Tasty (Kelis album)

Tasty
Studio album by Kelis
Released December 5, 2003
Recorded 2002–03
Studio
Genre
Length 51:20
Label
Producer
Kelis chronology

Wanderland
(2001)		 Tasty
(2003)		 Kelis Was Here
(2006)
Singles from Tasty
  1. "Milkshake"
    Released: August 25, 2003
  2. "Trick Me"
    Released: April 19, 2004
  3. "Millionaire"
    Released: October 18, 2004
  4. "In Public"
    Released: April 4, 2005

Tasty is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Kelis, released on December 5, 2003 by Star Trak Entertainment and Arista Records. As executive producer, Kelis enlisted previous collaborators The Neptunes to produce the album, as well as new collaborators such as Raphael Saadiq, Dallas Austin, André 3000, Rockwilder, and Dame Blackmon "Grease". It also features guest vocals from Saadiq, André 3000, and then-boyfriend Nas.

The album was met with positive reviews from critics, who praised its originality and viewed it as an improvement on Kelis' previous albums, Kaleidoscope (1999) and Wanderland (2001). Tasty debuted at number twenty-seven on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 93,600 copies, earning Kelis the best sales week of her career in the United States. The album also became her highest-peaking album in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number eleven on the UK Albums Chart. It spawned four singles, including the international hits "Milkshake" and "Trick Me".

Singles

"Milkshake" was released on August 25, 2003 as the lead single from Tasty.[1] It reached number three on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Kelis' highest-peaking single on the chart to date.[2] The song was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on October 25, 2004,[3] and has sold 883,000 digital downloads in the United States.[4] "Milkshake" also achieved commercial success internationally, reaching number one on the Irish Singles Chart and number two on the UK Singles Chart,[5][6] as well as peaking inside the top five in Australia, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, and Sweden.[7] The song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance in 2004.[8]

"Trick Me" was released on April 19, 2004 as the second single from the album.[9] The track was successful in Europe and Oceania; it peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart,[6] while charting inside the top five in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and Norway, and the top ten in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland.[5][10]

"Millionaire", which features André 3000, was released as the album's third single on October 18, 2004.[11] The song peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the album's third consecutive top three hit.[6] "Millionaire" attained modest success elsewhere, reaching number eleven in Finland, number twenty-three in Australia, and number twenty-seven in New Zealand.[12]

The album's fourth and final single, "In Public", features Nas and was released on April 4, 2005.[13] The song reached number seventeen on the UK chart and number twenty-two on the Irish chart.[5][6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic 80/100[14]
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic [15]
Blender [16]
Entertainment Weekly A−[17]
The Guardian [18]
The Independent [19]
NME 8/10[20]
Pitchfork Media 6.5/10[21]
Rolling Stone [22]
Slant Magazine [23]
Yahoo! Music [24]

Tasty received mostly positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 80, based on 18 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[14] Andy Kellman of AllMusic stated, "Despite all the new assistance, Tasty is formatted much like Kaleidoscope and Wanderland, constantly swinging back and forth between bouncy pop and laid-back (not throwback) soul."[15] Ernest Hardy of Rolling Stone praised Tasty as Kelis' "best work" and wrote, "Take away the Dallas Austin-produced tracks [...], two Neptunes rock attempts and 'Milkshake,' and you have a solid R&B album, one that's thickly speckled with hip-hop influences and nods to early Prince and Eighties Latin freestyle music."[22] Entertainment Weekly‍ '​s Neil Drumming described the album as "Kelis' past—big beats, out-there imagery, and sex appeal—refined" and commented that "much of the beauty of Tasty is in witnessing Kelis rise to the challenge of working with multiple imaginative maestros."[17] In a review for the NME, Tony Naylor found the album to be "[f]ar more complete than Wanderland or Kaleidoscope", adding that "such vacuum-packed musical freshness is maintained throughout."[20]

Dorian Lynskey of The Guardian dubbed Kelis a "parallel universe Beyoncé" and wrote that she "exploits her husky croon like never before, pouring it over lascivious double entendre [...] and, well, lascivious single entrendre", concluding, "She may not be R&B's biggest star, but Kelis remains its most compelling character."[18] The Independent noted that she "certainly takes the sexual initiative in several songs", but "[m]ostly, though, Kelis keeps a watchful eye on her affections in songs such as 'Protect My Heart' and 'Trick Me', and has developed a decidedly jaundiced view of hip hop's lop-sided sexual politics, judging by 'Keep It Down'."[19] Joseph Patel of Blender commented that Kelis is "as good playing a hair-twisting, gum-popping tart on 'Sugar Honey Iced Tea' as an all-grown-up cock-blocker on the crackling funk ditty 'Trick Me.'"[16] Slant Magazine reviewer Sal Cinquemani felt that few of the tracks on the album are "as immediately thirst-quenching as the insta-classic lead single 'Milkshake'",[23] and Pitchfork Media's Scott Plagenhoef opined that Tasty is "far from all doom-and-gloom".[21] Adam Webb of Yahoo! Music expressed that the album is "not as far out wild as Kaleidoscope but it is a consistently inventive and brilliant record."[24] Steve Jones of USA Today viewed that, "guests and idiosyncrasies aside, her honeyed voice is the most important ingredient. It's sweet enough to make you wonder, 'Did she just say that?' No one could ever accuse her of being bland."[25]

Commercial performance

Tasty debuted at number twenty-seven on the Billboard 200 with 93,600 copies sold in its first week; it gave Kelis the best chart week of her career, and became her second highest-peaking album to date, after Kelis Was Here (2006).[26][27] The album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on February 6, 2004,[28] and had sold 535,000 copies in the United States as of December 2009.[4]

The album debuted at number fifty-three on the UK Albums Chart, climbing to number twenty-one the following week.[29] In its third week on the chart, the album rose to its peak position of number eleven,[30] becoming Kelis' highest-charting album in the UK to date.[31] Tasty was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on October 22, 2004,[32] and by April 2014, it had sold 476,034 copies in the United Kingdom.[33]

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s)Producer(s) Length
1. "Intro"     1:30
2. "Trick Me"  Dallas AustinAustin 3:26
3. "Milkshake"  
The Neptunes 3:04
4. "Keep It Down"  
Austin 3:26
5. "In Public" (featuring Nas)
Rockwilder 4:25
6. "Flashback"  
  • Williams
  • Hugo
  • Rogers
The Neptunes 3:25
7. "Protect My Heart"  
  • Williams
  • Hugo
The Neptunes 4:24
8. "Millionaire" (featuring André 3000)
André 3000 3:44
9. "Glow" (featuring Raphael Saadiq)
 4:00
10. "Sugar Honey Iced Tea"  
  • Williams
  • Hugo
The Neptunes 3:23
11. "Attention" (featuring Raphael Saadiq)
  • Saadiq
  • Standridge
  • Ozuna
  • Wooten
  • Rogers
  • Saadiq
  • Jake and the Phatman[a]
  • Wooten[a]
 3:24
12. "Rolling Through the Hood"  
  • Williams
  • Hugo
The Neptunes 4:45
13. "Stick Up"  
Blackmon 3:51
14. "Marathon"  
  • Saadiq
  • Standridge
  • Ozuna
  • Wooten
  • Rogers
  • Saadiq
  • Jake and the Phatman[a]
  • Wooten[a]
 4:35
Notes
Sampling credits

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Tasty.[35]

  • Kelis – vocals, executive producer
  • Vincent Alexander – recording (track 8)
  • André 3000 – drums, keyboards, production, programming, rap (track 8)
  • Greg "Ruckus" Andrews – DJ (tracks 2, 4)
  • Chris Athens – mastering
  • Dallas Austin – arrangement, production (tracks 2, 4)
  • Daniel Betancourt – recording assistance (tracks 3, 10)
  • Dame Blackmon "Grease" – production (track 13)
  • Warren Bletcher – recording assistance (track 8)
  • Gerry Brown – recording (tracks 9, 11, 14)
  • Andrew "Drew" Coleman – recording (tracks 3, 6, 7, 10, 12)
  • Regina Davenport – production coordinator (track 8)
  • Kevin "KD" Davis – mixing (tracks 2, 4)
  • Andrew Dawson – mixing assistance (track 8)
  • Martha Georghiou – legal representation
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing (track 6)
  • Cesar Guevara – recording assistance (tracks 2, 4)
  • Doug Harms – recording assistance (tracks 2, 8)
  • Jake and the Phatman – co-production (tracks 9, 11, 14); drums (tracks 9, 11); percussion, scratches (track 11); drum programming (track 14)
  • Indrani – photography
  • Kevin Kendricks – keyboards, piano (track 8)
  • Markus Klinko – photography
  • Mike Koch – recording (track 5)
  • Marcus Logan – marketing
  • Carlton Lynn – recording (tracks 2, 8)
  • James Majors – recording (track 8)
  • Joe Mama-Nitzberg – creative direction
  • Glen Marchese – mixing, recording (track 13)
  • Rene McLean – management
  • Kenneth Meiselas – legal representation
  • Nas – rap (track 5)
  • The Neptunes – production (tracks 3, 6, 7, 10, 12)
  • Tim Olmstead – mixing assistance (track 3)
  • Dave Pensado – mixing (track 5)
  • Lylette Pizarro – management
  • Nicole Plantin – A&R coordinator
  • Tony Reyes – backing vocals, guitar (track 2)
  • Geoffrey Rice – mixing assistance (track 13)
  • Rockwilder – production (track 5)
  • Daniel Romero – mixing (tracks 9, 11, 14)
  • Raphael Saadiq – guitar, production (tracks 9, 11, 14); vocals (tracks 9, 11); bass (tracks 9, 14)
  • Jeffrey Schulz – artwork, layout
  • Anette Sharvit – production coordinator (tracks 11, 14)
  • Rick Sheppard – recording (tracks 2, 4)
  • Dexter Simmons – mixing (track 8)
  • Matthew Still – recording (track 8)
  • Phil Tan – mixing (tracks 3, 7, 10, 12)
  • John Tanksley – mixing assistance, recording (tracks 9, 11, 14); recording assistance (track 14)
  • Pat "Pat 'Em Down" Viala – recording (track 7)
  • Barbara Wesotski – A&R administrator
  • Kelvin Wooten – co-production, keyboards (tracks 9, 11, 14); piano, sitar (track 9); bass, guitar (track 11)

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2003–04) Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart[36] 41
Australian Urban Albums Chart[37] 5
Austrian Albums Chart[38] 20
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[39] 35
Danish Albums Chart[40] 15
Dutch Albums Chart[41] 16
French Albums Chart[42] 60
German Albums Chart[43] 51
Irish Albums Chart[44] 15
Italian Albums Chart[45] 43
Japanese Albums Chart[46] 42
New Zealand Albums Chart[47] 48
Norwegian Albums Chart[48] 19
Scottish Albums Chart[49] 16
Swedish Albums Chart[50] 48
Swiss Albums Chart[51] 14
UK Albums Chart[30] 11
UK R&B Albums Chart[52] 2
US Billboard 200[53] 27
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[54] 7

Year-end charts

Chart (2004) Peak
position
Australian Urban Albums Chart[55] 18
Dutch Albums Chart[56] 55
UK Albums Chart[57] 53
US Billboard 200[58] 161
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[59] 40

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[60] Gold 35,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[32] Platinum 476,034[33]
United States (RIAA)[28] Gold 535,000[4]

^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history

Region Date Label Ref.
Germany December 5, 2003 EMI [61]
United Kingdom December 8, 2003 Virgin [62]
United States December 9, 2003
[63]
Netherlands EMI [64]
Italy January 9, 2004 [65]
Japan January 16, 2004 [34]
Australia February 2, 2004 [66]
Sweden February 11, 2004 [67]
Canada February 17, 2004 [68]

References

  1. ↑ "Milkshake: Kelis: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. Retrieved September 28, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Kelis – Chart history: The Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America. October 25, 2004. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Mariel, Concepcion (October 29, 2007). "Exclusive: Kelis Signs To will.i.am Music Group/Interscope". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 4, 2008.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Discography Kelis". irish-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Kelis". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Kelis – Milkshake" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  8. ↑ "2004 Grammy Winners". MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Trick Me by Kelis". 7digital (UK). Retrieved November 2, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Kelis – Trick Me" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Millionaire [2 Track CD]". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Kelis feat. André 3000 – Millionaire" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  13. ↑ "In Public". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Reviews for Tasty by Kelis". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Kellman, Andy. "Tasty – Kelis". AllMusic. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Patel, Joseph (December 9, 2003). "Tasty – Kelis". Blender. Alpha Media Group. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Drumming, Neil (December 12, 2003). "Tasty Review". Entertainment Weekly. Time. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Lynskey, Dorian (December 5, 2003). "Kelis, Tasty". The Guardian. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "Album: Kelis". The Independent. January 9, 2004. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Naylor, Tony (January 23, 2004). "Kelis : Tasty". NME. IPC Media. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Plagenhoef, Scott (January 5, 2004). "Kelis: Tasty". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Hardy, Ernest (January 6, 2004). "Kelis: Tasty". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on June 9, 2008. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Cinquemani, Sal (December 6, 2003). "Kelis: Tasty". Slant Magazine. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Webb, Adam (December 12, 2003). "Kelis – 'Tasty'". Yahoo! Music. Archived from the original on July 4, 2008. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
  25. ↑ Jones, Steve (December 8, 2003). "Musiq's 'Soulstar' shines; Setzer's 'Daddy' is all grown up". USA Today. Gannett Company. Retrieved January 21, 2013.
  26. ↑ Martens, Todd (December 17, 2003). "Studdard Takes 'Soulful' To No. 1". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  27. ↑ Hasty, Katie (August 30, 2006). "Danity Kane Sidesteps OutKast To Claim No. 1". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 "American album certifications – Kelis – Tasty". Recording Industry Association of America. February 6, 2004. Retrieved October 20, 2014. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
  29. ↑ "Michelle holds on to second week at No.1". Music Week. Intent Media. January 19, 2004. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. January 25 – January 31, 2014. Retrieved March 1, 2015. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. ↑ "Kelis" (SELECT "ALBUMS" TAB). Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 "British album certifications – Kelis – Tasty". British Phonographic Industry. October 22, 2004. Retrieved October 25, 2014. Enter Tasty in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Jones, Alan (April 28, 2014). "Official Charts Analysis: Paolo Nutini retains No.1 album slot with 52k sales". Music Week. Intent Media. Retrieved October 20, 2014. (subscription required)
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 テイスティ [Tasty] (in Japanese). EMI Music Japan. Archived from the original on March 18, 2009. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  35. ↑ Tasty (CD liner notes). Kelis. Arista Records. 2003. 82876-52210-2.
  36. ↑ "Kelis – Tasty". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  37. ↑ "ARIA Urban Albums Chart – Week Commencing 9th February 2004" (PDF). ARIA Charts. Pandora Archive. p. 15. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  38. ↑ "Kelis – Tasty" (in German). austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  39. ↑ "Kelis – Tasty" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  40. ↑ "Kelis – Tasty". danishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  41. ↑ "Kelis – Tasty" (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  42. ↑ "Kelis – Tasty" (in French). lescharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  43. ↑ "Kelis | Longplay-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Musicline.de. PHONONET. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  44. ↑ "Top 75 Artist Album, Week Ending 27 May 2004". Chart-Track. Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  45. ↑ "Kelis – Tasty". italiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  46. ↑ テイスティ/ケリス [Tasty / Kelis] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  47. ↑ "Kelis – Tasty". charts.org.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  48. ↑ "Kelis – Tasty". norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  49. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. January 25 – January 31, 2014. Retrieved April 23, 2015. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  50. ↑ "Kelis – Tasty". swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  51. ↑ "Kelis – Tasty". swisscharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  52. ↑ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. October 3–9, 2004. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  53. ↑ "Kelis – Chart history: Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  54. ↑ "Kelis – Chart history: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  55. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Urban Albums 2004". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  56. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 2004" (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  57. ↑ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2004". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  58. ↑ "2004 Year End Charts: Top Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. December 25, 2004. Archived from the original on May 5, 2010. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  59. ↑ "2004 Year End Charts: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. December 25, 2004. Archived from the original on September 30, 2012. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  60. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2004 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  61. ↑ "Tasty" (in German). Amazon.de. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  62. ↑ "Kelis: Tasty". HMV. Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  63. ↑ "Tasty". Amazon.com. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  64. ↑ "Tasty, Kelis" (in Dutch). bol.com. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  65. ↑ "Kelis – Tasty" (in Italian). Internet Bookshop Italia. Archived from the original on April 7, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  66. ↑ "Kelis – Discography". musichead. EMI Music Australia. Archived from the original on September 23, 2006. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  67. ↑ "Tasty – Kelis" (in Swedish). CDON.se. Archived from the original on March 14, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  68. ↑ "Tasty by Kelis". HMV Canada. Retrieved December 4, 2010.

External links