''Chain Letter'' is the only studio album by

Brooke Valentine Kanesha Nichole Brookes (born October 5, 1984), better known by her stage name Brooke Valentine, is an American actress, model, singer, songwriter, and television personality. Her single " Girlfight" peaked on U.S. music charts in 2005, paving ...

, released on March 15, 2005, by Subliminal Entertainment and

Virgin Records Virgin Records is a British record label owned by Universal Music Group. They were originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman (musician), ...

. Work on the album began after Valentine left the female group Best Kept Secret, in order to pursue a solo career. She moved to Los Angeles, California with producer and Subliminal Entertainment CEO Deja the Great to begin work on the album. Valentine enlisted a variety of producers to work on the album including Bink!,

Bloodshy & Avant Bloodshy & Avant are a Swedish songwriting and record producer, production duo consisting of Christian Karlsson (DJ), Christian "Bloodshy" Karlsson and Pontus "Avant" Winnberg. They have worked with many prominent artists, including Britney Spears ...

, Déjà "The Great",

Jermaine Dupri Jermaine Dupri Mauldin (born September 23, 1972) is an American rapper and record producer. Raised in Atlanta, Georgia as the son of Columbia Records executive Michael Mauldin, he began his career in music at the age of nine. He discovered th ...

, Brandon Howard,

Lil Jon Jonathan H. Smith (born January 17, 1971), better known by his stage name Lil Jon, is an American rapper, DJ, and record producer. Regarded as a progenitor of the club-oriented hip-hop subgenre crunk, his production and voice presence were inst ...

and

Matt Serletic Matthew Michael Serletic II (born 1970 or 1971) is an American record producer, songwriter, and music executive. Career As a teenager, Serletic joined a band with members of Collective Soul – a group for which he would later produce. Serlet ...

among others. Musically it is an R&B album, that blends diverse musical genres such as

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

crunk Crunk is a subgenre of Southern hip-hop that emerged in the early 1990s and gained mainstream success during the early to mid 2000s. Crunk is often up-tempo and one of Southern hip hop's more nightclub-oriented subgenres. Distinguishing itself w ...

dance-pop Dance-pop is a Music genre, genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit ra ...

, reggae-funk,

folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk horror ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Fo ...

baroque pop Baroque pop (sometimes called baroque rock) is a fusion genre that combines rock music with particular elements of classical music. It emerged in the mid-1960s as artists pursued a majestic, orchestral sound and is identifiable for its appropria ...

and

jungle music Jungle is a genre of electronic music that developed in the 1990s out of the UK rave scene and Jamaican sound system culture. Emerging from breakbeat hardcore, the style is characterised by rapid breakbeats, heavily syncopated percussive loops, ...

. Upon release, the album was met with critical acclaim from music critics who praised the album's production, with other critics comparing the album to the work of film producer

Steven Soderbergh Steven Andrew Soderbergh ( ; born January 14, 1963) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor. A pioneer of modern Independent film, independent cinema, Soderbergh later drew acclaim for formally inventiv ...

. Commercially the album fared well and peaked at 16 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 and three on the US

Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip-hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Luminate. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated January 30, ...

chart. The album was preceded by the release of the lead single "Girlfight", that features

Big Boi Antwan André Patton (born February 1, 1975), known professionally as Big Boi, is an American rapper and record producer. Born in Savannah, Georgia, and raised in Atlanta, he was one half of the Southern hip-hop duo Outkast along with rapper ...

from the band

Outkast Outkast (sometimes written as OutKast) was an American hip-hop duo formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1992, consisting of Big Boi (Antwan Patton) and André 3000 (André Benjamin, formerly known as Dré). Widely regarded as one of the greatest an ...

, and

. "Girlfight" was a commercial success peaking at twenty-three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 as well as making appearances on charts in Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and the UK. The second single released from the album was "

Long As You Come Home "Long as You Come Home" is the second single from American R&B singer Brooke Valentine's debut album ''Chain Letter''. It was released in April 2005. The song samples Dynasty's 1980 song " Adventures in the Land of Music", the same sample that was ...

", which reached number 71 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart where it spent 5 weeks. The third single was "Cover Girl", however the song failed to chart.

Background

Valentine started her musical career as a member of the female group Best Kept Secret. To pursue a solo career, she moved to

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

with producer and Subliminal Entertainment CEO Deja the Great and signed to

. Her first album for Virgin, ''Chain Letter'', was written and recorded over a span of four months. Around 200 songs were recorded.

Music and lyrics

According to Matt Cibula from ''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, ...

'', ''Chain Letter'' is a record "full of true strangeness and cutting-edge pop music in a number of different genres". ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' noted that Valentine "careens from crunk to R&B/pop to alternative/rock". In another article the publication reiterated that the "album leaps among genres ranging from pop, rock and alternative to dance, hip-hop and R&B". Valentine discussed the musical diversity of the album saying, "I love all types of music, she continued, I have fun dibbing and dabbing in all genres." The opening track and lead single, "

Girlfight ''Girlfight'' is a 2000 American sports film written and directed by Karyn Kusama in her feature directorial debut. Starring Michelle Rodriguez in her film debut, it follows a troubled Brooklyn high school student, who decides to channel her a ...

" is a

song with a

synth A synthesizer (also synthesiser or synth) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis a ...

beat "buried under some acid-rock guitar". It features guest appearances from

and

; lyrically it "steps into the uncharted territory of how girls physically challenge each other". Described as an "Hyperactive club banger", "Taste of Dis" is a

track that was compared to the work of

Destiny's Child Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final lineup comprised Beyoncé, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams (singer), Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Hou ...

. "Long as You Come Home", has a "pillowy R&B groove", while "Blah-Blah-Blah" featuring

Ol' Dirty Bastard Russell Tyrone Jones (November 15, 1968 – November 13, 2004), known professionally as Ol' Dirty Bastard (often abbreviated as ODB), was an American rapper. He was one of the founding members of the New York rap group Wu-Tang Clan, which forme ...

is an "organ-fueled" reggae-funk song. The latter "turns Valentine into a naughty girl who still loves her thug boyfriend". The "somber", "Cover Girl" is an

acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked, its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...

driven

song that features churchy organ swells. ''Chain Letter''/ref> On the record Valentine is "lamenting that she just has to put on a lot of makeup to get noticed by a neglectful guy: “I know I’m not Halle Berry / Girls from videos / I just wanna be / Someone you can hold". "Million Bucks" is another dance-pop song in the style of Destiny's Child, while "I Want You Dead" is a "

gem". Lyrically, "I Want You Dead", is a "demented revenge fantasy", in which "Valentine details all the ways she will ruin the life of her ex-dude, including poking holes in his prophylactics, getting him fired, and selling his stuff on

eBay eBay Inc. ( , often stylized as ebay) is an American multinational e-commerce company based in San Jose, California, that allows users to buy or view items via retail sales through online marketplaces and websites in 190 markets worldwide. ...

while he is getting eaten by maggots in his coffin." "Laugh Til I Cry", is an R&B song that is an "haunting and ambiguous take on domestic violence". On the "funky" "American Girl" Valentine "shakes her Texan tail feather over a

jungle jungle is land covered with dense forest and tangled vegetation, usually in tropical climates. Application of the term has varied greatly during the past century. Etymology The word ''jungle'' originates from the Sanskrit word ''jaṅgala'' ...

beat". Bonus track "Thrill of the Chase" "uses a great Hendrix riff to underscore her rant against her boyfriend for demanding that she commit to him: “I’m really feeling you but you don’t understand / I’m not sure if I can settle down with just one man." "Thrill of the Chase" appeared on the initial tracklist as a regular album track, but was later replaced with "Playa" ahead of the album's release.

Promotion

", which features

and

, was selected as the album's lead single and first released on January 4, 2005. It succeeded internationally, peaking in the top fifty in Australia and Ireland, and the top 40 in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Second single, "

Long as You Come Home "Long as You Come Home" is the second single from American R&B singer Brooke Valentine's debut album ''Chain Letter''. It was released in April 2005. The song samples Dynasty's 1980 song " Adventures in the Land of Music", the same sample that was ...

" was released on July 5, 2005. It peaked at number 71 on the US US R&B/Hip-Hop chart. "Cover Girl" was released as a promotional single on October 18, 2005. It failed to chart. "Laugh Til I Cry" was also released as a promotional single to radio, but it failed to chart as well.

Critical reception

Upon release ''Chain Letter'' was met with critical acclaim from music critics.

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

editor Andy Kellman gave a positive review to album, giving it four out of five stars. He praised the album's production continuing to say "A debut that fulfills and promises at the same time, ''Chain Letter'' contains 40 faultless minutes of club tracks and a few minutes of seductive balladry. That's not bad for someone who put it all to bed before hitting the age of 20." ''

'' editor Matt Cibula wrote: "At any rate, the only potential flaw with this record is if Brooke Valentine goes on to make a lot more records that are even better, thereby making this one look weak by comparison. As it is, it’s brave and scary and hilarious and awesome and I love it like it’s the new girl in junior high school." ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...

'' critic Yancey Strickler gave acclaim to the album comparing it to play like

's filmography, saying "There's a little popcorn for the cineplex and some chewier fare for the art houses. But Valentine's eccentricities, unlike Soderbergh's, actually improve her chances for stardom." Christian Hoard from ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' found that ''Chain Letter'' was "less compelling" apart from lead single "Girlfight." He wrote: "Underwritten dance pop such as "Taste of Dis" and "Million Bucks" comes off like a murkier

. Valentine sounds at ease on pillowy R&B grooves like "Laugh Til I Cry" and "Long as You Come Home." But whether she's telling her man she wants him dead or fielding jealous come-ons from the late O.D.B. on "Blah Blah Blah," her airy voice and unconvincing posturing leave her a few steps short of R&B diva status." Kelefa Sanneh, writing for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', remarked: "Somehow, it all sounds more dull than delicious. (If she's a great singer, she hides it well.) But while Ms. Valentine isn't the second coming of Ciara, there's still plenty to like about ''Chain Letter'', a cheerful, garish mess of a debut album."

Commercial performance

''Chain Letter'' debuted and peaked at number 16 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 and number three on the

chart, with first week sales of 42,000 copies. The album sold 290,000 copies in the US.

Track listing

Notes * denotes vocal producer * denotes additional producer * denotes co-producer Sample credits * "

" samples " Adventures in the Land of Music" by

Dynasty A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family, usually in the context of a monarchy, monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A dynasty may also be referred to as a "house", "family" or "clan", among others. H ...

. * "Million Bucks" samples " I'm Alive" by

Spooky Tooth Spooky Tooth was a rock band originally formed in Carlisle, England, in 1967. The band was principally active between 1967 and 1974, and re-formed several times in later years. History Prior to Spooky Tooth, four of the band's five founding ...

. * "American Girl" samples "

Shake Your Groove Thing "Shake Your Groove Thing" is a song by Contemporary R&B, R&B duo Peaches & Herb. The single reached No. 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and No. 4 on the ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, R&B chart ...

" by

Peaches & Herb Peaches & Herb is an American vocal duo. Herb Fame (born October 1, 1941) has remained a constant as "Herb" since the duo was created in 1966; seven different women have filled the role of "Peaches", most notably Francine Edna "Peaches" Hurd B ...

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

{{Authority control 2005 debut albums Albums produced by Bink (record producer) Albums produced by Bloodshy & Avant Albums produced by Jermaine Dupri Albums produced by Lil Jon Albums produced by Matt Serletic Brooke Valentine albums Crunk albums Virgin Records albums