From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Graffiti (Chris Brown album)
Graffiti (Chris Brown album)
Graffiti The album debuted at number seven on the U.S. Bill-
board 200 chart, selling 102,489 copies in its first week. To
date, "Graffiti" has sold 341,000 copies in the US.[1] It be-
came his third consecutive top-ten debut in the United
States and produced three singles that achieved moder-
ate chart success. Upon its release, Graffiti received gen-
erally negative reviews from most music critics. Graffiti
was nominated for two Grammy Awards, one for Best
Contemporary R&B Album and Best R&B Performance by
a Duo or Group with Vocals for the track, "Take My Time"
featuring fellow R&B singer-songwriter Tank.
Background
In 2008, Chris Brown commenced work on his third stu-
Studio album by Chris Brown
dio album and confirmed the title, Graffiti, at the 2008
American Music Awards. It was revealed in June 2008 that
Released December 8, 2009 (2009-12-08) Brown was working with producers The Runners to cre-
(See release history)
ate an "amazing, insane record. Something you’ve nev-
Recorded 2008–2009 er heard before."[2] Producer Scott Storch, who had pre-
viously worked with Brown, also announced his involve-
Genre R&B, pop, electropop, dance-pop, hip hop
ment in the album stating, "He’s good. I’m working with
Length 51:50 him in Orlando on some stuff."[3] Recording for the al-
bum primarily took place in Orlando and on September
Label Jive
5, 2009, via Twitter, Brown announced that he had com-
Producer Swizz Beatz, Polow Da Don, Ester Dean, The pleted the album, and also revealed that the album would
Messengers, Brian Kennedy, The Runners, The be released outside of the US on December 7 and in the
Monarch, Ryan Leslie, Tha Bizness, Scott
Storch
US on December 8.[4][5][6] Speaking to MTV, Swizz Beatz
revealed, "he’s got something to prove," and "has worked
Chris Brown chronology on 60–70 songs."[7]
Exclusive Graffiti F.A.M.E.
(2007) (2009) (2011) Composition
The album’s music incorporates R&B, pop, rock, and
Singles from Graffiti Euro-dance styles.[8] Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune
1. "I Can Transform Ya" found most of its music suitable for the dance-floor and
Released: September 29, 2009 said like on Rihanna’s post-romance Rated R, "Brown aims
2. "Crawl" to expand his music beyond hip-hop-flavored R&B by
Released: November 23, 2009 embracing Euro-disco, Goth-rock and new wave."[9] Kot
compared Brown’s work to the "cross-genre experiments
Graffiti is the third studio album by American R&B and of Kanye West, Saul Williams, and Lil Wayne."[9] Accord-
pop recording artist Chris Brown. It is the follow-up to ing to Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times, most of the
his successful second album Exclusive (2007). The album album is in "upbeat party mode", mixed with power bal-
was produced during 2008 to 2009 by several record pro- lads, assumingly to "illuminate" his remorse over the Ri-
ducers, including Polow Da Don, Swizz Beatz, The Run- hanna incident.[10]
ners, and Brian Kennedy. Primarily an R&B and pop out- Lead single "I Can Transform Ya", lyrically about in-
ing, Graffiti incorporates elements of electro-pop and hip troducing someone to a luxurious life, has a robot-
hop music with synthesizers and electronic-influenced ic-crunk groove, while making a heavy use of synthesiz-
beats. ers and guitar riffs.[10][11] "Pass Out" featuring Eva Si-
mons,influenced by disco, samples the "Call on me" Steve
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Graffiti (Chris Brown album)
Winwood’s "Valerie", which was also used in Eric Prydz tion of the proceeds from the tour will go to charity to
worldwide dance hit, "Call on Me".[12] The song has been help the victims of domestic violence as well as people
compared to Lady Gaga.[8][13][14] "Sing Like Me" and with developmental disabilities.[23]
"Take My Time" recall Brown’s earlier R&B/pop work.[8]
The hip-hop-influenced "Wait", with Game and R&B
singer Trey Songz features "bouncy sirens", and accord-
Singles
ing to Jon Caramanica of The New York Times is closest "I Can Transform Ya" was released as the album’s lead
to capturing the "frenetic energy" of Brown’s early sin- single on September 29, 2009.[24] The song received most-
gles.[9][15][16] The song has been called the male counter- ly positive reviews, noting the song’s club feel and catch-
part to Keri Hilson’s "Knock You Down", which Brown iness.[25][26] "I Can Transform Ya"’s reached the top ten
references in the song and was also produced by "Wait" of New Zealand, whilst achieving chart success in Aus-
producer Polow da Don.[17] Sarah Rodman of Boston Globe tralia, the United Kingdom and the United States.[27] The
said the song needed a dance floor for full realization.[17] song’s dance-heavy accompanying music video features
According to Dan Gennoe of Yahoo! Music UK, "I.Y.A" is a choreography with hooded ninjas, and makes puns on
tribute to 80’s music, and the song has been compared to the Transformers series.[28] "Crawl" and "Sing Like Me"
Blake Lewis’ "Heartbreak on Vinyl.[12][14] "So Cold" has were released on iTunes on November 24, 2009, the first
been described as a "piano-laden apology" as "Famous as the album’s second single, and the latter as a promo-
Girl" has been called a "heavy hearted dance track."[14] tional single.[29] The previous received positive to mixed
The previous track as well as "Crawl" feature an apolo- reviews, reaching the top twenty in Japan and New
getic Brown, pining at points.[16] The previous has been Zealand.[27][30][31] Its accompanying music video features
described to bear a sonic resemblance to Madonna’s Brown and American R&B singer Cassie as his love inter-
"Drowned World/Substitute for Love." The latter, "Fa- est, as he yearns for their relationship on a winter night
mous Girl", featuring new wave influences and a bouncy, in a city and in a desert scene.[32]
light melodic line, seems to through accusations of infi-
delity in Rihanna’s direction, as well as implying she "had
a temper of her own."[17] The song also references songs
Reception
Drake’s "Best I Ever Had", Hilson’s "Knock You Down",
Keyshia Cole’s "Heaven Sent", Beyoncé’s "Halo", and
Commercial performance
Jazmine Sullivan’s "Bust Your Windows", as well as Ri- The album debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200,
hanna’s "Disturbia" and his "Forever", as Brown laments selling 102,000 copies in its first week. Graffiti was the
on writing the first song and confronts the rumor about week’s second highest debut, only behind Glee: The Music,
busting Rihanna’s car windows.[10][12][18][19] "Take My Volume 2.[33] It’s total sales of 341,000 copies to date were
Time" features R&B singer Tank, and has slow drums, and disappointing compared to his previous two albums.[1]
heavy female breathing, prompting innuendo.[16] Jon
Caramanica of The New York Times said that "Lucky Me", Critical response
lyrically about downs of life in the limelight, has a Graffiti received negative reviews from most music crit-
melody lifted from Michael Jackson’s "Man in the Mir- ics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out
ror."[16] of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album
received an average score of 39, based on 12 reviews,
Release and promotion which indicates "generally unfavorable reviews".[37] It is
ranked fourteenth on the site’s list of worst-reviewed
The album was released internationally on December 7, albums.[38] Rolling Stone writer Jody Rosen expressed a
2009, and in the US on December 8, 2009.[20] It was re- mixed response towards its "punchydance-pop songs full
leased on all major formats and, in addition to the stan- of club-ready beats and Casanova gestures", calling it "a
dard edition, an extended deluxe edition was also re- bland, occasionally obnoxious, proforma R&B album".[35]
leased, containing an additional six songs. The interna- Slant Magazine’s Eric Henderson commented that "the
tional edition differs slightly from the US edition, with only compelling thing about the incoherent Graffiti is the
one extra song ("Girlfriend") appearing on the standard material (both external and internal) that makes it even
edition and another ("Chase Our Love") appearing on the less palatable than a simply below-average collection of
deluxe extended edition with the inclusion of track paint-by-numbers R&B beats."[19] Michaelangelo Matos
("Movie") omitted.[21][22] The European deluxe edition of The A.V. Club gave the album an F rating and stated
was issued as a single-CD, while US and Japanese deluxe "The production is clean and often lively, and Brown
editions are two-disc sets. To promote the album, Brown sings well enough. The problem is what he’s singing".[18]
embarked on the "Fan Appreciation Tour" on October 27, Allmusic editor Andy Kellman also dismissed the album’s
2009, in New Jersey. The tour took place in the US. The songwriting and called Brown "exceptionally insuffer-
tour ended on December 15, 2009, in New York and a por-
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Graffiti (Chris Brown album)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [34]
The A.V. Club (F)[18]
Chicago Tribune [9]
Entertainment Weekly (B-)[13]
Los Angeles Times [10]
The New York Times (mixed)[16]
Rolling Stone [35]
Slant Magazine [19]
Spin (7/10)[15]
The Times [36]
able" on most of the songs.[34] Chicago Sun-Times writer
Jim DeRogatis gave the album one out of four stars and
Track listing
described it as "thoroughly mediocre and at times just No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
garbage".[39] Pete Paphides of The Times panned its bal-
1. "I Can Christopher Swizz 3:48
lads, called them a "slopfest of mawkish penitence".[36]
Transform Brown, Jason Beatz
Jon Caramanica of The New York Times questioned the
Ya" (featur- Boyd,
lyrics’ substance and called Graffiti "a curiously faceless
ing Lil Kasseem
album that largely thumbs its nose at close reading". [16]
Wayne and Dean, J. "Lon-
However, Steve Jones of USA Today gave the album
Swizz Beatz) ny" Bereal,
two-and-a-half out of four stars and commented that
Dwayne
Brown "succeeds in expanding his sonic horizons with
Carter
rock and Euro-dance influenced rhythms that are sure
to ignite dance floors and innervate his electrifying per- 2. "Sing Like Brown, Bigg Bigg Makk, 4:15
formances".[40] Billboard’s Gail Mitchell complimented its Me" Makk, Lorenza Keith
music as "a forward-moving fusion of R&B, pop, rock and Lennon, Keith Thomas,
Euro-dance".[8] Thomas Golianpoulous of Spin said Brown Thomas, Big Lo
sounded "generally remorseful", but said that Brown Atozzio Towns
didn’t "let any of this obstruct a good party, compliment- 3. "Crawl" Brown, Nasri The Mes- 3:56
ing the album’s "monster club tracks."[15] Despite writing Atweh, J. sengers
that it has filler tracks, Dan Gennoe of Yahoo! Music gave Thomas, Luke
the album a seven out of 10 rating and called it the "high- Boyd, Adam
est point of his career".[14] Chicago Tribune writer Greg Messinger
Kot noted a "inconsistent and sometimes contradictory 4. "So Cold" Brown, Ester Polow da 3:38
tone" in Brown’s lyrics, but commented that the album Dean, Terence Don; Ester
has "several top-notch pieces of innocuous dance mu- Walton, Jamal Dean, Hot-
sic".[9] Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly compli- Jones, Teyana sauce (co.)
mented its "zero-gravity pleasures", writing that "at its Taylor
best moments, it still floats".[13] Sarah Rodman of The
5. "What I Brown, J. The Run- 4:00
Boston Globe commended the music and production, but
Do" (fea- Boyd, L. Boyd, ners; The
criticized Brown’s songwriting, stating "As co-writer of
turing Plies) Kevin Cossom, Monarch
12 of the 13 tracks, that’s where he sabotages a lot of
J. Thomas, An- (co.)
the album’s purely musical promise".[17] Joey Guerra of
drew Harr,
the Houston Chronicle said the album might have worked,
Jermaine Jack-
but much of it "never takes flight, instead recycling the
son, Algernod
usual slick touches and arrangements."[12] BBC Online’s
Washington
Jude Rogers noted "slinky RnB body-poppers and cheesy,
breathy ballads" and commented that "plodding 6. "Famous Brown, Ryan Ryan Leslie 3:39
melodies draw attention to Brown’s unpleasantly macho Girl" Leslie
style".[41]
3
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Graffiti (Chris Brown album)
Chart (2009) Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart[42] 40
French Albums Chart 134
German Albums Chart 83
Irish Albums Chart[43] 47
New Zealand Albums Chart[44] 40
UK Albums Chart [45] 55
UK R&B Chart [46] 11
US Billboard 200 7
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 1
Chart (2010) Position
US Billboard 200 113[47]
Country Date
Germany December 7, 2009[48]
United Kingdom December 7, 2009[49]
United States December 8, 2009[50]
7. "Take My Brown, Justin Tha Biz- 4:38 13. "I’ll Go" Kennedy, Brian 3:05
Time" (fea- Henderson, ness James Kennedy,
turing Tank) Chris Whi- Fauntleroy James
tacre Fauntleroy
8. "I.Y.A" Brown, Jean Free School 3:08 • (co.) signifies a co-producer.
Baptiste, Ryan
Buendia, Nick
Marsh,
Charts
Michael
McHenry
Year-end charts
9. "Pass Out" Brown, Brian Brian 3:53
(featuring Kennedy, An- Kennedy Release history
Eva Simons) dre Merritt
10. "Wait" Brown, J. Be- Polow da 4:30 References
(featuring real, Dawson, Don; Hot-
[1] ^ http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/
Trey Songz Tremaine sauce (co.)
chart_watch/74345/week-ending-
and Game) Neverson,
march-20-2011-songs-the-chris-brown-matter/
Jones, Ester
[2] The Runners to Produce Chris Brown’s New Album
Dean, Jayseon
[3] Chris Brown Reunites With Run It Producer Scott
Taylor
Storch
11. "Lucky Brown, Jevon Jevon Hill 5:10 [4] Kaufman, Gil (2009-09-08). "Chris Brown Tweets
Me" Hill, Rico About Completing Album | MTV.ca | News".
Love, Timothy MTV.ca. http://www.mtv.ca/news/
& Theron article.jhtml?id=20131. Retrieved 2009-12-08.
Thomas [5] "Chris Brown Finishes Album, Reveals Single". Rap-
12. "Fallin’ Brown, Char- Charlie Be- 4:12 Up.com. http://www.rap-up.com/2009/09/06/
Down" lie Bereal, J. real chris-brown-finishes-album-reveals-single/.
Boyd Retrieved 2009-12-08.
4
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Graffiti (Chris Brown album)
[6] LexiB. (2009-10-28). "Video: Chris Brown feat. Lil [21] "Graffiti: Chris Brown: Music". Amazon.com.
Wayne and Swizz Beatz I Can Transform Ya, Also 2009-09-09. http://www.amazon.com/dp/
Graffiti Release Date". LexiB.net. http://lexib.net/ B002R55IE4. Retrieved 2009-12-08.
2009/10/video-chris-brown-feat-lil-wayne-and- [22] "Graffiti: Chris Brown: Amazon.fr:
swizz-beatz-i-can-transform-ya-also-graffiti- Téléchargements MP3". Amazon.fr. 1970-01-01.
release-date/. Retrieved 2009-10-28. http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B002XBMSGS.
[7] Posted Sep 29th 2009 9:30AM by Sharks Comments Retrieved 2009-12-08.
[2] (2009-09-29). "Chris Brown Announces Early [23] Concepcion, Mariel (2009-12-08). "Chris Brown:
Release Date for New Single". The Boombox. Will ’Graffiti’ Take Him Back to The Top?". Billboard
http://www.theboombox.com/2009/09/29/chris- Magazine website. http://www.billboard.com/#/
brown-announces-early-release-date-for-new- features/chris-brown-will-grafitti-take-him-
single/. Retrieved 2009-12-08. back-1004051941.story. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
[8] ^ Mitchell, Gail (2010-01-19). "Chris Brown, [24] Rodrgiuez, Jayson (2009-09-28). "Chris Brown’s
"Graffiti"". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. New Single Featuring Lil Wayne, ’Transformer,’ Out
http://www.billboard.com/new-releases/chris- Tuesday". MTV News. MTV Networks.
brown-graffiti-1004060160.story#/new-releases/ http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1622506/
chris-brown-graffiti-1004060160.story. Retrieved 20090928/brown__chris__18_.jhtml. Retrieved
2010-06-27. 2010-06-08.
[9] ^ Kot, Greg. Review: Graffiti. Chicago Tribune. [25] Kot, Greg (2009-12-01). "Album review: Chris
Retrieved on 2009-12-02. Brown, ’Graffiti’". Chicago Tribune.
[10] ^ Wood, Mikael. Review: Graffiti. Los Angeles Times. http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/
Retrieved on 2009-12-15. turn_it_up/2009/12/album-review-chris-brown-
[11] Rodriguez, Jayson. "Chris Brown’s ’I Can Transform graffiti-.html. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
Ya,’ Featuring Lil Wayne, Hits Web". MTV News. [26] Rogers, Jude (2009-12-15). "Chris Brown Graffiti
MTV Networks. http://www.mtv.com/news/ Review". BBC Music. http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/
articles/1622609/20090929/ reviews/phj9. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
brown__chris__18_.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-06-08. [27] ^ "Chris Brown Album & Song Chart History".
[12] ^ Guerra, Joey. "CD review: Chris Brown can’t get Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/
past it on Graffiti". Houston Chronicle. chris-brown/chart-history/
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/ 679240?f=848&g=Singles. Retrieved 2010-04-09.
6756318.html. Retrieved 2010-06-29. [28] "VIDEO: Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne & Swizz Beatz- I
[13] ^ Greenblatt, Leah. Review: Graffiti. Entertainment Can Transform Ya". BET Sound Off Blog.
Weekly. Retrieved on 2009-12-03. 2009-10-27. http://blogs.bet.com/music/soundOff/
[14] ^ Gennoe, Dan (2009-12-10). "Chris Brown - video-chris-brown-ft-lil-wayne-swizz-beatz-i-can-
Graffiti". http://uk.launch.yahoo.com/091210/33/ transform-ya/. Retrieved 2010-06-09.
2223u.html. Retrieved 2010-06-27. [29] "Amazon.com:Crawl:Chris Brown". Amazon.com.
[15] ^ Golianpoulous, Thomas (2009-11-25). "Chris http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002WZGHD0.
Brown, ’Graffiti’ (Jive/Zomba)". Spin. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
http://www.spin.com/reviews/chris-brown- [30] Caramanica, Jon (2009-12-06). "Critics’ Choice -
graffiti-jivezomba. Retrieved 2010-06-27. New CDs from Chris Brown, Allison Iraheta, and
[16] ^ Caramanica, Jon. Review: Graffiti. The New York Clipse". The New York Times.
Times. Retrieved on 2009-12-08. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/07/arts/
[17] ^ Rodman, Sarah (2009-12-06). "It’s Chris Brown’s music/07choi.html?_r=1. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
turn, but who wants to listen?". The Boston Globe. [31] "Chris Brown - Crawl". acharts.us.
http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2009/ http://acharts.us/song/52268. Retrieved
12/06/ 2010-04-08.
[32] Ditzian, Eric (2009-11-02).
its_chris_browns_turn_but_who_wants_to_hear_what_he_has_to_say_on_new_cd/. "Chris Brown Pictures
Retrieved 2010-06-29. Shed Light On Personal ’Crawl’ Video". MTV News.
[18] ^ Matos, Michaelangelo. Review: Graffiti. The A.V. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1625308/
Club. Retrieved on 2009-12-15. 20091102/brown__chris__18_.jhtml. Retrieved
[19] ^ Henderson, Eric. Review: Grafitti. Slant Magazine. 2010-04-08.
Retrieved on 2009-12-06. [33] Caufield, Kevin (2009-12-16). "No Stopping Susan
[20] "Twitter / BREEZY: Good NEWS: my album date h". Boyle’s ’Dream’ On Billboard 200". Billboard. Nielsen
Twitter.com. http://twitter.com/ Business Media, Inc.. http://www.billboard.com/#/
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5
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Graffiti (Chris Brown album)
[34] ^ Kellman, Andy. Review: Graffiti. Allmusic. [46] http://www.theofficialcharts.com/archive-chart/
Retrieved on 2009-12-06. _/17/2009-12-19/
[35] ^ Rosen, Jody. "Graffiti : Chris Brown : Review". [47] "Best of 2010 - Billboard Top 200". Billboard. Nielsen
Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/ Business Media, Inc. http://www.billboard.com/#/
reviews/album/31021734/review/31053794/ charts-year-end/top-billboard-200?year=2010.
graffiti. Retrieved 2009-12-08. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
[36] ^ Paphides, Pete. Review: Graffiti. The Times. [48] "Graffiti (Deluxe Edition) - Chris Brown".
Retrieved on 2009-12-03. Amazon.de. http://www.amazon.de/dp/
[37] Graffiti (2009): Reviews. Metacritic. Retrieved on B002WBTAB0. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
2010-04-16. [49] "Graffiti - Chris Brown". Amazon.co.uk.
[38] http://www.metacritic.com/music/bests/ http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002WBTAB0.
[39] DeRogatis, Jim. Review: Graffiti. Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
Retrieved on 2011-03-14. [50] "Graffiti - Chris Brown". Amazon.com.
[40] Jones, Steve. Review: Graffiti. USA Today. Retrieved http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002R55IE4.
on 2009-12-15. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
[41] Rogers, Jud
[42] australian-charts.com – Chris Brown – Graffiti
[43] http://www.irma.ie/aucharts.asp#albums
External links
[44] charts.org.nz – Chris Brown – Graffiti • Graffiti at Discogs
[45] http://www.theofficialcharts.com/ • Graffiti at Metacritic
top40_albums.php
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Graffiti_(Chris_Brown_album)&oldid=474329075"
Categories:
• 2009 albums
• Chris Brown (American singer) albums
• Albums produced by Polow da Don
• Albums produced by Ryan Leslie
• Albums produced by The Runners
• Albums produced by Scott Storch
• Albums produced by Swizz Beatz
• Albums produced by Tha Bizness
• Jive Records albums
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