Brooke Valentine

One thing you must admit about Brooke Valentine is that she is creative. She doesn't just stick to the mainstream R&B or Pop clichés so rampant today but she actually takes chances in experimenting with different musical genres. You have a little 80's funk feel, some R&B crooning, some club (crunk) tracks and even some rock influences; all of which make a very well rounded and exciting album. Sure, she doesn't always hit her mark with flying colors, but for the most part she delivers.

Of course the album opens on a strong point with the club ready hit `Girlfight'. With the help of Big Boi and Lil' Jon Valentine is able to entrance the listener with this very engaging hip-hop track. Another track along these lines is the hypnotic `Ghetto Superstars', which is fun and energetic and sure to please her fans. She enlists the help of Jermaine Dupri on the club track `Playa' but they fail to really sell this one. It's not terrible, but it's not that promising either. Then of course we have the closing track `Whatcha Lookin' At' where Kilo and J.R.K. join Brooke in delivering an enthralling hip-hop laced track.

One genre I forgot to mention is reggae, but she goes there too. The track `Million Bucks' features a superb guest performance by Queenz Deliz who just sizzles. It's not my favorite track but I don't feel a need to skip it either.

One of my favorite tracks on the album; perhaps my favorite, is the bouncy number `Blah Blah Blah' featuring the late Dirt McGirt (aka ODB). The track is perfectly polished, energetic and compelling. You can't help but move along to the infectious beat and Brooke's vocals are superb. Dirt does a decent job with his part, even though I expected a little more from him. After listening to the track numerous (and I do me NUMEROUS times) I have come to appreciate what McGirt does here for what it is. The song is perfection.

There's a little 80's funk vibe that makes itself apparent on a few tracks here as well. Songs like `American Girl', `Pass Us By' and `Taste of Dis' come to life with brassy horns and drum machines galore. Some of these work better than others (`Taste of Dis') where some fail to really impress me (`American Girl').

Of course there has to be the classic Pop styled radio hits and she supplies those in aces. Tracks like `As Long As You Come Home' are phenomenal examples of how the perfect beat coupled with the perfect voice can instantly create the perfect mood. It reminds me of something you'd hear Toni Braxton attach her name to. My favorite would be `Tell Me Why You Don't Love Me' for it's just spectacularly constructed. Valentine is marvelous here. I love the breakdown at the end; the suppleness of Brooke's voice is enticing.

Then we have the R&B ballads that are essential to any `quote-unquote' R&B album, right? I will say that Brooke has a very nice voice, but she is no Christina Aguilera so don't expect to be blown away. Songs like `Laugh Till I Cry' could have been stronger if her voice was suited for the genre, but it's not. `Dying From A Broken Heart' works a little better than the others but I think that's mostly attributed to the sensual beat that laces the track. `Cover Girl' reminds me of something Carinne Bailey Rae would have done, just not as strong. It's a decent track, just not perfect. `I Want You Dead' shows Brooke's rock influence and it works very well. You can sense her anger and I just love the energy even if her vocals are weaker here than on any other track (mostly because she's not singing as much as talking loudly).

So, in the end `Chain Letter' is a nice debut album. It's been a while since this was released so I don't know what happened to Brooke, if she's working on something new to drop for us or if she's decided to leave her singing career behind. If she's gone for good that would be a real shame since she had a creativity that you don't find too often in the Pop genre. Hopefully she's not gone but working hard at something fresh and exciting to give her fans. This album is bursting with potential; let's hope she lives up to it.

This is a really good effort from this artist. Remember many first albums are not that good because they are usually trying to find their right sound and how much the public reacts off certain songs from the album. Her second will be mediocre and her third will be hott!!! That's how most artists go unless they are only looking for a one hit wonder in which case we might not hear anything else from this artist so to rate this item is a waste of time! For a good example of this listen to Nivea:Nivea, Nivea:Complicated, and Nivea: Animalistic. Completely different sounds especially Animalistic. Very cunk album and I love it!!!!!

When I first sampled this album I as surprised to find out it was Brooke's ONLY album, as she sounded like an already strong and established artist. It only took seconds to pull me into this album thanks to the opening cut "Girlfight". Brooke Valentine sounds like Natalise meets Destiny's Child. How I love the rockin' edge added to the R&B. Brooke's voice is astonishing, then we get the added bonus of many guest artists adding a presence, especially "Girlfight" with Big Boi & Lil' jon (the shouting raspy voice behind the anthem "Yeah!" by Usher). Enough about the single, the album as a whole is very strong. "Blah Blah Blah," "Ghetto Superstar," and "I Want You Dead" are my favorites. There's a nice jazzy horn riff in "Long As You Come Home," a song which I didn't really care for at first, and now is up w/ my top few faves. Great album, I keep coming back to it!

Brooke Valentine is one of R&B's latest singers to join the long list of Lil' Kim-esque, Queen-b***h-wannabe R&B divas-in-training, following in the footsteps of her more eclectic R&B predecessors (Kelis, Mya, etc.). However, don't let Brooke's physical hotness or her lead hit single "Girlfight" -a ferocious blast of loud, energetic Crunk'n'B about female violence with some humorous verses from Big Boi of Outkast- fool you into thinking that her debut album "Chain Letter", is your typical run-of-the-mill collection of music. While "Girlfight" may not be the best representative of "Chain Letter" musically, it's the perfect lead single to individualize Brooke Valentine from the rest of R&B's more teenybopper-friendly songstresses, and also gives listeners just a taste of what Brooke has yet to offer.

"Girlfight" is clearly the best album's song. However, other club bangers like the boastful feel-good club jam "Taste of Dis", the hard-hitting club anthem "Ghetto Superstarz" (which also features a sickeningly humorous skit about a ditsy blonde recounting the story of getting drunk while "getting it on" the night before), the featherweight feel-good club jam "Pass Us By" (where she even says her "hottie" had a "cute little booty", which is kinda creepy IMO), the rowdy club anthem "Whatcha Lookin' At" (a more gangsta version of "Girlfight", featuring an artist by the name of Kilo) and the self-explanatory "Million Bucks" (featuring a peculiar Spanish rap from featured female guest rapper Queenz Deliz) keep the album rolling along nicely.

On top of that, there are interesting moments of musical peculiarity, especially in the self-explanatory "I Want You Dead", a violent power ballad where the vengeful hatred of a mistreated woman is put into perspective through Brooke's angry vocals & some madly cruel lyrics. There's also the less appealing (but still interesting) "American Girl", where Brooke not only claims to be an American girl wherever she goes, but she also makes time to make some truthful statements ("We're having to much "Sex in the City / With our pre- paid cellular phones / We call apartment homes by the time / We're 14 yeah were already grown ").

However, some of the album's best moments come from the ballads. A stellar example of this fact is "Laugh `Til I Cry", an incredibly deep, heart-wrenching ballad where Brooke's sorrowful vocals tell the story of laughing as much as she can to hide her pain, before breaking down in tears time and time again. Covergirl" is also another standout ballad which has Brooke pondering the thought of being more beautiful for her lover over a mellow guitar.

Unfortunately, there are a few expected missteps. "Playa" is a horrific club track with poor production, ridiculously clichéd lyrics and an unnecessary verse from Jermaine Dupri. "Long As You Come Home" is also a weird ballad that seems to disappoint. It's not necessarily because of Brooke's vocals or because of the production, but because the song is simply about not minding being cheated on as long as he comes come to her. Some girls might like it, but if anyone likes it, I'll be confused as to why.

Regardless of the album's flaws, Brooke Valentine has come out swinging with a fantastic debut album, and is an artist full of promise. I'm surprised that this album flopped, but that's what happens when your label doesn't make the time to promote their albums properly. Either way, this album is worth your money. BUY IT! 4 STARS!

Brooke Valentine (now soon 22) is one of many young female R&B singers looking for the big break in the tough music biz and just like many other young female R&B singers she releases an album with plenty of club songs, infact the majority of songs are lighweight club songs with little depth but at times very cathcy and meliodic. You may think that the producers did all the hard job with the album but Brooke actually co-wrote the majority of songs of her debut, which is quite an archivement itself. However, the producers (especially Jermaine Dupri) did a smart job with pairing her up with crunk king Lil Jon and Big Boi from Outkast on the club song "Girlfight" that gave her plenty of time in the spotlight, Dupri also appears on the song "Playa" that is a so-so club song and so is "Taste of Dis" that is one of the better songs, midtempo "Tell Me Why" is catchy with it's oriental beats. Best songs however are not made for the club, "Cover Girl" and Mariah Carey sounding "Long as You Come To Me" that both are ballads/slow pace and shows that she actually got a nice voice even for tougher songs that doesn't rely on heavy beats and fast lyrics. Unfortunately the real problem is that 80% of the songs are club songs, and at times very bland aswell and there's a few too many songs on the album, instead of 15 they could have had 11-12 that all were very strong. I think that Brooke shows promise, but unfortunately the album suffers from a inadequate production and is very little personal. But don't count out her, she's pretty, she can sing and apparently write her own songs. 3/5 stars.

One thing you must admit about Brooke Valentine is that she is creative. She doesn't just stick to the mainstream R&B or Pop clichés so rampant today but she actually takes chances in experimenting with different musical genres. You have a little 80's funk feel, some R&B crooning, some club (crunk) tracks and even some rock influences; all of which make a very well rounded and exciting album. Sure, she doesn't always hit her mark with flying colors, but for the most part she delivers.

Of course the album opens on a strong point with the club ready hit `Girlfight'. With the help of Big Boi and Lil' Jon Valentine is able to entrance the listener with this very engaging hip-hop track. Another track along these lines is the hypnotic `Ghetto Superstars', which is fun and energetic and sure to please her fans. She enlists the help of Jermaine Dupri on the club track `Playa' but they fail to really sell this one. It's not terrible, but it's not that promising either. Then of course we have the closing track `Whatcha Lookin' At' where Kilo and J.R.K. join Brooke in delivering an enthralling hip-hop laced track.

One genre I forgot to mention is reggae, but she goes there too. The track `Million Bucks' features a superb guest performance by Queenz Deliz who just sizzles. It's not my favorite track but I don't feel a need to skip it either.

One of my favorite tracks on the album; perhaps my favorite, is the bouncy number `Blah Blah Blah' featuring the late Dirt McGirt (aka ODB). The track is perfectly polished, energetic and compelling. You can't help but move along to the infectious beat and Brooke's vocals are superb. Dirt does a decent job with his part, even though I expected a little more from him. After listening to the track numerous (and I do me NUMEROUS times) I have come to appreciate what McGirt does here for what it is. The song is perfection.

There's a little 80's funk vibe that makes itself apparent on a few tracks here as well. Songs like `American Girl', `Pass Us By' and `Taste of Dis' come to life with brassy horns and drum machines galore. Some of these work better than others (`Taste of Dis') where some fail to really impress me (`American Girl').

Of course there has to be the classic Pop styled radio hits and she supplies those in aces. Tracks like `As Long As You Come Home' are phenomenal examples of how the perfect beat coupled with the perfect voice can instantly create the perfect mood. It reminds me of something you'd hear Toni Braxton attach her name to. My favorite would be `Tell Me Why You Don't Love Me' for it's just spectacularly constructed. Valentine is marvelous here. I love the breakdown at the end; the suppleness of Brooke's voice is enticing.

Then we have the R&B ballads that are essential to any `quote-unquote' R&B album, right? I will say that Brooke has a very nice voice, but she is no Christina Aguilera so don't expect to be blown away. Songs like `Laugh Till I Cry' could have been stronger if her voice was suited for the genre, but it's not. `Dying From A Broken Heart' works a little better than the others but I think that's mostly attributed to the sensual beat that laces the track. `Cover Girl' reminds me of something Carinne Bailey Rae would have done, just not as strong. It's a decent track, just not perfect. `I Want You Dead' shows Brooke's rock influence and it works very well. You can sense her anger and I just love the energy even if her vocals are weaker here than on any other track (mostly because she's not singing as much as talking loudly).

So, in the end `Chain Letter' is a nice debut album. It's been a while since this was released so I don't know what happened to Brooke, if she's working on something new to drop for us or if she's decided to leave her singing career behind. If she's gone for good that would be a real shame since she had a creativity that you don't find too often in the Pop genre. Hopefully she's not gone but working hard at something fresh and exciting to give her fans. This album is bursting with potential; let's hope she lives up to it.

*a note on this edited version: the explicit version itself only contains a few off color words and in most areas is edited as well (like in that skit that follows `Ghetto Superstars') so the difference between this version and the uncut version is quite literally two explanative's uttered by Lil' Jon and Big Boi in `Girlfight'.

When I first sampled this album I as surprised to find out it was Brooke's ONLY album, as she sounded like an already strong and established artist. It only took seconds to pull me into this album thanks to the opening cut "Girlfight". Brooke Valentine sounds like Natalise meets Destiny's Child. How I love the rockin' edge added to the R&B. Brooke's voice is astonishing, then we get the added bonus of many guest artists adding a presence, especially "Girlfight" with Big Boi & Lil' jon (the shouting raspy voice behind the anthem "Yeah!" by Usher). Enough about the single, the album as a whole is very strong. Some cuts I'm not into completely yet, but the must-hears are "Blah Blah Blah," "Ghetto Superstar," and "I Want You Dead." Check it out, as I'm sure we'll be hearing much more from Ms. Valentine in the future. Great album.

She was introduced to the world by her first, hardcore single, "Girlfight." Including the producer of the moment (Lil' Jon) and the rapper of the moment.(Big Boi of Outkast)It was sure to be a big hit, which it was. But with such a silly song, she became considered a novelty act. ("Girlfight" was a completely misleading single to release as a debut.)

But actually this CD has some unique material on here. "American Girl" has some clever lyrics and a nice beat in the backround. "I Want You Dead" is such an eclectic song. It's so unique and very catchy. But other, more mainstream material, like the poorly produced Jermaine Dupri "Playa", bring this album down.

Brooke stated she has wrote over 200 songs (like Willa Ford)!

She wrote the whole album except for one song and was part in arranges it. I'm sure helped out in other areas! Her voice is great & she is going to be around for a long time!

I like both R&B and Rock and I love how Brooke Valentine's album mixes the two. She has some R&B tracks ("Dying From A Broken Heart" & "Laugh Til I Cry") and she has some Rock type tracks ("American Girl" & "I Want You Dead") and some that blend the two nicely ("Ghetto Superstarz" & "Taste of Dis"). Her voice is so amazing and is a welcome change from hearing Beyonce, Ashanti, and Ciara. Whoever wrote her tracks did a great job and her singing really captures the lyrics. You can tell that she is definately feelin' the lyrics. I would really give this album 10 stars but I can only give 5.

what you fighting for not a bad song lil jon and big boi makes it tolerable.

Brooke is a very different kind of pill to swallow when you taste "Chain Letter".

Thrill Of The Chase (10/10) - With a rock edge, brooke breaks it down how she likes this guy, but likes her freedom more. VERY GOOD!

Girlfight, Pt. II (10/10) - To be honest, I like this version better than the Lil' Jon version more. It classical, hip-hop, and crunk all at the same time.

GET THIS SINGLE!

Brooke is an INCREDIBLE singer! No offense to Ciara but Brooke Valentine got her beat! Ciara may got Brooke beat at the dancing, but at singing Brooke got her at that!

I love this song because lots of gurls can relate to the song greatly!!!

what you fighting for not a bad song lil jon and big boi makes it tolerable.

Brooke is a very different kind of pill to swallow when you taste "Chain Letter".

Thrill Of The Chase (10/10) - With a rock edge, brooke breaks it down how she likes this guy, but likes her freedom more. VERY GOOD!

Girlfight, Pt. II (10/10) - To be honest, I like this version better than the Lil' Jon version more. It classical, hip-hop, and crunk all at the same time.

GET THIS SINGLE!