Keyshia Cole | A Different Me

Having a hit reality show on BET is quite the luxury but for Keyshia Cole, her success reflects solely in album sales. Her last album, Just Like You, was released concurrently with a new season of The Way It Is and, in doing so, the album went on to be certified platinum. Sticking with that same formula, Keyshia returns less than a year or so later and, this time around, Keyshia explores a more sensual side of her personality packaged as -- “A Different Me”.

Let’s be fair. From a guy’s point of view, Keyshia’s music isn’t necessarily supposed to gravitate towards me [as its intended audience] but where Keyshia excels is in the 18-24 demographic for younger females. A lot of issues Keyshia touches on are relevant in some, if not all, of these ladies lives and to have a strong, positive role model such as Keyshia is [somewhat] rare these days. Oftentimes female artists are stripped down of their essence and given a superficial, sexed up image in order to sell themselves and it really bothers me because it only adds to the popular notion that sex sells. Which it does. I’m just saying the alternative is much more meaningful and Keyshia is a clear representation of that.

Which brings me to this new album of hers, A Different Me. While a more sensual side is more than welcoming, Keyshia does so as eloquently as one would expect and nothing seems overtly out of place. Songs like “You Complete Me” , “Erotic”, and “Beautiful Music” are sure to stand out among fans but where Keyshia switches things up is in her unlikely collaborations. The lead single “Playa Cardz Right”, for example, featuring Tupac blends her soft, melodic voice with the “thugged” rhymes of Tupac and the collaboration feels more natural than forced. The same could be said for “Oh-Oh, Yeah - Yeah” featuring Nas. Here the Queens bridge rapper drops knowledge over a soft, Outsyders production but still comes all the way real with something of substance.

From there, A Different Me makes for a valiant effort overall but, still, Keyshia can’t manage to recapture the same magic she had from her debut. Although her last record, Just Like You, was financially a success, the same problem plagued that disc as well and it seems like her progression album to album is on a downward spiral.

Not to say that she doesn’t make good music. In fact, I respect her for being herself and not allowing label execs to market her any way they please; but I, personally, just feel like more could’ve been done with this project. When you strip away everything Keyshia has been through, she’s still a woman at the end of the day and the material she chooses should reflect that.

That being said, I think the comparisons between her and Mary J. Blige should be thrown out the window, or dismissed as false promise, but whatever the case Keyshia has a long way to go. Perhaps, over time, she will one day reach such high regards; however, that day is not here, nor now. Instead A Different Me stands alone as far as level of quality is concerned and, in my opinion, I would much rather prefer the old Keyshia. Wouldn’t you agree?

Rating: 5.0 headphones out of 10