The Solution (Beanie Sigel album)

The Solution
Studio album by Beanie Sigel
Released December 11, 2007 (U.S.)
Recorded 2006-2007
Genre Hip hop
Length 50:20
Label Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
Producer Beanie Sigel (exec.), The Carter Administration (exec.), Sherman & Mark Byers (exec.), Dre & Vidal (co-exec.), Chad West, Cool & Dre, Dame Grease, Eric Hudson, Reefa, Rockwilder, The Runners
Beanie Sigel chronology
The B. Coming
(2005)		 The Solution
(2007)		 The Broad Street Bully
(2009)
Singles from The Solution
  1. "All the Above"
    Released: October 29, 2007

The Solution is the fourth studio album by rapper Beanie Sigel. It was released on December 11, 2007.[1] The album features production from Dre & Vidal, Reefa, and The Runners, among others. Guest appearances include Jay-Z, Ozzy Osbourne, R. Kelly, Ghostface Killah, and other notable musicians.[2] the album gained a metacritic score of 72 out of 100 based on 10 reviews.[3]

Background

The Solution is Sigel's first album after re-signing with Roc-A-Fella Records.[4] After his 2005 album, The B. Coming, he took a one-year hiatus from music and returned to recording in 2006.[5] Speaking on the album Beanie Sigel said :[5]

I’m an emotional guy, in a good sense. A lot of people say [my music is] depressing, but I say its reality. At that time it was cool because I was at a depressing stage in my life with my legal issues and everything. I had a lot of songs that I felt needed to be out there. It was more conscious than depressing. But this album is just me listening to what’s out there and trying to go far left, away from what’s going on. It’s me making that hard music. This is just life experiences and things that I go through. I just try to put out good, relevant music. Not to knock what anybody else is doing, but a lot of that music don’t be relevant to any type of situation.

Music

Guests

R. Kelly is featured on the first single "All the Above",[6] while rapper Styles P is featured on "U Ain't Ready 4 Me".[2] Jay-Z makes an appearance on the track "Gutted",[2] while Diddy, Ghostface Killah, and Peedi Crakk hook up with Beanie on "Shake It For Me".[2] Scarface is also featured on the song "Rain (Bridge)" with R&B artist Raheem DeVaughn, who also appears on "Prayer".[2] Beanie Sigel jumps into unfamiliar territory by featuring an Ozzy Osbourne sample on the track "The Day" and a James Blunt sample on "Dear Self (Can I Talk To You)".[2]

Production

Production originally included producers like Scott Storch and Sha Money XL,[7] but those tracks were cut for songs produced by Eric Hudson and Chad West.[2] Production team Dre & Vidal produce Five of the Thirteen tracks on the album with help from up and coming Dirty Harry and Don Cheegro (Harry and Alex) and The Runners produce the lead single "All the Above". Reefa produces two tracks including "Gutted" featuring Jay-Z.[2] Cool and Dre and Dame Grease each produced one track each.[2] Notably absent from The Solution is primary artist and producer Kanye West.

Track listing

No. TitleProducer(s) Length
1. "All the Above" (featuring R. Kelly)The Runners, Kevin Cossom 4:14
2. "'Bout That (Let Me Know)"  Cool & Dre 3:31
3. "U Ain't Ready 4 Me" (featuring Styles P)Dame Grease 3:18
4. "Go Low" (featuring Rock City)Eric Hudson 4:30
5. "Gutted" (featuring Jay-Z)Reefa 4:07
6. "Shake It for Me" (featuring Diddy, Peedi Crakk and Ghostface Killah)Rockwilder 3:33
7. "I'm In"  Chad "Wes" Hamilton 3:12
8. "H.H.E.H."  Don Cheegro, Dirty Harry, Boola (co.) 3:57
9. "What They Gonna Say to Me"  Dre & Vidal 3:43
10. "The Day"  Dre & Vidal, Don Cheegro, Dirty Harry (co.) 3:35
11. "Rain (Bridge)" (featuring Raheem DeVaughn and Scarface)Reefa 5:37
12. "Dear Self (Can I Talk to You)" (featuring James Blunt)Dre & Vidal 3:18
13. "Prayer" (featuring Raheem DeVaughn)Dre & Vidal 3:45
Total length:
 50:20

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic72/100
Review scores
SourceRating
AllHipHop [8]
Allmusic [9]
Amazon [10]
CD Universe(4.1/5) [11]
DJBooth [12]
HipHopDX [13]
iTunes (83 User Ratings) [14]
Okayplayer [15]
PopMatters [16]
RapReviews [17]
Slant [18]
Pitchfork Media(6.1/10) [19]
USA Today [20]

The Solution received generally positive and exceptional ratings after its release. As CD Universe puts it, Beanie "hit the ground running" with this album.[21] As iTunes' review points out, however, "The Solution displays a lyrical mastermind who nonetheless faces an identity crisis when it comes to marketing himself. The album jumps from radio crossovers (“All of the Above”) to concrete body slams (“U Ain’t Ready for Me”) to party songs (“Shake It For Me”)." The album's message failed to maintain itself to its title, and made various direction changes in its delivery, going between very conflicting topics.[22] But As Chris Gaerig praises, "What Beanie Sigel lacks in sheer marketability he makes up for with a vicious flow and an ingenuity rarely seen from an artist of his caliber."[23] The album's composition and featured vocals comes together to make up for the lack of message and consistency; Tracks like "The Day", "Gutted", and "All the Above" stand out perfectly in the album, while adding an upbeat, surreal sound and inspiring lyrics.

Charting

Chart (2007) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard 200 37

References

  1. ↑ Beanie Sigel Drops The Solution on December 11 XXL. (October 23, 2007). Accessed November 21, 2007.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 William E. Ketchum III (November 21, 2007). Beanie Sigel Talks Album, Tracklist. HipHopDX. Accessed November 21, 2007.
  3. ↑ "The Solution Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More". Metacritic. 2007-12-11. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  4. ↑ Shake (May 22, 2007). Beanie Sigel Backs Jay-Z, Still With Rocafella HipHopDX. Accessed November 21, 2007.
  5. 1 2 Bill Heinzelman (April 23, 2007). Beanie Sigel Streets On Lock XXL. Accessed November 21, 2007.
  6. ↑ Andres Tardio (August 9, 2007). Beanie Sigel Recruites R. Kelly for New Album. HipHopDX. Accessed November 21, 2007.
  7. ↑ Beanie Sigel The Solution Preview XXL. (April 23, 2007). Accessed November 21, 2007.
  8. ↑ Mark Bozzer (2007-12-02). "Beanie Sigel: The Solution". AllHipHop.com. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  9. ↑ "The Solution - Beanie Sigel : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. 2007-12-11. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  10. ↑ "The Solution: Beanie Sigel: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  11. ↑ "Beanie Sigel - Solution CD Album". Cduniverse.com. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  12. ↑ "Beanie Sigel - The Solution - Hip Hop Album Review". Djbooth.net. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  13. ↑ Udoh, Meka (2007-12-18). "Beanie Sigel - The Solution | Read Hip Hop Reviews, Rap Reviews & Hip Hop Album Reviews". HipHop DX. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  14. ↑ "iTunes - Music - The Solution (Bonus Track Version) by Beanie Sigel". Itunes.apple.com. 2007-12-11. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  15. ↑ Archived February 25, 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ↑ Gaerig, Chris. "Beanie Sigel: The Solution < PopMatters". Popmatters.com. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  17. ↑ "Beanie Sigel :: The Solution :: Roc-A-Fella Records". Rapreviews.com. 2007-12-18. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  18. ↑ The Solution at Slant
  19. ↑ "Beanie Sigel: The Solution | Album Reviews". Pitchfork. 2007-12-07. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  20. ↑ Archived July 18, 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ↑ "Beanie Sigel - Solution CD Album". Cduniverse.com. 2012-04-06. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  22. ↑ iTunes Store - Review for The Solution (Bonus Track Version). Accessed December 30, 2011.
  23. ↑ 2007 PopMatters - Review for The Solution. Accessed December 30, 2011.
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