Just Quit Messin' (Nivea - Nivea)

Member Name: XICripZ

Product:	Nivea - Nivea
Date:	04/04/09 (95 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lots of big tracks

Disadvantages: A few weaker tunes

Nivea released her self-entiled debut late in 2001, and attracted much attention when she collaborated with fellow statesmens, Jagged Edge in "Don't Mess With My Man". The R&B singer, hailing form Atlanta, Georgia had also got her name up through work with the Louisiana rapper Mystikal on "Danger", and this rap influence has come through onto this release too with lots of guests.

1. "Still In Love"

To start the album off we have a big one as you hear something big as you hear Nivea starting things in an expected way with a well-sung R&B song, with progressive beats to really reflect the way that the genre went from the early 2000s. The use of samples and deep synth really adds to this, and makes it such a strong opener.

**Five Stars**

2. "Ya Ya Ya"

This one has her collaborate with then-boyfriend, Lil' Wayne. At the time he was only known as one of the Hot Boys and not at all a soloist in his own right. However with this one having been produced by R. Kelly, taking over things, you have them influence this one to fit in with what he's capable of, and it gives her a chance to do somethin a lot more urban (a change from what could pass off as Pop).

**Four Stars**

3. "Don't Mess With My Man"

This is a killer tune, and on that you really have to look out for as it has some of the best R&B singers coming together for an amazing recording, in which they come to perform about how they often have to put up with others attempting to move in on their partners, it is very well sang, and amongst the best on the album.

**Five Stars**

4. "The One For Me"

This one has her really calm things down as the production is relaxed and it gives her a chance to display just how good her voice is. Personally, although I can appreciate that it displays her talent, it isn't really engaging enough for you to want to listne to it in the way you would with other songs on the album.

**Three Stars**

5. "Laundromat"

As a Jive artist, she is given the chance to work with the very best artist on the label as she performs a song with R. Kelly. Kells does the beats too and writes the song, so he has total control of what occurs here. It is a well-constructed one in the way that you have them arguing, and working off the work of each other.

**Four Stars**

6. "You Don't Even Know"

Sampling some classic James Brown, this one has her working alongside Nick Cannon in one of his first appearances as a rapper. It is a smooth one, thanks in part to James Brown, but also due to the fact she sings in such a soulful way, and really expresses the song as it is meant to be.

**Four Stars**

7. "Run Away"

The Neptunes are behind this one, and as a results, they get Pusha T of THe Clipse to collaborate with the singer on this one, and the Virginia rapper really adds to his one as you have them using Nivea in the way that they had done with Kelis around the same time. Pharrell Willaims and Chad Hugo come up with something which was really much of the time, for them, and it made it worth a listen.

**Five Stars**

8. "Just In Case"

I didn't really feel this one as much as I had with the rest of the album, and it really had little going for it. Althogh not exactly weak, it is an unmemorable one, and isn't as original as the rest of what you get on the record. Not even the beats are that special, and it means that you quickly forget about it.

**Three Stars**

9. "No Doubt"

On this one you have her doing another low-energy tune, and personally, I thought that it was an improvement to the earlier one which took on this same sort of feel, but it still wasn't particularly unique, and just as one one prior to it, you will propbably see it as another unmemorable recording from her.

**Three Stars**

10. "Never Had A Girl Like Me"

The beats in this one are simply amazing, and they take on heavy influence from what R. Kelly was coming up with around the time. Taking all this into account, you have hear on top of something which you simply cannot go wrong with, and she really makes the most of it when singing an up-tempo one for the clubs.

**Five Stars**

11. "Have Mercy"

The beats in this one take me right back to these times when Destiny's Child had just blown up, whislt using some amazing production, and the same sort of things come through here in the way that it is constructed, and the vocals are adapted to it. The way that this one has been done has recently been revived. This one is well-written and she really seels it as a desperate one about lost love, as a result of cheating.

**Five Stars**

12. "Don't Mess with the Radio"

This was her debut single, and although I hadn't heard it until I went throug this album, I was very impressed by it, and I wish that it had received more attention over in the UK as you have her working on even more killer beats, and using her talent at singing to her advantage as she does one which expresses her individuality.

**Four Stars**

13. "25 Reason"

This one has her working on top of some experimental beats, and it really bring you into the thing, anbd makes you want the thing to work. As a result, you are forced into enjoying it for tge fact it does somthing different, and she makes it fit in with the way she comfortably sings.

**Four Stars**

I have to say that I enjoyed this album, and you shouldn't really dwell on the fact that it has a few weaker ones, which lack energy. This album is packed with big tunes, and with her vocals at the highest possible standard throughout, you can't really complain about it as it does exactly what is expected of it, and makes the most of her qualities.

Summary: Nivea's debut album