Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that we're getting less "American Idol winner" and more grit this time around. This means just a little more spice, innuendo, and attitude, and a couple of instances of the "N" word. The phrase "wifebeaters and chains" is used to describe clothing, not behavior, on "Hood Boy."
Families can talk about what it means to have a crush on someone and what type of boy or girl they're most likely to fall for. They can also discuss how girls' bodies change -- and how guys react to those changes -- as they get older. Fantasia's songs also address big feelings by describing little moments in time. Kids and parents can try their hand at writing songs or poems that do the same.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Kathi Kamen Goldmark
On FANTASIA, Fantasia Barrino offers a selection of songs that address strong feelings by illustrating vivid snippets in time. Her take on the excruciating pleasure of that old familiar involuntary brain-freeze will resonate with any teenager who's been in the throes of a crush on "When I See U." Backed by a chorus of lovely voices, she sings, "I put your picture on my notebook/Start to blush when somebody says your name/In my stomach there's a pain/See you walking in my direction I go the other way/I start to stutter when I speak."
Another track, "Baby Makin' Hips," makes loving, playful fun of guys mesmerized by a woman's curves: "Watch when they walk by, guys get the wandering eye/They'd rather get smacked than not look back...They see that wobble wobble, shaped just like a cola bottle..."
Fantasia's direct, lighthearted gaze also lingers on love and heartbreak, sexual politics, and her type of guy ("Hood Boy," a duet with Big Boi, uses the phrase "wifebeaters and chains" to describe a fashion statement, not behavior) with attitude and clever, honest charm. There's some sexual innuendos, too, on songs like "I Nominate U" ("Let's keep the lights on cause tonight I wanna watch you perform/Let me see what cha got for your girl now, baby.") and the "N" word is used several times on "Hood Boy." But most of the lyrics seem designed to support and inspire girls negotiating the minefields of young love, lust, and relationships.
As on her debut album, Free Yourself, Fantasia's remarkable voice, supported by terrific rhythm tracks and perfectionist production standards, is the real star of the show.
Fans will also enjoy Mary J. Blige, Beyonce, and Ruben Studdard.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentSome minor sexual references. "I Nominate U" talks about keeping "the lights on cause tonight I wanna watch you perform." |
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LanguageThe "N" word is used frequently in one song. |
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Social BehaviorGently positive messages about sticking up for yourself in relationships. |
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CommercialismObvious TV tie-in. |
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