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Last Train to Paris | Part I | The Torree Diary

Diddy-Dirty Money consists of Making the Band’s Dawn Richard, Kaleena Harper & Diddy. In an interview with Billboard, Dawn let it be known that even though the trio was on to something “brilliant and iconic” the world still saw and treated her and Kaleena like “background singers”. After much research, I gather that the energy about the group’s ignition and dismantlement varies amongst the former members. During an interview with VladTV, Kaleena explained how she came to be a part of the trio originally. She had an eight-month-old baby when the group joined forces circa 2008 and she was a budding recording artist trying to land her big break. Dawn Richard, on the other hand, was recovering from the blow of her girl group, Dainty Kane [created by Diddy per the “Making the Band” reality tv-show], breaking up when Diddy asked her to write, produce and star in Diddy-Dirty Money. After essentially four years of touring, following the success of the trio’s only album Last Train to Paris, Diddy went to act and produce again, Dawn began focusing on her now wildly successful solo career and per her interview with VladTV in 2015, Kaleena focused on family life while using the gems dropped by Diddy and the whole experience of DDM to create a lane for herself in the songwriting game.

All in all, Diddy showed his genius-level alignment skills when it comes to music and all it encompasses when he came up with the concept for the group/album and who would accompany him on the journey that was DDM. They produced a cult classic of an album and here we will dive deep and analyze the nuances of Last Train to Paris and what it meant and did for the culture of hip hop and R&B forever.

Intro: Our preface into this futuristic cosmo, the album’s introduction track is sporadic and laced with what sounds like alien noises that transition into a rhythmic hip hop beat. You can also hear women’s voices dancing in the background. Getting into the lyrics of the track, our narrator is beginning to express “Sometimes you can meet somebody and they could just take your soul”. He seems scorned yet accepting, saying “That’s just the way it is sometimes”.

The track is written and produced by Guy Gerber, an Israeli disc jockey. He [..blends the worlds of melancholy and euphoria so effortless], which perfectly coincides with the subject matter of this first track. This lays the groundwork for more romantic-centered contradictions and the alluring sounds that accompany them.

Ass On The Floor (feat Swizz Beatz): The jarring, drumline-esque percussion is the base in the layering of the Ass On The Floor beast. It is built up with a combination of hi-hat and snare which gives this 15-sec crescendo that is reminiscent of techno. Without warning or transition, the beat suddenly switches over to a synthesizer sound that is melo in comparison to its predecessor. Coupled with the lyrics, the beat helps tell a very clear story.

Have you ever been at the club, clearly heartbroken, but you’re determined to drink and dance your sorrows away? This is track 2 summed up into one sentence. The lyrics of “When you in the club get your ass on the floor”, “And you’re drunker than a motherfucker”, “Try to find your way back to the love, you motherfucker” and “I would’ve gave my last breath, Now you can’t breathe without me” are very much telling of the subject matter. The narrators are clearly experiencing a tough breakup and are struggling to overcome the emotions that come with that trauma. The way the beat slows down and speeds up over certain lyrics jogs memories in my mind of when I’ve been out enjoying myself and all of a sudden everything slows down in my mind and I have that thought I had been trying to avoid and then whoosh, I’m brought back to reality. Our narrators are definitely setting the tone of the album to be a decade-defying breakup joint

Dubbed a legendary producer in the game, Swizz Beatz is known for his ear-catching sound. At this point, you should be able to identify his beats off sound alone. Outside of his distinct drum patterns, Swizz is also known for not being afraid to take collaboration to the next level. Here, he lends his voice as an instrument and can be heard on the chorus and hook.

Yeah Yeah You Would (feat Grace Jones): Track 3 is furthering the newfound theme of Last Train to Paris. It is giving us more of the “star-crossed lovers whose stars are not aligned after all” vibes. The title is repeated 18 times, with the single word “would” being used upwards of 20 times and the word “could” thrown in the mix for nuance. All of that is a clear directive of the narrator being lovesick and reminiscing on what would’ve or could’ve been. The beat almost pump fakes at the beginning with this melodramatic slow vibe used to allow Swizz Beatz to make the song’s introduction. Then it transports you back to the album’s setting of the club. It has high energy and uses instruments in ways I have never heard before. I can only describe it as brain-melting hardcore neo-hip hop.

Floyd “Danja” Hills produced this electrifying track. His style calls to mind the likes of production powerhouse, Timbaland. It comes to no surprise that the Virginia Beach native’s career breakout moments come from being under the hand of Timbo. After jumpstarting his profession in such a major way, he went on to produce mega tracks like “Gimme More” by Britney Spears, “We Taking Over” and later “Shining” by DJ Khaled, and “My Love” by Justin Timberlake. Danja is not shy about putting everything he has into a beat and it shows proof again with Yeah Yeah You Would.

Hate You Now: Skipping ahead to the sixth track in the lineup we have Hate You Now. In verse one we hear Kaleena’s voice loud and clear for the first time on the album. Her sound, while extremely similar to Dawn’s, has a rich and deep tone that allows her to bring a grit to this track that suits it well. The track stays with the contradictory love spell theme with lyrics like “Don’t go, don’t go Don’t want you, I hate you”. In verse two Dawn comes in subtle but with just as much power towards the end to give this very serious vibe not just with the lyrics but with the volume of her voice too. Nestled in between the verses there’s Diddy with this smooth four-bar rap that basically sums up the reason for all the back and forth with the theme of loving and not knowing how to let go. “My mama told never cry, She never told me to say bye, I cannot let you go I tried, I hate you girl, you know I lie”.

I wanted to include this song in particular because it’s the first time on the album where each member of Dirty Money gets to shine. Free of distracting background music and/or vocals, Kaleena, Dawn, and Diddy sound like a unit here. It is refreshing and it eloquently transitions us into the second half of Last Train to Paris. This is where the fun really begins.

Honorable mentions go to Rico Love, a 2x Grammy Award-winning songwriter, who co-wrote this Yeah Yeah You Would along with Aasim aka Leroy Watson. Watson has been signed to Bad Boy for almost 20 years and has written and currently music for hit Starz show Power Book III: Raising Kanan and ABC’s Queens. Additional vocals were supplied by none other than James Fauntleroy, 2x Grammy winner, and Rocnation signee.

R&B frontrunner, Victoria Monet, co-wrote I Hate That You Love Me along with Darkchild, the late Lashawn Daniels, Diddy, and Latoya Duggan.

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Accompanied by a twelve minute long visual on Youtube, Summer Walker released a surprise EP entitled Clear. What struck me to share my thoughts on the project firstly was the fact that it was recorded all live. In the digital age I literally grew up in, such a thing is unheard of nowadays. Technology has advanced in a way that producers and engineers can take a couple programmed oos and ahhhs and create an entire song from it, without anyone ever picking up a microphone. So the fact that Summer took a simple yet powerful approach to her EP is greatly appreciated by a music purist such as myself. You cannot hide behind synthesizers and pitch correctors with a live fed mic.

Riot

“For my love, I need a riot”. With ample control of her voice, Summer explains to her lover that she needs their love to be a riot. From what I gathered, she doesn't mean confusion or violence as the title suggests but fire and spontaneity. This gem is under two minutes long and its lyrics are so powerful and ring true for many. Who wants a love that is without passion? Not I.

Grave

The only uptempo song on the EP comes with gusto. She is not taking any shit from anybody and is unapologetic about it. If you must tell her anything she does not want to hear Walker tells you to put the nonsense on her grave. I believe the story is truly told on the break down of the song. Her live band takes you to another place without the use of words just a few scats. And just like that, the song comes to an end.

Wasted

“Wanna get wasted off you”. Summer Walker uses the metaphor of getting drunk to describe the feelings of her lover. They have an effect on her as an unhealthy addiction. Feeling the burn of their love hit her throat as she consumes more than necessary or even safe.

Settling

‘I can't live with you, but I can't live without you”. Something we all grew up hearing we shouldn't do, settle for less than what we deserve. But as they say, when that love jones comes down on you it can be a MFer. Summer is clearly in love but knows she could do better. The bass guitar is the catalyst of the record. The low sounds of the instrument compliment the low tones of the vocals. To add to the drama of this track there is a sudden pause towards the middle of the song makes you think it is all over quickly picking back up where it left off. This reminded me of the uncertainty of love. One second everything is copacetic the next there is a jarring pause of fear then it subsides to a low hallow feeling.

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God Bless Them 20 Somethings | Ctrl | SZA

This monumental debut album by SZA has thoroughly secured my relationship with music. I now know how my mom felt in ‘98 when The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill graced the airwaves. There is no other album to date, by a young artist made in the 21st century that I have connected with as much as CTRL. There are moments on the album where SZA’s mother and grandmother are giving advice on the various topics the album presents. The first voice heard on CTRL is Mommy, as her daughter refers to her, saying the following kicking off the album : 

“ That is my greatest fear That if, if I lost control Or did not have control, things would just, you know I would be… fatal “

 Tiffany Torree’s Picks

| Supermodel |

 This track was produced and written in part by Pharrell Williams who also lends his voice for the whispers in the outro of the song. Solans reveals in the song that, as a result of her boyfriend not being with her on Valentine’s Day (and a host of other reasons), she has been sleeping with one of his friends behind his back. There is a line in “Supermodel” where she says, “You know I need too much attention for shit like”. I appreciated this lyric and other lyrics throughout the album for its raw emotion and plain language. As a young woman, daying in the digital can quite frankly trash. Everyone’s worried about a fantasy world made up of algorithms online instead of the physical bleeding breathing person in front of them let alone the people they are in a relationship with. 

 Another line I resonated with on this particular track is as follows: “Wish I was comfortable just with myself”. I agree with her on this one. Why is it so hard for people to be alone? In the past I struggled to come to terms with being single, feeling like I was less than for not having someone to claim me as theirs. It is perfectly normal to just be getting to know yourself without the added pressure of palming someone else's happiness. You should know yourself wholeheartedly before entering a connection with another as to not lose yourself in the other person when things don't work out. 

 Lastly, the lyric,” I get so lonely I forget what I'm worth, We get so lonely we pretend that its worst…...lonely enough to let you treat me like this”, is basically saying that she’ll get so lonely that she temporarily forget how she is supposed to be treated by a significant other. Then, she says that the loneliness gets to the point where she convinces herself it feels like the toxic relationship would be better. 

The electric guitar strums compliment the dark quality of the song. In the last 30 seconds of the song, SZA repeats the same line but it is met with drums in front of the guitar making the audience feel her words even more than the times previously saying the same thing. 

 | Garden (Say it Like Dat) |  

Solana’s love language is her man telling her that her butt is getting bigger even it doesn’t appear to be so. She expressed her insecurity of not being shapely like other women. Granny comes in the outro with a warning to her granddaughter telling her to “stand her ground”. The inspiration for “Gardens (Say it Like Dat)” was her desire to write a song for “[her] new self, writing to [her] old self to the someone [her] old self needed”.  

| Wavy(Interlude) featuring James Fauntleroy |

Interludes always seem to make it into my top picks on album reviews. I think its the aspect of leaving me yearning for more makes me appreciate the song that much more. The opening line is as follows: “I think I’m bad as hell, I got issues out of line”. Solana is playing off the term “bad as hell”, meaning a hot woman, to throw off the listener from the coming lyrics “I got issues out of line”. 

The following is an excerpt from Genius.com, annotating the lyrics,

 “I was wavy I've been waitin' for you, boy And I was drownin'” 

: An allusion to the 1953 poem, “Not Waving but Drowning” by Stevie Smith. The poem is about a man that from the shore appears to be waving at the people on the beach, but in reality, he is drowning. The first stanza goes: Nobody heard him, the dead man, But still he lay moaning: I was much further out than you thought And not waving but drowning SZA and James Fauntleroy may appear to be having a good time in their relationships, but in reality, they are crying out for help. (Genius.com)

| 20 Something |

This is my ultimate favorite song on Ctrl. When I first heard “20 Something” I cried like a baby because I felt such a deep connection to the lyrics. I can remember driving up I10 in Houston, at night and blasting the album but when this song would come on I'd be so distraught that I needed to pull over. It was 2017 and the album had just dropped and I was dumbfounded at how well she could compute emotions I didn't know I had.”How could it be 20 something, all alone still not a thing in my name”. Your twenties are a time where you have fun, they say. You're supposed to be exploring different types of people and be traveling, they say. But in reality, you end up being treated like a child but expected to take care of responsibilities. You're broke and so disassociated that we can't even do whats so say expected of us.

“But God bless these 20 somethings

 (God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh) 

Hopin' my 20 somethings won't end Hopin' to keep the rest of my friends 

Prayin' the 20 somethings don't kill me, kill me”

Happy 2nd Birthday Ctrl !

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This album brings back so many memories of middle school and it is what initially triggered my quest to discover my own taste in music, in hindsight I was already pretty eclectic thanks to my mom exposing me to a vast range of music. This would've been around the time my peers started to heavily influence what I listened to and ultimately liked. If it wasn't Paramore it was Nicki Minaj that flooded my mp3 player.

It was my 14th birthday party and all my best friends were in attendance. The year is 2009 and neon colors were the standard in party decorations and the ensembles of every tween/teen during that time. It was a colorful mess. This was my first big sleepover with multiple friends from school and we had a blast. Towards the end of the night, we started opening my gifts. The one that holds the most weight to this day as my favorite gift of all time was from who was dubbed my best friend of the year, Katie, who had gotten me what looked to be a plain blue 3-ring binder. I remember it being hella inconspicuous because the cover wasn’t done up or anything and it was slim. From the outside, it didn’t look like much was to it. As I opened to the first of many magical pages I saw the cover of the new Paramore album and a couple of other scrapbook frills surrounding it, all matching the aesthetic of the Brand New Eyes cover. Every page after that had a song title and handwritten lyrics to each song on the album. The very back housed a burnt CD copy of the album. Katie outdid herself with such a thoughtful gift. I remember being excited and grateful. Reflecting on the past... I’m even more appreciative because we were kids and yet she had the wherewithal to not only put me on to good music but to do it in such a way that it has had a significant impact all these years later. To give it some perspective, I recently looked to see when the album dropped and it was two days before my birthday!

The album as a whole plays as a backdrop to my adolescence but certain songs stand out in my mind more than others. Ignorance was the first one to hold my attention when I did my first flip-through of the songs. Heavy drums and electric guitar spoke to my emo soul immediately. Brick by Boring Brick gives that same hi-kick as Misery Business. One of my favorites because of the writing and arrangement. Paramore’s signature sound. The Only Exception is another example of exceptional writing by Hayley Williams and bandmate, Josh Farro. This song had merch and was a widely successful single. Misguided Ghosts is another track that had me in a chokehold from the very first listen. So much so, that I sang this one in a Talented Music audition to get into my alma mater McKinley Senior High. I wrote about the experience back in 2017 check it out below.

age/sex/location | album review

Coming off the heels of her critically acclaimed debut album, Shea Butter Baby, Ari Lennox is busting our musical minds yet again with A/S/L ( age/sex/location), the popular acronym coined by users of popular instant messaging services such as, Quantum later renamed AOL. In the early 90s, with the new boom of the internet, instant messaging was all the rage due to it being the first time many users would communicate with people outside of their immediate vicinity and in an instant at that. So of course to get the logistics out the way before engaging in further conversation most users would begin these conversations with the question of ASL. Lennox uses it here as an invitation into the world which she describes as “before the self-work/discovery begins”. She takes the listener on a journey through dating apps and booty calls, among other things.

As an album in its entirety, it's very reminiscent of classic 90s R&B with hints of early 2000s neo-soul with an undertone of 70s soul which is apparent by the use of 70s samples laced throughout almost half the album. Very sultry, smooth, and easygoing. A/S/L features some key players in the current R&B game such as newcomers Lucky Daye and Chloe, alongside introverted but vocal powerhouse Summer Walker. On the initial listen, quite a few tracks stuck out like shining stars to me, but none quite like the intro song POF, and outro Queen Space, which perfectly sums up the whole project. She takes the audience through a journey between these two tracks that is all too relatable for 21st-century love-seekers. With that being said there were also tracks that I liked in the context of the album as a whole and only one I did not care for as it relates to the flow of the album.

POF: Words and their placements, to me, always mean things as it relates to art. This is especially true when it comes to songwriting. Lennox does not hold back with POF. The opening lines being

“Destined for greatness" is always what my mama said

Young black woman approachin' thirty with no lover in my bed

Cannot settle, I got standards, NASCAR racin' in my head”, to unpack this line for line, I’d say that Lennox knows her worth and it’s evident based on the first line as she reminisces on what her mother has “always'' sewn into her, that she is destined for greatness, this lays the groundwork for her knowing her worth and not settling. This shows to be true in the next line of her being a young black woman coming into womanhood of being in her 30s and subsequently having standards that are in constant thought as the hyperbole insinuates. The mention of her being a young BLACK woman does not go unnoticed here, as the track’s name is that of a popular dating app where it is common knowledge that black women and Asian men are the least sought after, which can be a direct result of why she lets the listener know that despite this fact she has standards and they are at the forefront of her mind. The track is laced with the nuances of online dating woes such as catfishing, the act of pretending to be someone you aren’t to secure more potential prospects or suitors than if they presented as their true selves. In POF, Lennox mentions what she refers to as hat-fishin’ and questions why the suitor does not have any pictures on their profile without a hat, alluding to the withholding of potential prevalent balding. Also, there is mention of a suitor referencing religion, which Lennox sees as a wack way of being fake-deep or as a way to grab some sense of vulnerability followed by the ask of sex, this is just a grimy way of going about things.

Pressure: A/S/L’ s first single to be released. In my humble opinion, Pressure is not as equally yolked with the rest of the album. It sounds the most manufactured of the rest. It sticks out like a sore thumb, especially when the rest of the album feels so authentic.

Mean Mug: Ari is giving us a very jazzy and mellow vibe to segway into the second half of the project. There are touches of blues embedded which remind her of previous works, mostly Chicago Boy from her 2019 debut album Shea Butter Baby.

Boy Bye: According to Ari Lennox, this melodic and comical track was recorded in a way that has become unconventional in this digital/virtual age of music. Lennox and fellow R&B rising star Lucky Daye recorded this in the studio together. They got the opportunity to collaborate in the truest sense of the word. They were able to give the listener a peek into how things were done back in the day and this made for a track very reminiscent of Marvin and Tammy with how their adlibs were tailored to the magic they were creating at the moment.

Blocking You: on the surface its a song about blocking someone, presumeablly an ex who she doesnt want them to see her socials or be able to reach her in this moment in time. But the longer the song goes, the deeper and wider the range of people and emotions gets. She is not only blocking out people such as “ haters, family, neighbors, police and exes”, but shes also blocking out “labels, bill-collectors, and anxiety”. She pleas for a just a moment or just a day to herself.

Queen Space: If the intro POF leads the listener into this cesspool of what new-age dating looks like for the masses and the body of the album is the journey one goes through navigating said cesspool, then Queen Space as the title suggests is the headspace one enters after seeing what the dating pool has to offer. With help from songstress Summer Walker, Lennox lays it all out for her potential suitor. Stating empowering things such as “[her] love being a privilege”, “I deserve something purer” and the repeated demand of “don’t waste my queen space”. The title subsequently is a metaphor for her vagina as the line, “true elevation, when I let you taste”, suggests.

- Tiffany Torree