The Re-view

Brandy Feat. Chris Brown: Put It Down (New Music)

Brandy’s reunion with fellow man-rival Monica for ‘It All Belongs To Me’ didn’t quite match the success of their 1998 worldwide smash ‘The Boy Is Mine’ when it was released earlier this month.

Despite being a real grower, the single failed to impact the UK Top 40 or the Billboard Hot 100. In fact, its only success was on the US R&B chart where it peaked at #23.

Having seen what should have been a relatively high profile comeback stall at the first hurdle, the one time Moesha star (or as I prefer to call her “Karla from I Still Know What You Did Last Summer”) will be hoping that teaming up with Chris Brown may do her more favours. 

‘Put It Down’ is the first solo single to be taken from ‘Two Eleven’, the singer’s sixth studio album and her first since 2008’s megaflop ‘Human’ which resulted in the singer parting ways with record label Epic. The title of the album refers to the singer’s birthday and the day that her idol Whitney Houston died. 

Written by Sean Garrett, a man responsible for writing Usher’s ‘Yeah’ and producing some of Beyoncé’s solo tracks, ‘Put It Down’ is most definitely a return to the Brandy that we last saw back in 2004, when she released her ‘Afrodisiac’ album, which spawned the Kanye West-assisted top 10 hit, ‘Talk About Our Love’. 

It’s an addictive track which even sees the ‘What About Us’ singer dipping in to her Bran’Nu rapper alter ego, who first made an appearance on Timbaland’s ‘Shock Value II’ album back in 2009. It’s contemporary, catchy and cool, and a song that suggests there is life in the old dog yet.

And as for Brown, for all of his personality issues, he is a solid and current R&B artist who has put out some brilliant hits over the past five years and his contribution here should help Brandy to appeal to a younger market. Most certainly a step in the right direction.