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Chris Brown’s new ‘Graffiti’ reminiscent of MJ, Prince

 On December 8, 2009, Chris Brown released the much anticipated album, Graffiti. This album debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200 and at number one on Billboard Top R&B Chart. The album has received very mixed responses from critics and fans.
 “It’s a good CD,” said sophomore Brandon Menner.
The album itself is a mix of slow ballads and poppy tunes that hearken back to earlier pop.
 “I wanted to change it up and really be different. Like my style nowadays, I don’t try to be typical urban. I want to be like how Prince and Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder were. They can cross over to any genre of music,” said Brown in a press release.
The album’s first single, “I Can Transform Ya,” featuring Lil Wayne and Swizz Beats, debuted at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. This song is a hip-hop song with a very mechanical-sounding beat, inspired by the Transformers franchise. The second single, “Crawl,” was released October 21, 2009. The song peaked at number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Many fans view the album as a tribute to Rihanna, as songs like “Crawl,” “I.Y.A,” and “I’ll Go,” expressing sorrow and remorse for failed relationships. Sharde Bradham, sophomore Psychology and Education major said, “My favorite song off the CD is ‘Crawl,’ because I can relate to it. The album is a pretty good one for his return, however I don’t feel it is a cohesive album as in the sense of telling a story.”
Other songs, like the sexy and sultry songs, “Sing Like Me” and “Take My Time,” featuring Tank, express Brown’s more grown-up side. Graffiti features hot collaborations, including “Pass Out,” an electro-pop song featuring the Dutch pop singer Eva Simons, and the fiery song “Wait,” with an appearance by R&B superstar Trey Songz and rapper The Game.
The song “Lucky Me” is directed toward Brown’s fans. Brown sings, “I gotta pose for the cameras / Even when my world’s falling down / I still wear a smile / Lucky me / Even though / I’m so damaged / I gotta pick myself up and perform for the crowd / Lucky me.”
The most controversial song on the album, “Famous Girl,” is about the relationship between Brown and Rihanna, with the lyrics “Sorry B I don’t wear no ‘Halo’ / You were first to play the game though / Sorry I ‘Bust The Windows’ out your car / I might have cheated in the beginning / I was wrong for writing ‘Disturbia’ / But I meant it in ‘Forever.’”
“My favorite song is ‘Famous Girl.’ The CD is overall is good even though I feel as if he is talking about Rihanna in every song,” said Sasha Sanders, sophomore early childhood education major.
 Graffiti overall gets 4 out of 5 stars for the great songwriting and storytelling. I recommend anyone who loves the sounds of Michael Jackson and Prince to get this trailblazing album from Chris Brown.

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