TGJ Replay: Teedra Moses ‘Complex Simplicity’

‘TGJ Replay’ is back!
Designed much like our ‘Retro Rewind’ and ‘From the Vault’ segments, ‘Replay’ is That Grape Juice‘s newest retrospective segment – a written quest, if you will, to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday.
Unlike its ‘Rewind’ and ‘Vault’ predecessors, ‘Replay’ looks to dust off and showcase entire albums (and eras) from a library of pop and Urban pop music hits. This week we’ll simply press play on ‘Complex Simplicity’ – the critically acclaimed debut album of R&B songstress Teedra Moses.
Join us inside:

Longtime fans of the multi-talented Teedra Moses may not know the singer-songwriter began her career in the entertainment industry as a stylist, lending her fashion expertise to the likes of A-list stars R. Kelly, Will Smith, and more. Using the platform as a springboard to her truest interest, music, Moses aligned with producer Paul Poli (best known at that point for lending his production to the likes of Urban acts Black Eyed Peas, Nivea, and a host of soundtracks) and signed to the Steve Gottlieb-founded independent record label, TVT Records.
Finding favor with the imprint upon penning tunes for the likes of Nivea and later Christina Milian‘s breakout hit, ‘Dip It Low,’ the then-27-year-old’s increased stock with the label led to the furnishing of her own project. With Poli at the helm and contributions from Raphel Saadiq, Lil Jon, and more, the two crafted the Louisiana-born singer’s debut studio album.
Titled ‘Complex Simplicity,’ the set birthed three singles: ‘You’ll Never Find (A Better Woman),’ ‘Be Your Girl,’ and the Pitbull & Lil Scrappy-assisted ‘You Better Tell Her.’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj1Xsv9KujM
‘You’ll Never Find’
Hot 100 Peak: N/A

‘Be Your Girl’
Hot 100 Peak: N/A

‘You Better Tell Her’
Hot 100 Peak: N/A
Released on August 10, 2004, ‘Simplicity’ peaked at #168 on the Billboard 200. Similarly, its singles may have garnered modest attention on R&B/Hip-Hop charts, but all three missed the Hot 100 entirely. Yet, despite a commercial under-performance, the set – even upon its release – was praised among critics as one of the year’s best offerings. Competing against the likes of the genre’s leading divas of the day, the project – albeit lost in the fray of R&B singers either coming down from the time’s wave of Dancehall-kissed cuts or those stepping up to the then-burgeoning genre of Crunk – still amassed acclaim aplenty for its masterful fusion of 70’s-inspired R&B, Neo-soul, Jazz, and modern Hip Hop.
Beyond its gumbo of sonic influences and employed textures, Moses’ penmanship was lauded for relaying messages that spoke to the toughness and empowerment of women while still showcasing a vulnerability and softness that made the info palatable to all audiences.
Despite a lack of widespread commercial acclamation (i.e. the absence of RIAA certification or chart domination), ‘Complex’ still reigns as one of the noughties most unsung heroes. An enduring “must hear” for any modern R&B music lover, the LP serves as a reminder that it’s content – not sales – that serves as the ultimate validation of a project’s worth.
While we please play on our jam, ‘Rescue Me,’ tell us:

Favorite Song from Teedra Moses’ ‘Complex Simplicity’?
[crowdsignal poll=10292236]