 Review of
Physical Education
Brooke
Valentine’s “rhythm and crunk” hit “Girlfight,” produced by Lil’ Jon,
jumpstarted last year a resurgence of hip-hop from Houston that also included
other H-Town natives Mike Jones, Paul Wall, and Slim Thug.
In
addition to releasing her debut, the Subliminal Entertainment/Virgin Records
CHAIN LETTER, Brooke also recorded “Boogie Oogie Oogie” with Fabolous and Yo Yo
as the lead single from the soundtrack for the Fox Searchlight Pictures film
Roll Bounce.
Without
taking a break, Brooke returns in 2006 with her sophomore set, PHYSICAL
EDUCATION, an album that more clearly boasts her vocal and songwriting talents
and features production for Deja The Great and appearances from Tyrese, Pimp C,
and Krazyie Bone.
“A lot of
songs on CHAIN LETTER were real gimmicky and didn’t call for a lot of ad-libs or
singing,” Brooke explains about the set co-written with Subliminal Entertainment
head Deja. “And because of that, some people thought I couldn’t sing. That won’t
happen this time. A lot of people who have heard the new album are flipping
out.”
Several
ballads on PHYSICAL EDUCATION give Brooke an opportunity to showcase her skills
honed from growing up singing solos in her grandmother’s church, talent shows,
and studio sessions beginning as a young teen.
Brooke
sparks chills as she belts her way through “Baby,” which is essentially her
version of D’Angelo’s 1996 sensuous mid-tempo favorite “Lady.” In “Rub It In,” a
sexy, conversational bump and grind duet with Tyrese, she lets the multi-media
superstar know that she’s fully aware of his infidelity, but decidedly deals
with it. She captures the essence of Jodeci on the booming slow jam “Show
Stopper” and thumping homie, lover, friend track “Can’t Be Your Girl.”
Brooke
recorded a solo version of “Rub It In” for CHAIN LETTER, but it did not make the
album. But when Deja played the song for Tyrese, he loved it, so they arranged
to have him sing it with Brooke. “It was fun working with Tyrese,” Brooke says.
“He was real laid back, real cool. Because of the song’s subject, I think
performing it as a duet made it stronger.”
Brooke’s
vocal styling stands out, especially in era dominated by either over singing or
thin, airy vocals. “On this album, I stepped up and did more vocal production,”
Brooke explains. “Deja runs a company, so he could not be in the studio with me
all of the time. But it worked out. Because I wrote on every song, I already
knew how I wanted it to sound.”
For her
“Girlfight” fans, PHYSICAL EDUCATION includes numerous staple hip-hop infused
tracks. The album’s first single, “Dope Girl,” featuring Pimp C, is a clever,
metaphorical anthem fueled by Brooke’s deep, sultry vocals, and a sample of the
N.W.A. classic “Dopeman.” “Guys always say, ‘I need a girl that’s down for me,’”
Brooke says about her motivation for writing the song. “That’s a dopegirl. Guys
are going to be like, ‘That’s the kind of girl I like.’”
Brooke
also puts a spin on another hip-hop great, Scarfaces’ “F**k Faces” from his 1998
My Homies album. In the original, Scarface and the other featured
rappers, talk about sexing gold digging women. In Brooke’s version, she tells
her man that she has become accustomed to and desires the “finer things” because
he has spoiled her.
Krayzie
Bone guests on “My Hood.” And Brooke quips an impressive fast-paced rap like
flow on the snap music offering “Sticky Icky.”
All of the
talk of sex and love helped prompt the album title PHYSICAL EDUCATION. “This
album is way sexier,” Brooke says. “CHAIN LETTER wasn’t really that sexy. P.E.
is about living, being physical and going through this life with different
emotions. I really put a lot of myself into. A lot of my life experiences. My
confessions, things that I never told a soul. I’m telling the world.”
But
exposing such vulnerability did not deter Brooke from stepping out of her
comfort zone. “It is scary,” Brooke confesses, “but I’m ready to live life, try
new things, and hear what the fans have to say and let them hear what I have to
say. I feel like that’s the way that we grow in life.”
Broke
first realized her singing talent when she was a 10-year-old fifth grader.
During one recess she mustered up the courage to join a group of kids who were
singing a capella. Her on the spot performance impressed her classmates and
teachers. Her family also recognized her gift. Soon after, her grandmother began
calling her out in church to sing gospel standards such as “His Eyes Are On The
Sparrow” for the congregation.
Brooke
continued to sing in her spare time. When she was 14, she met Deja in a Houston
mall. When she learned that he was a producer, she told him about her singing
aspirations. After an audition, he immediately added her to a female R&B trio
called BKS (Best Kept Secret). The group performed statewide and abroad, but
decided to go their separate ways after high school. Still dedicated to her
entertainment career, Brooke continued on as a solo artist.
To
increase her record deal opportunities, Deja set up a Subliminal Entertainment
office in Los Angeles, and Brooke also relocated to Southern California. It was
not long before they secured a deal with Virgin Records.
“I want to
be the mouthpiece for my listeners,” Brooke says. “Everybody can’t be on the
radio. So I want that girl or that guy to sit at home and go, ‘Yeah. That’s what
I would have said.’ That’s what I want.”
Review courtesy of
Iced Media
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