaland, and you and I both know that whatever they’re cooking up won’t be anything but epic.
@iSpeak well I love Timbo… But I love Kanye and Rihanna and him have cooked up nothing but mediocre this era so idk that that’s a 100% for sure and no not 99%. Again, maybe popular producers that are looking for hits as opposed to inspired/organic ish
This album was a turning point for Rihanna. It was the bridge between her 1-Hit-Wonder-ness and her superstardom, after this album it could have went either way still, luckily for her it kept growing.
I loved “A Million Miles Away” and “P.S. (I’m Still Not Over You)” as album cuts, and can’t believe that “We Ride” failed at radio. I don’t really like “Unfaithful.” It annoys me.
Oh this is before she started sucking industry diicks and snorting coke heavily. Awwww but I did use to love Break It Off. That was a cute summer
LMAO! Shade heffa! SHAY-EEE-DUH! Shaaaade ????
But your fave talks about sucking d*** in a backseat and married a drug dealer
I don’t remember either of us @’ing you?
Lol that is her HUSBAND. You know the man she has faithfully been with since she was 19 years old. jayz is an EX drug dealer and at least he’s not a hot head bipolar woman beater who Bey was in an on and off again relationship with, like a FOOL!!
Your a pathetic p***. Domestic violence is not funny, get some help. And she’s still a s*** , she sang about it. If she was so classy as y’all claim she could’ve kept her s** life to herself.
And didn’t Jay Z punch a female fan back in the day?
???????? You’re one little dumb bitter pathetic self dragging biitch. Where in my comment did I say domestic violence was funny? Don’t throw shade at who Beyonce chose to marry when Rihanna has dated violent little boys and has alledgely slept with majority of the industry. Let’s not forget that she is also currently a LONELY THOTT, that no man wants to wife up. JayZ has obviously changed for the better and part of that is because of Bey #NP Upgrade U ????????
Also don’t you stan for this b*llshit???? ???????????? STFU????????
http://youtu.be/SUAl1H9_-G0
Break it off was everything
@Paul & @Centurion Not y’all tryna KIII at me calling “BEYONCÉ” her Ray of Light moment and talking s*** because of the “content”. Let’s NOT. She had NO promo and went gold in the FIRST week. NO SINGLE, etc. She’s MARRIED, so whether the content is sexual or not is irrelevant, let’s not act like she didn’t have “Heaven”, “Superpower” & “Blue” on that album.
MEANWHILE, y’all’s fave can’t even get a RihleaseD8, and has been selling pussssssy since GGGB, let’s not play that game. She CONSTANTLY has an attitude or drama in the public eye and was JUST snorting that white in her nose not too long ago. Keep it REALLLLL cute before I drag you like I did Carbon-Copy-Lise
Please don’t start the Bey vs. Rih debate as they are apart of the same family! TBH they are the yin and yang of each other. Whatever one has the other lacks and vice versa. Arguing about one over another is nothing more than a cyclical dysfunction.
Bye! I didn’t even bother reading the rest of your comment. If you really heard Madonna’s Ray of Light, you wouldn’t have compared it with a Beyonce album for heaven’s sake.
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You’re new here and you’re really a try-hard. You try to make yourself look like you know a lot. You did it right now by calling S****** Blonde by his real name when he doesn’t even acknowledge you. Babe, sit and remain seated until we decide to use you.
And you clearly missed my point, change the prescription on those glasses in your avi sis. I WASN’T TALKING ABOUT THE CONTENT, clearly it’s different you idiot. I was speaking in terms of social influence and the impact it had on pop culture. Get a hint sis, and next time you have something to say, AT ME
Yass
Queen rih has a discography full of hits this was the beginning
Hiding behind Rih, sis? Kiiiii
But you hide behind the hive sis.
The irony
@jamie
Clocked!!
No one used her for her first two mixtapes
LMAOOOOO I JUST SCREAMED
Rihanna has 6 platinum certifications, how many does Kelly have again?
What y’all WON’T do is lie and pull out these inflated and made-up receipts. Rihanna gets one made-up award and y’all actually think she’s an ICON. More like America’s IWISH winner. She’s an ICannot. ICannot find a release date. ICannot get BBHMM to the top 10 even with that stunt of a music video. ICannot keep a stable relationship. Don’t try it with the HIVE
I think that Video Vanguard award that you keep clinging to is more of a joke than an icon award. especially since Rihanna is THE most viewed artist on YouTube even after Beyonce released 20 at one time. We all know MTV needed to fill a time slot and have a good performance which is Beyonce’s only current relevancy. If you were to take Bey’s first album to now, you will see the same tired, fake blonde hair, the same tired R&B songs that no radio plays, and the same onesie, with just a different 1-2 step. If getting a #1 hit was so easy, how come Bey hasn’t had one since Obama has been in office, and his term is about up! It’s a good thing that no white girl out right now can move, because we all know she’d be old school news like JLO.
BYEEEEEEE because only people who cling to artist that can only sell SINGLES, cling to YOUTUBE receipts sis. And that MTV stage that you’re trying to use as a drag, kiiiiii…mad cause Rihanna won’t EVER be booking that time slot? BEY SELLS ALBUMS, RIHANNA SELLS SINGLES, no one is even sweating over Rihanna.
@Slayonce You still can’t refute what i said! Where are her damn hits? Obama has achieved all of his presidential goals since 2008, yet Beyonce can’t get a hit! Where it at though? Don’t let Tinashe get any bigger and book a major stage, because you and I both know that Bey will officially become the new JLO.
I can refute it because my fave isn’t making music for the charts, she making music for the ART of music and her fans. That’s the different between an artist who sells out arenas, stadiums and concert halls, on EACH DATE OF THEIR TOUR. Rihanna was only successful in doing CLOSE to what Bey did because she clung to Eminem on his tour, she can’t fill all those seats alone OR by hitting her fans on the head with microphone’s sis.
@Slayonce said the Beyonce album is beyonce’s ray of light and no one else but @Lb has been talking very highly about the Ray of Light being her best before. Troll alert? sips tea.
I won’t waste a good read on a TGJ bot #CarryOn
@DAIRY QUEEN, sis…don’t you have a shift at work to catch before you get that third write-up? http://i39.tinypic.com/ei9kep.jpg
Kill yourself bandwagonig h** make the world a better place
LMAOOOO! You have noooooooooo room to call anyone a Bandwagoner hoeeeeeeee. You stay clinging to EVERY fan base EXCEPT THE HIVE because we dismissed your fave and her career, just like YouTube dismissed her views on ‘Flopping Under 100’. No glasses you put on will EVER be able to see me. I see why you’re mad sis #LetsJustBeReallllWeALLKnowTheDealllll
A girl like me is a cute album, I really liked it.
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I agree with Rashad, AGLM was necessary as it was the time Rihanna realized she needed to take control with her next projects.
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Overall, it was well done IMO, the campaign for it could have been better though.
I completely disagree with the “ditch the R&B/caribbean angle”. If you ask me, it was and still is what sets her apart from every other pop female lead… because she’s Caribbean, she has the chops(and I used that terms loosely) to do dancehall/ reggae songs without sounding contrived; now she has no clear direction in terms of MUSIC and just follows trends.
I liked this album, Music Of The Sun was good as well. And I looked at this album as a part two or disc two because they were only 6 months apart. When I heard Kisses Don’t Lie, I KNEW this girl was different and had that edge we been missing since Aaliyah (they’re not the same, but both edgy with their sounds). I always said in 2006 and 2007, Rihanna and JT burred the lines between R&B and Pop.
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She went from “She’s a one hit wonder” to “OMG, I wish she would go away” to “Where’s her album?! I NEED IT because I’m a Bey Hive”.