A Family Business

A Family Business, sometimes dubbed as Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business, is the debut studio album by the Norwood family, the cast of the American reality series Brandy and Ray J: A Family Business, which airs on the VH1 network in the United States and serves as the soundtrack for the reality show of the same name. The compilation features previously unreleased content from R&B singer Brandy, her younger brother Ray J and their parents Sonja and Willie Norwood as well as contribution from Brandy's daughter Sy'rai and fellow singers, Tasha Scott and Rain Smith. The latter is the daughter of Robert Smith, who is Brandy's former partner and Sy'Rai's father.^[1]

The album was released on June 10, 2011 on Saguaro Road Records and Time–Life Music in France^[2] and on June 13 in the United Kingdom,^[3] while it was released on July 26 in the United States and Germany.^[4][5]

Background and development

There have been talks of a collaborative effort between Brandy and her brother and fellow R&B singer Ray J ever since 2005, when Brandy was firstly signed to Ray J's record company Knockout Entertainment. It was announced that the siblings together with rapper Shorty Mack, also appears on the album, and other rappers, would form a group called TKO (Tha Knock Out) and release a debut album of the same name in 2006.^[6] Plans eventually fell through though, also because Brandy was involved in a fatal car crash. It wasn't until late 2008 when further news surfaced about a collaboration project between Brandy and Ray J. Billboard reported that the singers considered releasing an album called R&B, " a nod to the siblings' respective first initials as well as their chosen style of music".^[7] Yet again after the commercial failure of Brandy's Human album, this project was postponed. It wasn't until early 2010 when a new VH1 reality show was announced that would star, not only the siblings Ray J and Brandy, but also their parents Willie Norwood and Sonja Bates-Norwood. In June Ray J announced that the title of the collaborative album would be named TKO - Trust, Knowledge & Opportunity. Also the label Time-Life was announced as well as the fact that it was no longer going to be a duet album but more of a "spiritual feel good [family] album".^[8] By August 2010 first studio footage of Brandy recording the album was released to the internet. Eventhough Billboard.com announced Brandy's song "Lifeguard" to be the project's lead single,^[9] it was the Brandy, Ray J and Willie Norwood collaboration "Talk To Me" which was released as the album's first single in November 22, 2010. It failed to enter any Billboard chart.^[10] Eventhough the album was first announced to be released in March 2011,^[11] to coincide with the second season of Brandy and Ray J: A Family Business, it wasn't until June that the album was available for purchase.

Critical reception

Singles

• The first single from the album, "Talk To Me" was released to digital outlets and radio on November 22, 2010. The song is an R&B/pop ballad by the siblings Brandy and Ray J with their father Willie Norwood.
• The dance pop song "Turnin' Me On" by Ray J was released as the second single on May 3, 2011.

• "Gone" by Tasha Scott was released as the compilation's third single on July 26, 2011. It also the singer-actress' debut single.^[19]

• "Lifeguard" by Brandy was slated to be a single at some point, but its release was cancelled.

Track listing

Release history

References

External links

• BrandyAndRayJMusic.com — official site