Afrodisiac (Brandy album)

Afrodisiac
Studio album by Brandy
Released	June 29, 2004 (2004-06-29)
Recorded	2002–2004
Studio	Ameraycan Bernie Grundman Mastering Conjunction Productions Conway Corner Store Larrabee North Paramount Record Plant (Los Angeles) Manhattan Center Sony Sterling Sound (New York City) The Studio (Philadelphia) Dungeon (Atlanta) Hit Factory Criteria (Miami) Metropolis (London)
Genre	R&B[1] progressive soul[2]
Length	61:19
Label	Atlantic
Producer	Brandy Norwood Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell Big Chuck Theron Feemster Walter Millsap III Organized Noise Timbaland Kanye West
Brandy chronology
Full Moon (2002) Afrodisiac (2004) The Best of Brandy (2005)
Singles from Afrodisiac
"Talk About Our Love" Released: March 28, 2004 "Who Is She 2 U" Released: July 27, 2004 "Afrodisiac" Released: September 24, 2004

Afrodisiac is the fourth studio album by American singer Brandy. It was released on June 29, 2004, by Atlantic Records. The album was recorded primarily in Los Angeles between spring 2003 and early 2004, following several major changes in Brandy's personal and professional life. After giving birth to her daughter and the demise of her relationship with Big Bert, Brandy's team was given an overhaul, including changes in production, management, and A&R. The album marked a departure from her previous work, with Brandy collaborating with producer Timbaland and songwriter Candice Nelson on the majority of the album's composition.

With many of their new relationships being the result of broken ones, Brandy and Timbaland were inspired to experiment with a number of sounds and influences to create a unique, individualized sound that was distinct from other R&B music. The result was an organic, mellow contemporary R&B album that experimented with the New York-based illbient style, which infuses eccentric hip-hop breakbeats, ambient soundscapes, and the unorthodox sampling of indie rock and various film scores. Brandy also continued to experiment with her singing, opting to use more technical applications of counterpoint and multi-track recording toward her vocal arrangements. An autobiographical album, the songs feature intimate lyrics which discuss the singer's personal struggles with codependency, monogamy, misplaced loyalty, and professional anxiety.

Upon release, Afrodisiac was critically acclaimed for its mature lyrics, Brandy's vocalizing, and its overall experimental sound.^[3] The album debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200, selling 131,700 copies in its first week;^[4] it was eventually certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).^[5] Afrodisiac was nominated for several awards, including the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album.^[6] The album spawned three singles, including "Talk About Our Love" featuring Kanye West, which reached the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100; along with "Who Is She 2 U" and "Afrodisiac". Since its release, the album has been retrospectively called a predecessor to alternative R&B, having been cited as an influence by artists such as Rihanna and Solange.