Mixerr Album Reviews #244

This is Michael Mixerr. Today I will review the album Brand New by pop rap group Salt-N-Pepa. This album was released on Next Plateau Entertainment and Red Ant Records in 1997. Chad Elliott was the main producer for this album.

Red Ant Records was going bankrupt at the time and Salt-N-Pepa could not use a lot of the money and time to put in the effort from the promotions of the Brand New album. Brand New was set to go 2x platinum as the previous blockbuster album Very Necessary did. However, Brand New only sold 800,000 copies thus going gold. Brand New showed that Salt-N-Pepa failed to keep up with the new pop generation that pandered for boy bands. The styles and fashions were changing.


R U Ready? was an updated continuation version of My Mic Sounds Nice. It was a latter continuation to put it bluntly. I love the live acoustic drum beats. They fit in well with the live instrumentation. Salt is head MC of this song. Pepa is in the background I believe. The song is perfect for a 1997 pop single. It is a well memorable song. The music video is directed very nicely. Al West composed R U Ready? for those who didn't know.

Do Me Right and Good Life should have been singles but due to Red Ant Records poor mismanagement that never happened. Friends should have been as single as well. The song Friends was composed by Anthony Criss. To me, Anthony Criss did a great job of composing. Honestly, Al West and Anthony Criss are both underrated composers that needed more exposure.

Imagine was a good choice for a 3rd single. It should have been like this: Imagine b/w Knock Knock. Brand New should have been a single also! On Gitty Up, Spinderella showcases her low alto voice similar to Automatic by The Pointer Sisters. The sample is Give To Me by Rick James. Boy Toy reminds of Let's Talk About Sex, an earlier song by Salt-N-Pepa. Say Ooh is a very romantic hedonistic love song very similar to an 80s slow jam. Hold On and Silly of You were both single material.

I rate this album, Brand New, 5/5*****!! This album was way overlooked! It's too bad the record label had limited funding. Who knew what kind of success this album would have been with the right amount of funding for the promotion of Brand New.