This one was giving high praise by Anthony Fantano from the Needledrop, so I gave this one the old college try as this was the first time I’ve ever heard of her. She started out in music during the 2000s, but also dipped her toes in acting. Her music career is vast, but To Whom This May Concern came out of an eleven year hiatus from her previous release, so she’s back on the saddle. I’ll have to say, the time it took for this album to marinate does show. It sounds very well made with premium production and taken with great care. She specializes in neo soul, but this album is just jostling with a diverse amount of styles within that complements the well thought out songwriting. Also, her vocal chops! The vocals she provides you know she was born for music. However, her heart was into poetry from the very start and according to an interview with NPR, she blossomed into her music journey after being discovered by Questlove of the renowned musical group, The Roots. It’s highly recommended to read into the lyrics of this album, that’s for sure. Also, it’s no surprise her heart is in the right place by fighting for others too, in which there is a lot of social commentary with a simultaneous slap, punch, and kick here. This record is colorful, versatile, and a bombastic fighter. Again! Stellar songwriting. Sounding like a broken record (probably from the high heat of these songs, but it’s true!). She’s a fighter for acceptance of herself, is what she states in her NPR interview. It is a tribute to who she is, past and present and even did a tribute to her idol poet, Nikki Giovanni (in the song, “Ode to Nikki”). We love when the production and instrumentals go hard, but it’s always a treat in music when we listen to one’s words that may resonate with us. Jill Scott is the perfect candidate for that here.
What makes “Be Great” so…great is that it is like a grandiose stage show. A big band is behind her that might as well blow out the auditorium’s lights. Scott is kicking down the saloon doors to let them know she’s more than what these people see her on surface level. I will always have a smile on my face during the chorus when the vocals jump octaves on “born to soar, born to be moreeee”. So much fun. “Beautiful People” is funk that Scott goes into a jazzy rhythm that gives this song an amorphous structure. It’s a blast from the past and past funk heads will appreciate this one. “Offdaback” is such a vibe, but it was very wholesome hearing Scott being grateful for her past idols that broke social barriers. Missy Elliott fans will absolutely love “Norf Side” and hearing Scott spitting bars with Tierra Whack is making a salute to their hometown that is Philadelphia as Queens of the North. “Pay U on Tuesday” is absolutely hilarious as the fact some fragile toes are definitely being stepped on. The type of music that you do chorus line kicks to. “Pressha” goes about how social pressure of course, eats oneself if they become someone else that’s not their authentic selves for her lover. Or could that lover be analogous as another group of people? The funky groove on “BPOTY” is so nostalgic for its time, but the time that is now is Scott commentating on how dire the state of living is comparing the whole situation like pimping someone out.
In “A Universe”, she is smitten for someone who made her open up her whole world or universe in this slow jazzy jam by looking into his universe. Scott does a salute to her hero that is Nikki Giovanni, who was an influential African-American poet. There are definitely references flying over my head, but it is really wholesome hearing her doing slam poetry to honor her idol and Ab-Soul was killing it too. What a strong vocal performance from Jill Scott on “Don’t Play”. The absolute strength and sheer mother effing will of her character in this song definitely matches her voice with how much she projects her voice. “Àṣẹ” is like a comforting blanket with the warm soundscape and a heavenly choir surrounding us. And she keeps on cheering us on with her closer, “Sincerely Do”. It’s a nice way to wrap it up and keeping up the theme of self acceptance and self love. It’s a good send off to her audience and we hope we heed her words.
There are a lot of dense material here and a lot of bangers. So, there are bound to be some misses and it kind of fell off in the midpoint for me and that is when the album is at its weakest. Jill Scott’s voice the strongest component here, no doubt about it. Some songs I didn’t mention to highlight just didn’t resonate with me.
I’m glad for her receiving flowers for this album. Whenever I hear of her success from To Whom This May Concern, it gives me hope that talented musicians…and poets get their merit and due. And eleven years is a patient amount of time for this. This album has an infectious sound with a velvety groove that we cannot deny. It gets hypnotic at times and the production is luxurious as hell. Even her tribute to Nikki Giovanni even made me look up her work. I think she would be proud. To whom this may concern? Whoever stops by and takes the time to listen. For me, who is someone that is a novice of words, this one made an impact on me with her poetry. Sooooo, I had to brush up my whoever vs whomever usage. I’m a novice for sure!
FAVORITE TRACKS: BE GREAT, OFFADABACK, NORF SIDE, PAY U ON TUESDAY, BPOTY, ME 4, ODE TO NIKKI, DON’T PLAY, TO B HONEST, ÀṢẸ
LEAST FAVORITE: THE MATH
Her discography is available for streaming. Links down below.
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