 
Keyshia Cole’s debut album could not have a title any more appropriate, for she simply tells it, “The Way It Is.” Blowing up on nation wide radio and television and on stage as the opening act for T.I, Nelly, and Fat Joe’s tour this past spring, this 21 year old Oakland native is about to explode on the R&B scene with her debut album where she has co-written most of the album's tracks where she holds no feelings back. If I stared in a movie titled such as ‘you-trifling-man-you-did-me-wrong-so-you-best-believe-I’m-leaving,’ “Guess What?” would definitely be on the soundtrack! With an appearance from Jadakiss, this song has a hook that has one singing the lyrics even after the song is over. I also would not mind hearing this track at the club; it would only put more sass in my two-step! The first time I heard the chorus of “Love,” I got the chills; her soulful vocal talent is undeniable here. In “We Could Be,” Keyshia has no shame in being bold and asking a friend what he really thinks of her because she’s, “diggin everything you appear to be/ And I'm wonderin if we could be real good good friends.” I applaud Keyshia for stating what she needs and what she wants out of life, for her honest lyrics on love lost and broken trust, for speaking for women who have encountered dishonest men in their lives and may have not have expressed their true feelings; even more for refusing to settle for second best and for calling out anyone for their wrong doing. Cole she has come a long way since she recorded with MC Hammer at age 12 and with the bay area’s own Messy Marv on the remix for “Nubian Queen” in 2001; collaborating with Eve for her debut track “Never,” featured on the Barbershop 2 Soundtrack, and later with Kanye West on the album’s lead single “I Changed My Mind,” other key players on this album include R&B112’s own producer and songwriter DaRon, rapper Chink Santana, and well known producer E-Poppi. R&B female singers and songwriters have come and gone, and yes, others have also had tracks that have told ‘the way it is,’ but Keyshia Cole’s album stands out because it is a collective work where she expresses the details and emotions of real-life situations where she speaks from the heart and not the ego. The opening shot in the music video “I Changed my Mind” is of the word ‘Oakland’ spray painted on a wall; I hope she continues to represent for the town and making all of us bay area natives proud. - Evelyn Molina |
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