Why did people sleep on Kelis Kaleidoscope album when it came out in 1999 ?

[Wild self]

Black women back then didn't like that alternative shyt. They wanted to be thuggettes and wannabe Lil Kims.

But the production of the album was way ahead of its time.

 

[reserved_one]

Never heard it...Might have to check it out

 

[Why-Fi]

i ran this album in the hole

 

[Chip Skylark]

Res is dope too

That first song is jamming.. I'm about to check her out

 

[PhonZhi]

And Res had A GANG OF ASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

I think Mos Def was waxin dat ass for a minute

 

[PhonZhi]

That first song is jamming.. I'm about to check her out

One of the most beautiful songs ive ever heard:

 

[Why-Fi]

Just smoked some loud and got this blaring out my speakers , shyt got me feeling like I'm ascending to heaven

son...

 

[DMGAINGREEN]

Album still sound fresh out the ziplock

 

[CM_Burns]

Mars and Get Along With You

 

[Taadow]

I don't know if I would say it was "slept on"...it had two major singles.

But the major thing going for her is that she had the Neptunes - and most didn't really know the Neptunes like that.
At the time they were still kinda establishing themselves. Also, 99 was like...one of the last years R&B was still strong.
I say that to mean that...you still had new R&B artists coming out (lol).

There were some major projects out around this time...off top, I remember they had TP2.com, FanMail, Guy III, Carl Thomas' joint,
Voodoo, IMX, Ghetto Hymns, that second 702 album, Blaque...there was a lot of R&B that was poppin'.

 

[KravenMorehead™]

Cause alotta cats need everybody to be tryna put them on some shyt to give a fukk about it.

Kelis is a fearless individual type anyway so it makes sense that her fans would be. She was niche just like N*E*R*D

 

[dora_da_destroyer]

Definitely ahead of the curve, she and kid sister are two people i can say debuted about 4 years too early. But kelis has always had dope shyt to me, errybody ain't a star tho she actually did a lot better overseas. She couldn't string together enough hits from her albums to make people buy into her and there was a lot of fukkery and delays in getting her second album out...I don't even remember if milkshake had a follow up single.

Not from that album, but one of my fave joints from her...I don't see how y'all say she can't sing for shyt, she has decent vocals if we're judging on a "traditional voice" scale and a unique sound overall

 

[L&HH]

I think you answered your own question in the OP. The album was advanced. Not everybody was ready for this in '99. This was also released before everything The Neptunes touched was everywhere. Another reason why people slept is because of how she looked and sounded. The wild, orange hair and unique style over The Neptunes futuristic beats was a lot in 1999. It also came at a time when Macy Gray had just dropped her debut. Macy Gray was huge, but the music was familiar especially since she blew up sampling OutKast's "Git Up, Git Out". Everything about Kelis just seemed like she was from another planet.

I forgot about Macy Gray. Seriously wtf happened to black women musicians. It seems so cutthroat right now. There's Beyonce, Rihanna, and that's it. They've been trying to force Tinashe but it just doesn't seem to be catching.

There was a time where you had Destinys Child, Brandy, Monica, Mya, Amerie, Macy Gray, Mary J Blidge, Erykah Badu, Mariah Carey, Aaliyah...all different styles and flavors and varying degrees of success. But now that variety seems to be gone.

 

[L&HH]

Res is the type of artist that black girls today need. The opposite of a nicki manaj & Rihanna. Somebody who's music uplifts and builds self-esteem

I have no issue with Rihanna and Nicki but I do agree there needs to be more variety in the black female musicianship. I thought Tink would have provided that but it seems like she's just not catching on.

 

[dora_da_destroyer]

I forgot about Macy Gray. Seriously wtf happened to black women musicians. It seems so cutthroat right now. There's Beyonce, Rihanna, and that's it. They've been trying to force Tinashe but it just doesn't seem to be catching.

There was a time where you had Destinys Child, Brandy, Monica, Mya, Amerie, Macy Gray, Mary J Blidge, Erykah Badu, Mariah Carey, Aaliyah...all different styles and flavors and varying degrees of success. But now that variety seems to be gone.

I hit on this a bit in the thread shytting on all these cats like Bryson tiller, Torrey lanez, etc. Between r&b not selling like it used to and the hyper masculine hard on hoes persona of these younger dudes, they have consciously, or subconsciously, fostered a hostile environment for female artists. They rather listen to male singers shyt on women and turn up. Women/girls also seem cattier than ever and have, for whatever reason, accepted being displaced from urban music (where are the mainstream female rappers?). Don't know what's going on here but black chicks simply can't get on. Jhene aiko was the last semblance of a success story. Sevyn streeter, teyana taylor, tiara thomas, Elle Varner, lion babe, hell, even willow smith..,they all should be on.