"For a 17 year old, her debut wasnt bad at all. She has talent but its evident that she still has some growing to do vocally. Either way, some of the tracks are really hot. Aside from the debut single, hit bangers include the edgy "Stay in ya Lane"- produced by mr. "Darkchild" - (not surprised...he really delivers on this joint), the cute/sassy "Lala", and "No Daddy"...Niiice beat..suitable for the club but not lyrically suited. The album only delivers a couple nice jams to slow it down a notch "Phone Booth" and "Act Right". They both have a good feel to it. On the down side, the album could have done without a couple tracks...i really wasnt feeling MVP, Confidential, and New Sh*t. Overall, she did "well". For her next album (if she gets there) she should consider slowing it down a bit. More R&B than Hip-Hop."
Not at all what she seems
muzicphan | Australia | 03/11/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have to say that when i first heard Teairra's ''No Daddy'' , i thought she was another teen tramp that was to be ignored and hopefully never heard from again due to her ignorance. However , a friend pointed out to me that the song had a good message , and in an effort to prove her wrong , i listened to the lyrics of the song more carefully and i had to admit i was wrong. Teairra Mari's debut mascarades as an all out club no brainer , but in reality it isn't as shallow as it first appears. The tracks ''MVP'' & ''Stay In Ya Lane'' are your typical club songs and have excellent beats to groove to , and so do pretty much all the rest of the tracks on the album. However , Most of the other tracks also have well meaning messages within them that would reach any person that can relate to them. ''No daddy'' has Teairra singing about how even the abscence of a father isn't a good enough reason to lose yourself. She advises girls to listen to what their mothers pass onto them and to never let a downfall defeat them. She points out that there are young women out there that do what they feel they must to survive , and regardless of what society may think about how right or wrong these things may be , it doesnt change the fact that what she sings about in the song is a reality for some people. The fact that the beat bangs may hide all this , but listening to what she says is key to get her lyrics. ''Confidential'' has her questioning whether losing her virginity is a good idea , if her privacy will be respected after anything happens. She talks about her body's urges with her mind's common sense nagging at her to stop and how girls she knows wish they had waited. These issues are things that are dealt with by young people everywhere. ''Get up on ya gangsta'' is something i can relate to because i've dealt with friends that make bad choices when it comes to partners , and the song is just Teairra warning her friend of a man's clouded intentions. ''Phonebooth'' is another song that i know teenagers out there can relate to. Teairra sings for her boyfriend to come get her after an arguement with her mother , who feels he is no good for her , and even though Teairra wants to go with him , secretly she feels her mother might be right about him. This is exactly what one of my friends went through. ''Lala'' has her knocking back men that try to get with her even though she has a man , and believe me, there are plenty of losers out there that try to hit on girls that have boyfriends even when they have been refused. The song is essentially about remaining loyal. ''Make her feel good'' has the young singer asking whether there are any guys that know how to make a girl feel good , as much emotionally as phyisically. The song isn't as perverted as it seems , people just have to get their minds out of the gutter. I think that the club beats used for the album overshadow the meaning in the lyrics , and the fact that Teairra is still a teen makes people think that she knows too much and must be a wild child. Thing is , teens these days do the things that Teairra sings about , and they can relate. Thats just the way things are now. They may not be right , but thats the way the dice has rolled. She isn't encouraging anything bad , in fact , she is doing the opposite. Sex happens with teens , she tells them to be careful and think things through , same with relationships they encounter. In my opinion , Teairra's debut is great , she can sing well and she covers topics that are relevant to teens , maybe not to all , but to others she speaks the truth."
Jay-Z could've done better!
E. Patterson | Lynchburg,va | 08/14/2005
(2 out of 5 stars)
"When I first heard the first single from Teairra Mari's album I was excited that "THE ROC" had finally got a female artist on their label,that is until I bought and listened to the whole album, although she has a nice voice it seemed as if she was just a more streetwise version of Ashanti! I swear that the whole time I listened to the album I was thinking about The Roc vs Murder Inc.! On most of the songs her voice is drowned out by hard beats"I guess that's what they were aiming for"! So far I only like 3 songs on the whole album and they include,track#1,track#2 and track#11,In my opinon those are the only songs On her whole album that I think might have a chance of being a top ten hit! Unless you are under the age of 18 ,Your best bet is to borrow this cd from a friend and then burn a copy of it on your computer!"
So young ... so ignorant
David Skipper | Memphis TN | 08/05/2005
(2 out of 5 stars)
"Ah, black youth. Teairra {like so many other black females} Can't distiquish between {black men} and {n*ggaz}. Sure we look alike, but theres a difference. I'm a black man and frankly, ladies don't have to tell me anything. But {n*ggaz are like "Toys R Us " kids. They don't wanna grow up. They can be 30 years old and act like they're still 18. Yes ladies, you DO have to tell a n*gga how to touch you. They don't know what to do with you. You have to train em. Don't even be mad at em. Or you can get a man. But make sure you know the difference. You might not be able to handle it."
THE PRINCECESS OF THA ROC!
The Ghost | Half Live Half Dead, Ghost town USA | 08/02/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Teairra mari is only 17 and she sings like an older women. Her album is incredible you cant hate on her and she has the looks to go along with it too. What more can i say Jay-z made a great business decision because she truly has the total package"