EDITORIAL BY: JERMAINE QUICK - CEO of illadelstyles Ent. LLC
Photograph: Malike Sidibe for New York Magazine.
As a man I had to tap into my feminine side to understand this bodacious album "HEAUX TALES" by the calculated soulful songstress, "Jazmine". I named the article "RANI" because:
1. Rani:
Rani is a Hindi term for Queen or the female equivalent of Raja. Most Indian parents use this name for the apple of their eyes. An alternative spelling for Rani is Ranee. Bollywood actress Rani Mukherjee is the modern bearer of this name. Another meaning of Rani is ‘she is singing’.
I took the time to feel the pain and hear the triumph. "HEAUX TALES" to me, illustrates the value of a woman's self worth. As a child, I seen abuse first hand, and now as a man I can understand the trauma it can cause on all levels. Jazmine is passionate and poised with her tones and reflections. I envisioned the ego catching a beat down by the convivial, relaxed, and confident nature she possesses. "PRICE TAGS" feat. Anderson .Paak, one of the singles on the album, is a grown folk convo about the value of the "vagina". This should have been the summer anthem for women.
This album is definitely affirmation for the abused and a voice for emerging Queens trying to navigate through life. As a man, brother, father, and son, I would stream this album for the grit, the street vibe, the realness, and the soul to teach our daughters their value in this world. I know you should give pros and cons of a album review but I can't give any criticism. This is "JAZMINE". That Philly swag and truth telling persona gives R&B a popular and extravagant face to admire for years to come. HEAUX TALES - STREAM IT NOW on