It’s been a long time since we’ve done our Take it Back. Take it Back segment here at MESH. So, if you’re new here, every once in a while we like to look at a throwback video/song and remember its excellence. Today’s take it back joint comes from Amerie. “Talkin’to Me” was the second single from her debut All I Have and is a classic R&B cut. Enjoy.

Cj..

Amerie (aka CJ’s future wife) for Honey Magazine.

Beautiful.

Wish I enjoyed her new album half as much..

Aisha

Here’s a photo shoot of my hopeful future baby’s mama Amerie for Complex Magazine.

She looks like a banger as usual.

Cj

Here’s a video I found of singer Amerie discusses her latest album In Love & War (available now) during the Homecoming festivities at Howard.

The video makes me laugh because it was the day I met her and I’m in the background like a damn stalker.

Check out the album review a few posts below.

Haha. You guys don’t understand the infatuation I had/have with Amerie’s beauty so seeing her that day was a big deal to me.

Cj

All’s fair in love and war? Right? Well, Amerie is here to tell her tale of the ins and outs of love with her fourth studio album In Love & War. As with most of her albums, In Love & War is heavily injected with a loud, fun 70′s funk inspired sound and that classic cross of R&B and Go-Go influences the singer has become known for. The album opens with the powerful “Tell Me You Love Me” which appropriately sets the tone for the album. Slightly aggressive, the album continues with the tribal club banger “Heard ‘Em All” and the retro “Dangerous” and “Higher.” Before slowing down, the album’s first single “Why R U” ushers in the second half of the album.  With tracks like “More Than Love” featuring rapper Fabolous and “Pretty Brown” featuring Trey Songz, In Love & War truly takes on the various highs and lows of love. Album highlights also include the incredibly sensual “Red Eye” as well as the emotionally charged “The Flowers.” As a cohesive album, In Love & War succeeds and oddly fails at the same time. It’s a solid effort with several songs that flow well together and that can easily make it into some “Favorites” playlists but as an entire album it seems that Amerie could have come just a littler harder. The album is a great one, but doesn’t produce the “WOW” that may or might not have been expected.

The verdict: Solid tracks and a great effort from Amerie. Worth the listen.

MESHworthy Tracks:

1. Red Eye

2. Heard ‘Em All

3. Tell Me You Love Me

4. More Than Love ft. Fabolous

5. The Flowers

6. Higher

7. Swag Back

Take a listen:

[Amerie- Red Eye]

[Amerie- More Than Love ft. Fabolous]

Are you checking for Amerie’s new album?

Cj

Amerie in a recent shoot for Essence Magazine.

Her album In Love & War is set to drop November 3rd.

Cj

Here’s a look at the official album cover for Amerie‘s upcoming album In Love & War.

Not feeling it. Reminds me of fan-art.

Aisha

I had a feeling I would dig this video.

Amerie “Heard ‘Em All”

Directed by Anthony Mandler and choreographed by Jamaica Craft

Good job folks.

Cj

Amerie‘s latest single “Heard ‘Em All” is one of my favorite joints out at the moment. Take a look at the behind the scenes footage of the anticipated video for it featuring choreography from Jamaica Craft.

Looks like it’s going to be a winner.

Cj

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these ..

[ Beyonce - Control ] (Sounds like an album leftover)

[ Amerie ft. Trey Songz - Pretty Brown Eyes ]

[ Toni Braxton - I Hate Love ] (my fav!)

[ Donnell Jones - Strip Club ]

[ Speech Debelle - Spinnin' ] (Female rapper from the UK)

[ London - Yes-To-Day ]

Aisha

Amerie looking sexy as ever in her promo pics for her upcoming album In Love & War.

By the way, her newest single “Heard ‘Em All” is definitely what’s hot.

Cj

[ Christina Milian - Zipper ]

This Tapemasters Inc produced track goes in. The beat is tough, and I’m feeling her vocals. Two solid tracks in a row from The Dream‘s new wifey, I’m kind of hype for her upcoming project. Don’t let me down girl.

[ Amerie - Heard 'Em All ]

It was recently announced that Amerie‘s upcoming album In Love & War was pushed back, again–but the tracks keep on coming. “Heard ‘Em All” is produced by Sean Garret and Eric Hudson, it’s a pretty decent up-tempo cut.

- Aisha

I can’t stop laughing at this Ne-Yo leak “Your Girl is a Ho.” It’s so ignorant and I love it. I can see myself singing this to a few folks I know. I’m not trying to be rude, I just thought you should know that your girl is a hoe. Enjoy this and many others. You know the deal, get to downloading.

(Your Girl is a Ho-Ne-Yo)

(Why R U Remix- Amerie ft. Nas, Jadakiss, Rick Ross, & Kain) (Dope remix!)

(Who Do U Love- Mario)

(Colored Me Pink-Teyana Taylor) (Hasn’t her album being “upcoming” for like 2 years now?)

Enjoy.

Cj

The title says it all .. These damn artists decide to come out with tons of music on the day that I’m not home to get them to my readers in a timely manner. Each and every one of these deserves a listen and hopefully a download, they’re hot.

[ ?uestlove ft. Foreign Exchange , Zo! and Carlitta Durand - Purple Flip ] (Prince Tribute)

[ Fabolous ft. Ryan Leslie - The Fabulous Life ]

[ Fabolous ft. Keri Hilson & Ryan Leslie - Everything, Everyday, Everywhere ]

[ Fabolous ft. Ne-Yo & Nas - Watch Yo Shorty ]

[ Mario - Human Nature ] (Michael Jackson Tribute)

[ Ciara - Cool On You ] (Ci-Ci slows it down for us)

[ John Legend - When It Rains ]

[ Ne-Yo - In The Ground ] (Ne-Yo raps towards the end)

[ Chris Brown ft. Rich Girl - Smile & Wave ] (Very cute)

[ R. Kelly - She Knows What She Wants ]

[ Amerie - Red Eye ]

[ J-Hollow ft. Mikkey Halsted, True Nuff & Heaven - Chicago Shit ] (Shoutout to my friends from the Chi)

[ Krave ft. Akon, Nelly & Twista - Up & Down ] (This song has been hot in FL for a minute)

[ Senor Kaos - Summer Madness ] (Atl Remix)

Aisha

If singer Amerie being featured in a spread of The Green Magazine, Golf Beyond the Links isn’t the epitome of random, I’m not sure what is. I must admit though, she is beautiful holding that iron!

Help me out. Where does this combination make sense? Why is she looking like an equestrian in a golf magazine? Let’s do some math. Amerie (singer) + Equestrian clothes = Golf??  Although seemingly random, Amerie isn’t the only celebrity to have graced a spread for the magazine (other celebrities include Ne-Yo and Common). The magazine promotes the lifestyle and sport of Golf in a very cool way. Click here to visit the site and see more pics of Amerie in their August issue.

Amerie’s album In Love & War is scheduled to drop on September 8.

I guess you gotta get any promotion you can these days.

Cj

Here is the video for Amerie‘s latest single “Why R U”. The track stays true that signature Amerie sound and the video is a nice one directed by Ray Kay.  Her next album In Love & War is scheduled to be released August 11, 2009.  Enjoy.

Find more videos like this on The Celebrity Network

Cj

So while I was doing it up in South Beach for Memorial Weekend, artists were leaking music left and right all over the net. The cuts are pretty decent, only a few stand-out tracks.

Ace Hood ft. Jazmine Sullivan & Rick Ross – Champion (Hot)

Amerie ft. Opium Black – Why R U (Remix)

This song is decent. I like it better than her last single Tell Me You Love Me. It could do without Opium Black’s intro.

Usher – What’s a Guy To Do (Produced by The Neptunes)

Bobby Valentino – Text

Bobby Valentino – Doing The Most

Check out some more New Music from T.I., Trey Songz, & Joe after the jump

read more »

• Mistah FAB “Cool, Fresh, Different” – I think I’ve found my summer jam [already]. Celebrating everything not run of the mill boring… I feel like a lot of you will like this. Download HERE

•DJ Drama Feat. Nas, Willie the Kid, Scarface, & Marsha Ambrosius “Yacht Music” – See above statement. This song is so smooootthhhh. Adding triple OG triple Scarface [lol] * Marsha Ambrosius of Floetry doesn’t hurt neither. Download HERE

• Sean Paul “So Fine” – The King of [commercial] dancehall is back with the first single off his upcoming album, Imperial Blaze. Download HERE

• Rihanna & Lady Gaga “Silly Boy” – Two of the baddest [and flyyest] chicks in the game. Hmmm… wonder who this track might be about? Download HERE

• Cory Gunz Feat Willie The Kid & Marvo “A New Day” – People are forgetting about Cory Gunz in this so called “new class of hip/hop & R&B. I don’t understand why, he just ma be the best lyricist of them all… Download HERE

• Amerie “Why Are You” – Smooth Joint off upcoming “In Love and War” Album. I can already see how many females will connect with this song… gon’ head and download. Download HERE

~AR

Underrated \??n-d?(r)-?r?t\-to not be aware or take account of the full abilities or potential of.

Take that definition in. I’ll wait for it to marinate in your mind a bit. Ready? Okay, here we go.

The music industry is known for many great artist and talents. It’s also known for several individuals attempting to reach a certain caliber of respect and celebrity. In this fight for true recognition, there can be a mixup of who receives deserving attention and whose talents are almost blatantly ignored. The artists who produce quality music and don’t receive the attention they deserve via sales, awards, or any other type of recognition are referred to as ‘underrated’ artists. Now, we’ve all got our own ideas of who deserves the most attention in the music industry and the following is mine: 

Only a few of the popular artists of the time truly deserve the attention they garner (i.e. Beyoncé, Kanye West, Lil’ Wayne, Usher, etc.) while others not so much (Rihanna and others of her kind).

There is a odd disconnect from quality music and attention. Although I’m glad a vast majority of the better artists in the world do not have their works tarnished by ‘going mainstream’, I do feel that certain artist should gain more recognition for their musical genius.

Here is a list of  the twenty recent most underrated R&B artist (in my opinion). No particular order.

1. Tamia

2. Anthony Hamilton

3. Raheem DeVaughn

4. Bilal

5. Kelly Rowland

6. Lloyd

7. Mario

8. Solange

9. Dwele

10. Sammie

11. Jill Scott

12. India Arie

13. Tiffany Evans

14. Cherish

15. Amerie

16. Joss Stone

17. Raphael Saadiq

18.  Musiq Soulchild

19. Tweet

20. Erykah Badu

Cj

Let me know who I forgot or your favorite ‘underrated’ artist.