Search - Shareefa :: Point of No Return

Lets Hope Shareefa Comes Back!

CrazyWhacko_88 | Not Telling You :P | 10/25/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Before any of you even THINK of labelling R&B/Soul singer Keyshia Cole as the undisputed heiress to Mary J Blige's "Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul", take a listen to "Point Of No Return", the debut album by singer/songwriter/DTP 1st lady Shareefa. Like the aforementioned singers, Shareefa has a powerful, raw, soulful voice that rings with a resounding realness uncommon in today's Contemporary R&B female landscape.



However, unlike Keyshia Cole, Shareefa has a lot more issues to sing about, which expand beyond the ups and downs of everyday relationships. "Phony", a classic ballad that delivers on everything from the true-to-life lyrics to Adida & Q's killer production to Shareefa's powerful vocals, is a merciless ode to an old friend who shamelessly betrayed her trust and friendship; "Assumptions", once again covering all areas (lyrics, production, etc.) to perfection, is another ballad where Shareefa addresses her displeasure with those who are judgmental, assuming or hateful towards her; "No One Said" slows down the tempo for Shareefa as she sings about her hardships and her determination; the guitar/synthesizer-laden "Eye Wonder" find Shareefa giving up on a secret love affair for the sake of her real man's love; and on the smooth ballad "Trippin'", Shareefa coyly admits to "having a problem", right before delving into the story about falling back in love with an ex-boyfriend whose current girlfriend continually complains about Shareefa.



Even when she's not digging deep into her subject matter like she was with all the aforementioned tracks, her gritty vocals still ride over incredible production (Rodney Jerkins, Chuck Thompson, Teddy Riley and Stevie J, amongst others). Lead single "I Need A Boss", where Shareefa adopts her natural "gangstress" persona as she declares her desires for a leader-like hustler over Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkin's explosive bass and dashes of violin with ambitious flair, is a perfect example of this fact. Ludacris' humorous 16 bars and witty punch-lines ("Now to infinity / Grown women be feelin' me/ And they ain't got nothing to lose but their virginity"), along with Shareefa's slight vocal stutter in the chorus which will obvious remind you of Three Six Mafia's "Stay Fly" or Christina Milian's "Who's Gonna Ride", make an already-killer club banger even better.



Second single "Cry No More" (once again produced by Rodney Jerkins) and "Butterfly" are two soulful ballads about attaining freedom from memories of a sour relationship, and "How Good Luv Feels" wraps Shareefa's toned-down, smooth vocals with a lush old-school groove, courtesy of Rich Harrison. "Fevah (He Don't Know)", one of the most original tracks I've heard this year thematically, conjures more laid-back old-school vibes with its electric guitar/horn production while Shareefa smoothly sings about falling in love with one anonymous individual, but giving the wrong idea to another man nearby. Speaking of electric guitars, they are put to much use on the emotionally tumultuous "U Told Me", where Shareefa vulnerably expresses her regrets and longing desires for her imprisoned lover. Not only that, but lines like "Somehow, all the money wasn't enough" are given an entirely different meaning.



Altogether, this album is perfect if you can get past "Hey Babe", a sensuous duet between Shareefa & R&B crooner/label-mate Bobby Valentino, an individual who sounds nothing like the thugs Shareefa proves to have a weakness for. The album, as a while, is soulful, uncompromisingly real, and insightful and the production is downright flawless, even though it lacks the diversity of Shareefa's subject matter. 5 stars without question!



5 Best Tracks:

"Phony"

"Cry No More"

"I Need A Boss (feat. Ludacris)"

"Assumptions"

"Fevah (He Don't Know)""

The Soul of Disturbing the Peace

Daris McInnis | TX | 10/24/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It was only a few years ago when Jersey native, Shareefa Cooper, was in the court room in front of a judge who told her she was on her way to prison. After becoming involved with the wrong crowd at a very young age, Shareefa found herself at the "point of no return" and decided that after her release, she would wrap herself in a cocoon of ingenuity and be birthed a whole new woman...Which brings us to the present where we find the debut album from the DTP songstress herself, Shareefa, a breath of fresh air and just a little bit of hood all in one, is a fine piece of work.



Point of No Return is a standout album from what we hear these days. Unlike the sugarcoated, watered-down commercial R&B we've been accustomed to for the past few years in the new millenium, Shareefa is a new breed of woman and offers something new to the table. A great voice, her own look, and very, very, very personal tracks that mirrors instances of her own life. Shareefa is a gritty vicalist who rides the music live waves with her awesome range, melodic hums, and hair-raising notes.



On "U Told Me," Shareefa gives us the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about men who lie and deceit to get what they want out of their woman. Shareefa is apparently p*ssed off to the highest point and lets us know just how she's feeling. "Phony" is very self-explanatory, any woman can relate to that song. It deals with scandalous, vindictive females and reflects the same shadiness we saw in "U Told Me."



Then on tracks like "Fevah," Shareefa gives a whole new sexual, sleek vibe that lets her listener's know that she's not all about anger. "Need A Boss," the lead-single, is a foot-stomping bonafide club hit that will be ringing in our heads for a while. "I may be young but I know what I want..Unpredictable yea that's me, I can't help it that's so sexy.." she sings on the track then accompanied by her labelmate/boss/mentor/good friend Ludacris who rhymes "I'm your favorite rapper's idol, I been had the title, call me hot sixteen wit more verses than the bible!"



This definitely worth the money if you're looking for an album that you can relate to, relax to, or just blare in your speakers when feeling like one of those days..Shareefa will be around for a while so make room for the soul of disturbing the peace or be trampled over. Standout tracks: Butterfly, I Need A Boss, Cry No More, U Told Me, Phony, Assumptions, and The End."

The Title Of The Album Speaks Volumes!!!

Charles L. Hubbert | Milwaukee, WI | 02/08/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Listening to Shareefa's album was certainly an eye-opening experience. From the opening tracks of Point of No Return, you get a sense that Shareefa has had her fair share of bad times. The introduction has her behind bars, swearing that she's gonna right the wrong that has happened. To the casual R&B listener, this is a little bit jarring but certainly doesn't demonstrate her ability as a singer.



So leading right into the first track "Cry No More," you immediately feel compelled to compare her to the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul. The raw, gritty voice of Shareefa will appeal mostly to those who haven't grown up with old school R&B. She hits most of the notes but misses others completely. This continues on "Need A Boss" featuring Ludacris, a song that also suffers from production is entirely too experimental. Again on "No One Said," her voice struggles to stay in a comfort zone and finds its way into the dangerous territory of "cringing." "Butterfly" is a wonderfully written song that could have been better if Faith Evans or Syleena Johnson were singing it. This same problem occurs on "How Good Luv Feels," a song that has the potential but lacks the polished feel that it certainly needs. There are other songs where the background singers carry the song, namely "Trippin" and "Eye Wonder." But some tracks like the ill-fated "Phony" and "Fevah" shouldn't have seen the light of day. The duet with Bobby Valentino for "Hey Babe" is only okay and does little for the album in general.



Some have argued that Mary J. Blige was raw and street when she first hit the music world. And I would agree 100% with those people. But Mary has since improved drastically from her humble beginnings and amassed a worldwide listening audience that loves and respects everything she puts out. So to totally dismiss Shareefa after one album would be unfair and biased. But one thing is for sure....she's got a lot of work ahead of her if she wants to be the next MJB. And after listening to Point of No Return, that's clearly the person Shareefa's trying to be like. But so is Keyshia Cole, Lil Mo, and others...so you can't really knock her for trying.

"