''Because I Love It'' is the third studio album by American singer

Amerie Amerie Mi Marie Nicholson ( Rogers; born January 12, 1980) is an American singer. Born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, she gained an appreciation of the classical arts from her mother Mi Suk Rogers and of music from her father Charles Rogers, and ...

. It was released on May 11, 2007, by Columbia Records. In the United States, the album was released exclusively through retailers such as

Walmart Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...

and FYE, before its physical release was officially made available on September 30, 2008, by which point all future singles and promotion had been scrapped due to Amerie's departure from Columbia Records. As a result, the album failed to chart on the ''Billboard'' 200, becoming Amerie's first studio album to do so. Nevertheless, the album was a moderate success in Europe and Japan, and has been certified silver by the

British Phonographic Industry British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with ...

(BPI).

Background

The recording sessions for ''Because I Love It'' started in 2005. It was originally titled ''None of the Above'' and scheduled for late 2006; however, plans were changed. The album was finished in early 2007. Amerie's first mixtape ''Because I Love It, Vol. 1'' was also released. However, the album was not released in the United States until 2008, and Amerie was dropped from Columbia Records and

Sony Urban Music Sony Urban Music was a division of Sony BMG, active from 2004 to 2006, The division handled R&B, soul, and hip hop releases by artists nominally signed to Sony's Columbia and Epic labels. During its existence, Sony Urban managed releases by ar ...

due to low sales of ''Because I Love It'' and the low performance of its singles "Take Control", "Gotta Work" and "That's What U R". ''Because I Love It'' is primarily an R&B album, also comprising funk,

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest atte ...

and hip hop. Tracks like "Some Like It" and "Crazy Wonderful" also contain elements from 1980s music. The album was executively produced by Amerie and her husband-manager Lenny Nicholson and produced by

Bryan-Michael Cox Bryan-Michael Paul Cox (born December 1, 1977) is an American record producer and songwriter who is notable for his work with artists such as Usher, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, and Toni Braxton. Among his most notable productions are "Be Wit ...

, The Buchanans,

Cee-Lo Green Thomas DeCarlo Callaway - Burton (born May 30, 1975), known professionally as CeeLo Green (or Cee Lo Green), is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. He is known for his work in hip hop and R&B, including the Gnarls ...

, Quran Goodman, Destro, One Up, Chris & Drop,

Mike Caren Michael Caren is an American record producer, songwriter, music publisher, A&R representative, and music executive. He is the current CEO (and founder) of Artist Partner Group and Creative Officer at Warner Music Group. He is also the founder o ...

, Curtis "C Note" Richardson,

Bink! Roosevelt Harrell III (born February 20, 1972) professionally known as Bink is an American hip hop producer from Norfolk, Virginia, who is noted for his work with Roc-A-Fella Records artists. His most high-profile work has been Jay-Z's critica ...

, and Kore & Bellek. Amerie's longtime producer

Rich Harrison Richard Christopher Harrison (born 1979) is an American record producer and songwriter from Washington, D.C., specializing in R&B and hip hop music. The winner of a Grammy Award, Harrison is well known for producing songs such as " Get Right ...

did not work on the album, although "

1 Thing "1 Thing" is a song by American singer Amerie from her second studio album, ''Touch'' (2005). Written by Amerie and Rich Harrison and produced by the latter, the song is influenced by go-go rhythms and features a prominent sample of the Meters ...

", which he produced, appears as a bonus track on the international edition. ''Because I Love It'' was the final album by Amerie to be released through Columbia Records, also her first not to be released through Harrison's recording label Richcraft Records. It was also Amerie's final album to be released through

Sony BMG Music Entertainment Sony BMG Music Entertainment was an American record company owned as a 50–50 joint venture between Sony Corporation of America and Bertelsmann. The venture's successor, the revived Sony Music, is wholly owned by Sony, following their buyout ...

and

Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainmen ...

before Amerie signed a recording contract with

Universal Music Group Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...

Def Jam Recordings Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The l ...

and Island Records in 2008.

Release and promotion

''Because I Love It'' was released for the UK

iTunes Store The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...

on May 11, 2007, through Columbia Records. It was released physically on May 14, 2007, in the United Kingdom. It was released in Japan two days later and in Europe on May 28. In the United States, the album was released on CD through

on July 3, 2007, and though FYE on January 15, 2008; it was not given a wider physical release until September 30, 2008, though Amerie was no longer signed to Columbia at that point. Because of this, album was not promoted in United States. Worldwide, ''Because I Love It'' was promoted by three singles: "Take Control", "Gotta Work" and "That's What U R".

Singles

Take Control "Take Control" is a song by the American singer Amerie from her third studio album, ''Because I Love It'' (2007). It was released as the album's lead single on October 17, 2006. The song was written by Cee-Lo Green, Mike Caren and Amerie, and wa ...

" was released as the lead single from the album on October 17, 2006. Its accompanying music video debuted in the United States in December 2006. The song peaked at number 66 on the US '' Billboard''

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...

chart, but was considerably more successful overseas, reaching number 10 in the United Kingdom. The official remix featured South Korean singer Seven and was featured as a bonus track on the East Asian edition of the album. " Gotta Work" was released as the album's second single outside the United States on April 14, 2007. It was used to help promote

TNT Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...

's coverage of the 2008 NBA All-Star Game in the United States, and

AXN AXN is a pay television channel owned by Sony Pictures Television, which was first launched in September 1997 in Asia. Local versions have since been launched in several parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Funded th ...

Television in Asia. The single peaked at number 21 on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

and number six on the

UK R&B Singles Chart The UK Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart and the UK Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart (also known as The Official UK Hip Hop and R&B Charts, the Top 40 Hip Hop and RnB Singles and the Top 40 Hip Hop and RnB Albums, or simply the UK Urban Chart) are 40-posi ...

. "Crush" was scheduled as the third single, but its release was cancelled. A remix of "Crush" produced by

Johnny Douglas John William Henry Tyler Douglas (3 September 1882 – 19 December 1930) was an English cricketer who was active in the early decades of the twentieth century. Douglas was an all-rounder who played for Essex County Cricket Club from 1901 to 1 ...

was intended to be used for the radio version of the single. Instead, "That's What U R" was released as the album's third and final single for a limited promotional-only basis on October 23, 2007. The radio version was a remix featuring rap verses by

Fabolous John David Jackson (born November 18, 1977), better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper. Raised in Brooklyn, he first gained recognition while still a senior in high school, when he performed live on American music executive ...

and

Slim Thug Stayve Jerome Thomas (born September 8, 1980), better known by his stage name Slim Thug, is an American rapper. He initially gained mainstream attention for his contribution to the hit single by rapper Mike Jones, " Still Tippin'". In July 2005, ...

. The version can be found on some Asian limited editions of ''Because I Love It''.

Critical reception

''Because I Love It'' received wide acclaim from various music critics. AllHipHop.com praised the album giving it five out of five stars, stating that Amerie has the "ability to convey excitement without sounding insane" but pointing out that "doesn't fit neatly into any specific genre anyway, so she might as well leave the standard R&B fare to the army of standard R&B chicks available to sing them."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

also praised the album, stating that the album "lassoe each song, whether it require salt, sugar, heartache, delight, or any combination thereof" and further noting that " e is the only female singer on the album, and hearing her backgrounds dance and swim around her leads is as moving as anything else in modern R&B". Despite mixed criticism towards its ballads, '' Spin'' praised the album's sound and called it "R&B at its most dynamic".Hogan, Marc.
Review: ''Because I Love It''
. '' Spin'': 64. September 2007. ''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the ...

'' gave it a favorable review, writing "It's no classic, but the obligatory ballads are mercifully few, allowing a series of punchy, soulpowered tracks to shine". ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' lauded Amerie as "one of the greatest singers in pop music" and wrote that ''Because I Love It'' was a "spectacular work" because she "catches the fleeting thrills and momentary rushes of intensity that permeate otherwise mundane days, and stretches those feelings out across four-minute songs without ever letting up." ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' described the album as "bar-raising pop" and called it a "whip-smart collection of retro R&B that's more Winehouse than Aguilera". Tim Finney of

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

noted that the album's "big, risky strategic manoeuvre is a plush, post-coital riposte to

Ciara Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, model and entrepreneur. She released her debut studio album, '' Goodies'' in 2004, which spawned four singles: " Goodies" (featuring Petey Pa ...

's recent electro-pop revivalism, with many of the songs here investing in a deliberately frothy eighties sound that smears together

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...

, Jam & Lewis, and the

SOS Band The S.O.S. Band (sometimes written as S.O.S. Band; abbreviation for Sounds of Success) is an American R&B and electro-funk group who gained fame in the 1980s. They are best known for the songs " Take Your Time (Do It Right)", " Just Be Good ...

", adding that " e danger for merieis that in trying so hard to clinch this new style she leaves little room to assert her own individual qualities". Lou Thomas from

BBC Music BBC Music is responsible for the music played across the BBC. The current director of music is Bob Shennan, who is also the controller of BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music, and the BBC Asian Network. Officially it is a part of the BBC's Radio ...

called the album "a mix of the sweat-drenched sublime and the saccharine ridiculous", while commenting that " ere's still a flavour of the percussive, filthy Washington DC Go-go sound that gives her music a satisfying and unique feel within the pop world, but at other times the sugar content will repulse all but those with the sweetest tune tooth. And songwriter She McElroy's suggestion to add old school Weekend Love was genius."

Commercial performance

''Because I Love It'' was a moderate success but failed to repeat the success of previous studio albums '' All I Have'' (2002) and ''

Touch In physiology, the somatosensory system is the network of neural structures in the brain and body that produce the perception of touch ( haptic perception), as well as temperature ( thermoception), body position (proprioception), and pain. It ...

'' (2005). It failed to chart in both the United States and Canada, since it was not released in those countries until September 30, 2008 (more than a year after it was released worldwide). It only charted on some European charts (including '' Billboard''s

European Top 100 Albums The European Top 100 Albums chart was the European adaptation of the ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart. It ran from March 1984 until December 2010. Also commonly referred to as Eurochart Top 100 Albums, the chart showcased the sales of an act in 19 E ...

chart, where it peaked at number 56) and Japanese

Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan and Western music. It started as, which was founded by Sōkō Koike in ...

chart, where it peaked at number 13. The album peaked at number 17 on

UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...

and number four on UK R&B Albums Chart. It has sold over 60,000 copies in United Kingdom and has been certified silver by

(BPI).

Track listing

Notes * signifies a vocal producer * signifies a co-producer * signifies an additional producer * signifies a main and vocal producer Sample credits * "Forecast Intro" contains samples from "Farandole" by Bob James. * "Hate 2 Love U" contains samples from "Give It Up" by

Kool & the Gang Kool & the Gang is an American R&B/soul/funk band formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1964 by brothers Robert "Kool" Bell and Ronald Bell, with Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown, and Ricky West. ...

. * "Some Like It" contains samples from "World's Famous" by Malcolm McLaren. * "Take Control" contains excerpts from "Jimmy, Renda-se" by

Tom Zé Antônio José Santana Martins (born 11 October 1936), known professionally as Tom Zé (), is a Brazilian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer who was influential in the Tropicália movement of 1960s Brazil. After the peak of ...

and elements of " You Make My Dreams" by

Hall & Oates Daryl Hall and John Oates, commonly known as Hall & Oates, are an American pop rock duo formed in Philadelphia in 1970. Daryl Hall is generally the lead vocalist; John Oates primarily plays electric guitar and provides backing vocals. The two ...

. * "Gotta Work" contains samples from "Hold On I'm Coming" by Mighty Dog Haynes. * "Paint Me Over" contains samples from "Mother's Theme (Mama)" by

Willie Hutch William McKinley Hutchison (December 6, 1944 – September 19, 2005), better known as Willie Hutch, was an American singer, songwriter as well as a record producer and recording artist for the Motown record label during the 1970s and 1980s. Biog ...

. * "All Roads" contains samples from "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" by

James Ingram James Edward Ingram (February 16, 1952 – January 29, 2019) was an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He was a two-time Grammy Award-winner and a two-time Academy Award nominee for Best Original Song. After beginning his career ...

and Patti Austin. * "1 Thing" contains excerpts from "Oh, Calcutta!" by the Meters. * "Losing U" contains a sample from "

Didi Didi may refer to: Arts and entertainment * "Didi" (song), a song by Khaled * Didi, the principal character in ''Didi's Comedy Show'', a German comedy television show * Didi Pickles, mother of Tommy and Dil in the cartoons ''Rugrats'' and ''All ...

" by Khaled.

Charts

Certifications

Release history

References

External links

Dancefloor Dynamite
at ''

'' {{Authority control 2007 albums Albums produced by Bink (record producer) Amerie albums Columbia Records albums