''Code Red'' is the eighth studio album by American singer
Monica
Monica may refer to:
People
*Monica (actress) (born 1987), Indian film actress
*Monica (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name)
*Monica (singer) (born 1980), American R&B singer, songwriter, producer, ...
. It was released on December 18, 2015, by
RCA Records
RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
and coincided with the twentieth release anniversary of her debut album ''
Miss Thang
''Miss Thang'' is the debut studio album by American R&B recording artist Monica. It was released by Rowdy Records and distributed through the Arista label on July 18, 1995, in the United States. Recorded throughout her early teenage years, the ...
'' (1995).
For the project, Monica reteamed with her cousin
Polow da Don
Jamal Fincher Jones (born October 15, 1977, or 1978), professionally known as Polow da Don, is an American record producer and rapper.
Jones has produced a variety of singles for a multitude of artists including "Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj (2014) ...
, who had co-executive produced her previous album ''
New Life'' (2012). The pair enlisted a variation of producers and songwriters to work with her, including
Danja, DJ HardWork, Fatboi,
KEYZBABY,
Pop & Oak
Pop & Oak is a songwriting and production duo consisting of Andrew "Pop" Wansel and Warren "Oak" Felder. Wansel is the son of Dexter Wansel, staff songwriter, producer and session musician of Gamble and Huff's Philadelphia International Records ...
, and
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinc ...
– in addition to longtime collaborators such as performers
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
and
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam (; born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon, is a Senegalese-American singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of " Locked Up" (featuring Styles P) ...
, and songwriters
Crystal Nicole
Crystal Nicole Johnson, sometimes credited as Cristyle is an American recording artist, singer, and songwriter who signed her first deal with So So Def/EMI Music in 2007. Crystal Nicole signed with Blackground Records/ Interscope Records in Oc ...
and
Johntá Austin
Johntá Austin ( ; born June 28, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, producer, vocalist and rapper, signed to Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings. He is known for collaborating with producers Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri an ...
.
Upon its release, ''Code Red'' received generally mixed reviews from most music critics. The album debuted at number 27 on the US
''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling 35,656 copies in its first week, becoming Monica's lowest-charting debut since her first album. Leading single "
Just Right for Me
"Just Right for Me" is a song by American singer Monica (singer), Monica, featuring guest vocals from rapper Lil Wayne. It was written by Monica and Lil Wayne along with Jocelyn Donald, and Polow da Don, Jamal "Polow da Don" Jones for her seventh ...
", a collaboration with
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...
reached number twelve on the ''Billboard''s
Adult R&B Songs
The Adult R&B Songs chart (formerly called Adult R&B Airplay) is an airplay chart that is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The chart tracks and measures the airplay of songs played on urban adult contemporary radio stations, whose playl ...
chart but failed to impact elsewhere, resulting in lackluster sales in general and the release of no further singles. In support of the album, Monica embarked on her first solo concert tour in years,
The ''Code Red'' Experience to promote ''Code Red''.
Background
In October 2012, only six months after releasing her previous album ''
New Life'', Monica confirmed on Twitter that she was in the very early stages of her eighth album and was having meetings with RCA Records CEO
Peter Edge
Peter Edge is an English-American record executive. He is the chairman and CEO of RCA Records.
Early life and education
Edge was born near Coventry, England. Fueled in part by his sister’s record collection – which included influential ...
while staying in New York City.
Following ''New Life''s moderate commercial success, Monica felt that she was distancing herself from younger music listeners and that the album, while neither specifically recorded for her core audience nor
urban adult contemporary
Urban adult contemporary, often abbreviated as urban AC or UAC, (also known as adult R&B,) is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have hip hop music on ...
, had failed to connect with a more influential audience.
Initial plans for ''Code Red'' had her working with frequent collaborators such as
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
,
Rico Love
Richard Preston Butler Jr. (born December 3, 1982), better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American record producer, songwriter, singer, and rapper. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, but split his childhood between Milwaukee, Wiscon ...
,
Jim Jonsin
James Gregory Scheffer (born June 8, 1970), professionally known as Jim Jonsin, is an American record producer, songwriter, businessman and DJ from South Florida. Jonsin has collaborated with numerous artists, including Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, ...
,
Polow da Don
Jamal Fincher Jones (born October 15, 1977, or 1978), professionally known as Polow da Don, is an American record producer and rapper.
Jones has produced a variety of singles for a multitude of artists including "Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj (2014) ...
,
Stargate
''Stargate'' (often stylized in all caps) is a military science fiction media franchise based on the Stargate (film), film directed by Roland Emmerich, which he co-wrote with producer Dean Devlin. The franchise is based on the idea of an alien E ...
but also new contributors, including Red Styles and
Mike Will Made It, to create a "fresh sound."
In September 2013, Monica gave birth to her third child, Laiyah Shannon Brown, her first child with
NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
player
Shannon Brown
Shannon Brown (born November 29, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player. He attended Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois, was named Illinois Mr. Basketball in 2003, and played college basketball for Michigan State ...
. While she mostly cared for Laiyah, she soon resumed recording.
In early 2015, the singer expressed dissatisfaction with contemporary R&B radio.
She intended ''Code Red'' to help change that status, commenting, "Right now for R&B music, there's a state of emergency. Myself being one person, one artist, I can't change that on my own. No one is that powerful, but all of us together, I think we can make huge strides, allowing this generation to enjoy what this music embodies, which is a lot of love, passion, soul."
In an interview with online music magazine ''
Singersroom
Singersroom is an online music magazine devoted to news, reviews, interviews, music, videos, lifestyle and fashion trends on R&B and urban-pop culture. Owned by MusicLife Entertainment Group, it has an audience of more than 500,000 readers per ...
'', she further elaborated, that "''Code Red'' is just my way of saying let's bring attention to the music. I love the music today, but I think it's important to get back to music that touched our hearts. Let's get back to the soul of R&B music. So I'm saying that this is a part of my fight, the continuation of making great music."
Songs
''Code Red'' opens with its title track, an aggressive uptempo dance song that features guest vocals by longtime collaborator
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
as well as a
cameo from Monica's daughter Laiyah.
According to Monica, it was inspired by "the sound that lived in
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, especially in the 1990s."
Lyrically, the song sees Monica and Elliott lamenting those artists who are out chasing hits, leading to the genre's lack of creativity and diversity. "
Just Right for Me
"Just Right for Me" is a song by American singer Monica (singer), Monica, featuring guest vocals from rapper Lil Wayne. It was written by Monica and Lil Wayne along with Jocelyn Donald, and Polow da Don, Jamal "Polow da Don" Jones for her seventh ...
" is a hip hop-infused soul track with a thick drum arrangement that jumbles a sample from
The Miracles
The Miracles (also known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American vocal group that was the first successful recording act for Berry Gordy's Motown Records, and one of the most important and most influential groups ...
' "Much Better Off" (1968).
Musically, it follows previous retro-soul singles such as "
So Gone
"So Gone" is a song by American R&B recording artist Monica. It was one out of several tracks rapper-producer Missy Elliott wrote and produced along with Kenneth Cunningham and Jamahl Rye from production duo Spike & Jamahl for Monica's fourth st ...
" and "
Everything to Me".
"Just Right for Me" marked Monica's first collaboration with rapper and feature
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...
.
"Love Just Ain’t Enough," a duet with
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinc ...
, is a soulful mid-tempo soap opera led by a
snap
Snap or SNAP may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Snap'', the original release title for the 2013 film ''Enter the Dangerous Mind''
*''Snap'' (TV series), a CITV programme
* ''The Stanly News and Press'', a newspaper in Albemarle, North Carol ...
beat.
"Call My Name" opens with a self-recorded portion from "
A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes" is a song written and composed by Mack David, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston for the Walt Disney film ''Cinderella'' (1950). In the song, Cinderella (voiced by Ilene Woods) encourages her animal friends to n ...
", a song written for
Walt Disney
Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...
's ''
Cinderella
"Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...
'' (1950). On the uplifting ballad, Monica suspects her lover of cheating, asking him to call her name.
![Timbaland1292010](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/Timbaland1292010.jpg)
Supported by piano and
reverb
Reverberation (also known as reverb), in acoustics, is a persistence of sound, after a sound is produced. Reverberation is created when a sound or signal is reflected causing numerous reflections to build up and then decay as the sound is abso ...
,
Monica pledges ler love and loyalty on the stripped-back "I Know", a heartfelt ballad in which she sings about leaving emotional baggage behind while getting into a new relationship.
On "All Men Lie", another duet sung and written by Timbaland,
Monica insists that all men are the same.
Led by a mix of big
horn
Horn most often refers to:
*Horn (acoustic), a conical or bell shaped aperture used to guide sound
** Horn (instrument), collective name for tube-shaped wind musical instruments
*Horn (anatomy), a pointed, bony projection on the head of various ...
s and hip-hop sensibility it follows an experimental melancholy.
"Deep," an ode to
Shannon Brown
Shannon Brown (born November 29, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player. He attended Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois, was named Illinois Mr. Basketball in 2003, and played college basketball for Michigan State ...
that was produced by
Danja and
Polow da Don
Jamal Fincher Jones (born October 15, 1977, or 1978), professionally known as Polow da Don, is an American record producer and rapper.
Jones has produced a variety of singles for a multitude of artists including "Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj (2014) ...
,
is a luminous ballad that takes on an edgier tone as the singer talks about falling in love.
"Hustler's Ambition" features singer
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam (; born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon, is a Senegalese-American singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of " Locked Up" (featuring Styles P) ...
and tells the tale of distanced but committed love between a criminal and his woman over
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
-inspired instrumentals and soft singing.
"Alone in Your Heart," a pop-soul belter, samples from
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes were an American soul and R&B vocal group. One of the most popular Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s, the group's repertoire included soul, R&B, doo-wop, and disco. Founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in ...
' "Stay Together" (1977).
Monica compared to her songs "
Before You Walk Out of My Life
"Before You Walk Out of My Life" is a song by American R&B singer Monica. It was written by Andrea Martin, Carsten Schack, and Kenneth Karlin, with production helmed by Schack and Karlin under their production moniker Soulshock & Karlin. Initiall ...
" (1995) and "
Angel of Mine
"Angel of Mine" is a song by British R&B girl group Eternal from their first compilation album, ''Greatest Hits'' (1997). It was written by Rhett Lawrence and Travon Potts, produced by Lawrence, and released on 29 September 1997. The song beca ...
" (1998).
"Suga" has been described as an '90s-oriented, "electro/freestyle hybrid,"
that contains a portion of American singer
Teena Marie
Mary Christine Brockert (March 5, 1956 – December 26, 2010), known professionally as Teena Marie, was an American singer-songwriter, musician, composer, arranger, and producer. She was known by her childhood nickname Tina before taking the sta ...
's "Behind the Groove" (1980).
On "Ocean of Tears," gritty urban meets smooth soul 1990s music.
According to Monica, the song displays "how you feel when you’re connected to someone that’s just not treating you the way you should be treated."
Inspirational, heartfelt ballad "Saints & Sinners" strips down technical gimmickry, showcasing Monica's faith.
"I Miss Music" is a wistful ballad that blends mid-1990s
adult contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...
with
alternative
Alternative or alternate may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki''
* ''The Alternative'' (film), a 1978 Australian television film
* ''The Alternative ...
singer-songwriter material.
Lyrically, the song is a gently nostalgic reminiscence-cum-complaint about the lasting value of music in which Monica sings about
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...
,
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. She is often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, as well as being one of the most influential musicians of her generation. ...
,
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
, and
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – April 5, 1994) was an American musician who served as the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter of the rock band Nirvana. Through his angst-fueled songwriting and anti-establishment persona ...
.
''Code Red'' closes with the lush ballad "Anchor," a touching declaration of support.
Release and promotion
A release date for her eighth album was first suggested in October 2013, when Monica expressed her intention of releasing it in late 2014. In January 2015, the singer took to her
Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
page to announce that the title of the album would be ''Code Red'', when she posted a photo of a red
bar code
A barcode or bar code is a method of representing data in a visual, Machine-readable data, machine-readable form. Initially, barcodes represented data by varying the widths, spacings and sizes of parallel lines. These barcodes, now commonly refe ...
above the title that read "#AlbumComingSoon #CodeRed". In an interview with American hip-hop
DJ Smallz
DJ Smallz is an American hip-hop DJ, known for his ''Southern Smoke'' mixtapes as well as his weekly show on Sirius Satellite Radio and DISH Network, Southern Smoke Radio. His tapes have featured such artists as Young Buck, Ludacris, Master P, L ...
, released on YouTube on July 29, 2015, Monica announced that ''Code Red'' would be released on September 18, 2015.
The album's original release date was preceded by a private listening party at the
PatchWerk Recording Studios
Patchwerk Recording Studios is a recording studio located at 1094 Hemphill Avenue, West Midtown in Atlanta, GA. It was established in 1993 by former NFL offensive tackle Bob Whitfield of the Atlanta Falcons, and is currently owned and opera ...
in
West Midtown
West Midtown, also known as Westside, is a colloquial area, comprising many historical neighborhoods located in Atlanta, Georgia. Once largely industrial, West Midtown is now the location of urban lofts, art galleries, live music venues, retail ...
in
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
on August 27.
Attendees included husband Shannon Brown, producer
Polow da Don
Jamal Fincher Jones (born October 15, 1977, or 1978), professionally known as Polow da Don, is an American record producer and rapper.
Jones has produced a variety of singles for a multitude of artists including "Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj (2014) ...
, and rappers
Young Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. Signing to Def Jam Recordings in 2004, his major label debut, '' Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'', was released the followin ...
, and
Kap G
George Ramirez (born July 31, 1994), better known by his stage name Kap G, is an Mexican-American rapper. He is best known for his song "Girlfriend", which peaked at number 10 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.
Early life
George Ramirez was ...
.
However, though recording sessions for the album were concluded, it was soon bumped to October 2 and eventually pushed to
TBA
To be announced (TBA), to be confirmed (TBC), to be determined or decided or declared (TBD), and other variations, are placeholder terms used very broadly in event planning to indicate that although something is scheduled or expected to happen, a ...
status again.
Commenting on this decision, Monica cited promotional reasons as a major reason for delay and wrote on Instagram that "it was a very hard decision to push this album date back. The music is ready and the label was ready to drop it immediately
..My love for the people and my connection to them made me want to reach them. Get out on the road and go places many pass by".
A month later, in anticipation of her upcoming album, she announced dates for
The Code Red Experience
The Code Red Experience was a concert tour by American recording artist Monica, in support of her eighth studio album '' Code Red'' (2015). The tour played over 20 shows in the United States. It marks the singer's first headlining tour in 16 yea ...
, her first solo
concert tour
A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific to ...
in years. Joined by special guest
Rico Love
Richard Preston Butler Jr. (born December 3, 1982), better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American record producer, songwriter, singer, and rapper. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, but split his childhood between Milwaukee, Wiscon ...
, the 22-date venue started on November 12 in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
.
On November 1, 2015, she announced through social media that the ''Code Red'' album would be released on December 18,
and on November 19, she revealed its cover art and track listing.
The next day, it was made available for
pre-order
A pre-order is an order placed for an item that has not yet been released. The idea for pre-orders came because people found it hard to get popular items in stores because of their popularity. Companies then had the idea to allow customers to r ...
.
Singles
"
Just Right for Me
"Just Right for Me" is a song by American singer Monica (singer), Monica, featuring guest vocals from rapper Lil Wayne. It was written by Monica and Lil Wayne along with Jocelyn Donald, and Polow da Don, Jamal "Polow da Don" Jones for her seventh ...
", featuring guest vocals from rapper
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...
was released as the lead single from ''Code Red''. It premiered on Los Angeles radio station
Power 106
KPWR (105.9 FM) – branded as ''Power 106'' – is a commercial radio station in Los Angeles, California, broadcasting to the Greater Los Angeles area. KPWR is owned and operated by Meruelo Group and airs a Rhythmic Hot AC format. KPWR's studio ...
's programme ''Lift Off'' on May 18, 2015.
Released on June 26, 2015, the song debuted at number 26 on the US ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''
Adult R&B Songs
The Adult R&B Songs chart (formerly called Adult R&B Airplay) is an airplay chart that is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The chart tracks and measures the airplay of songs played on urban adult contemporary radio stations, whose playl ...
chart during the week of July 25, 2015, and peaked at number 12 on the chart. In the weeks leading up to the album's release, title track "Code Red" featuring
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
and vocals from Monica's daughter Laiyah, "Hustler's Ambition" featuring
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam (; born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon, is a Senegalese-American singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of " Locked Up" (featuring Styles P) ...
, and the ballad "I Know" were released online.
On January 15, 2016, Monica confirmed on Twitter that "Alone in Your Heart" would be released as the second single from ''Code Red'' but plans were eventually scrapped for unknown reasons.
Critical response
''Code Red'' received generally mixed reviews from
music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
. ''
Knoxville News Sentinel
The ''Knoxville News Sentinel, also known as Knox News,'' is a daily newspaper in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States, owned by the Gannett Company.
History
The newspaper was formed in 1926 from the merger of two competing newspapers: ''The ...
'' writer Chuck Campbell gave the album four stars out of five. While he complimented her collaborations with Lil Wayne, Elliott, and Timbaland, he stated that "Monica fares best on ''Code Red'' when she goes it alone at the microphone with her powerful pipes", making "a good case for reviving R&B with ''Code Red''."
Michael Arceneaux
Michael Arceneaux (born April 12, 1984) is an American writer. He is the author of the 2018 essay collection '' I Can't Date Jesus'', a ''New York Times'' bestselling book. His second book is titled ''I Don't Want to Die Poor'' (2020).
Early l ...
, writing for ''
Ebony
Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus ''Diospyros'', which also contains the persimmons. Unlike most woods, ebony is dense enough to sink in water. It is finely textured and has a mirror finish when pol ...
'', declared ''Code Red'' "an enjoyable listen", praising it as "Monica’s best album in years, and a reminder that when you have a format that works for you, stick with it and stop swerving". He noted comparisons with
Tamia
Tamia Marilyn Washington Hill (born May 9, 1975) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and producer. Born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, Tamia performed in various singing and dancing competitions as a child. In 1994, after signing a development dea ...
's ''
Love Life'' (2015), citing its undoubtedly "awareness of current trends, and in select cases on the album, offers a nod to them without going too far left."
''
Newsday
''Newsday'' is an American daily newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, although it is also sold throughout the New York metropolitan area. The slogan of the newspaper is "Newsday, Your Eye on LI", and f ...
'' Glenn Gamboa found that with ''Code Red'', Monica raises "the flag for over-30 R&B lovers", spending "the rest of ''Code Red'' looking to give people something new to sing to. And that doesn’t mean just old-school soul".
In his mixed review, Jon Caramanica of ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' felt that the ''Code Red'' "manifests in the tension between traditionalist instincts and modern music-making imperatives". He also noted that its sound reflects "choices of an artist trying to thread several needles at once".
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 databas ...
's Andy Kellman rated the album three ouf of five stars and summed it as "another Monica album that, at its best, draws from the past while remaining in the present
..Subtract the mixed and muddled messages, and ''Code Red'' is satisfactory." He felt that "what truly distinguishes ''Code Red'' from the rest of Monica's albums is that the singer is credited as co-writer of every track. Unsurprisingly, she sounds completely connected to every song".
Canadian music magazine ''
Exclaim!
''Exclaim!'' is a Canadian music and entertainment publisher based in Toronto, which features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with a special focus on Canadian and emerging artists. The monthly Exclaim! print magazine publishes 7 ...
'' summed that "''Code Red'' is a well packaged collection of songs, but falls short on containing anything on the same calibre of Monica's iconic hit "
The Boy Is Mine."
L. Michael Gipson from ''
SoulTracks
''SoulTracks'' is an American online magazine
An online magazine is a magazine published on the Internet, through bulletin board systems and other forms of public computer networks. One of the first magazines to convert from a print magazine ...
'' called ''Code Red'' a "project that boasts strong vocals, but songs not always equal in memorability to the voice or to the fight to save more traditional R&B in the mainstream or commercial arena
..As is usual in what determines an album's creative, if not always commercial success, it's still all about the songs, and there are only good, not great ones here. "
Commercial performance
''Code Red'' debuted at number four on the US ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
s
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated J ...
chart, and at number 27 on the
''Billboard'' 200 chart,
with first week sales of 35,656 copies—half as much as her previous album, ''
New Life'' (2012), which had first-week sales of 69,000 copies.
However, this marked Monica's eighth top ten album in this country on the US
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated J ...
charts.
''Billboard'' ranked it 52nd on his Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums year-end chart.
Track listing
Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Code Red''.
Notes
*
denotes additional producer
*
denotes co-producer
*
denotes vocal producer
Sample credits[
* "Just Right for Me" contains a sample from "Much Better Off", written by ]Warren "Pete" Moore
Warren Thomas "Pete" Moore (November 19, 1938 – November 19, 2017) was an American singer-songwriter and record producer, notable as the bass singer for Motown group the Miracles from 1955 onwards, and was one of the group's original members. ...
and Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson Jr. (born February 19, 1940) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and former record executive director. He was the founder and front man of the Motown vocal group the Miracles, for which he was also chief ...
, performed by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
The Miracles (also known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American vocal group that was the first successful recording act for Berry Gordy's Motown Records, and one of the most important and most influential groups ...
.
* "Call My Name" contains a sample of "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes" is a song written and composed by Mack David, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston for the Walt Disney film ''Cinderella'' (1950). In the song, Cinderella (voiced by Ilene Woods) encourages her animal friends to n ...
", composed by Mack David
Mack David (July 5, 1912 – December 30, 1993) was an American lyricist and songwriter, best known for his work in film and television, with a career spanning the period between the early 1940s and the early 1970s. David was credited with writing ...
, Al Hoffman
Al Hoffman (September 25, 1902 – July 21, 1960) was an American song composer. He was a hit songwriter active in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, usually co-writing with others and responsible for number-one hits through each decade, many of wh ...
and Jerry Livingston
Jerry Livingston (born Jerry Levinson; March 25, 1909 – July 1, 1987) was an American songwriter and dance orchestra pianist.
Life and career
Born in Denver, Colorado, Livingston studied music at the University of Arizona. While there he com ...
for the film ''Cinderella
"Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...
'' (1950).
* "Alone in Your Heart" contains a sample from "Stay Together" as performed by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes were an American soul and R&B vocal group. One of the most popular Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s, the group's repertoire included soul, R&B, doo-wop, and disco. Founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in ...
.
* "Suga" contains a portion of "Behind the Groove", written by Teena Marie
Mary Christine Brockert (March 5, 1956 – December 26, 2010), known professionally as Teena Marie, was an American singer-songwriter, musician, composer, arranger, and producer. She was known by her childhood nickname Tina before taking the sta ...
and Richard Rudolph
Richard James Rudolph (born October 27, 1946) is an American songwriter, musician, music publisher, and producer.
Life and career
Richard Rudolph is the son of Muriel Eileen (Neufeld) and Sidney J. Rudolph. His grandfather, Julius Abraham Rud ...
, and performed by the former.
Credits and personnel
Managerial
* Album producers – Monica, Melinda Dancil
* Executive producers – Monica, Polow da Don
Jamal Fincher Jones (born October 15, 1977, or 1978), professionally known as Polow da Don, is an American record producer and rapper.
Jones has produced a variety of singles for a multitude of artists including "Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj (2014) ...
Technical and production
* Recording
A record, recording or records may refer to:
An item or collection of data Computing
* Record (computer science), a data structure
** Record, or row (database), a set of fields in a database related to one entity
** Boot sector or boot record, ...
– Chad Jolley, Chris Godbey, Chris King, Matt Weber, Oak, Roark Bailey
* Recording assistants – Perry Jimenez
* Mixing – Abel Garibaldi, Chris King, Leslie Brathwaite, Marcella Araica
Marcella Christina Araica is an American recording and mixing engineer, who has recorded and mixed tracks for artists including Britney Spears, Duran Duran, K. Michelle, Keri Hilson, Madonna, P!nk and Timbaland.
Biography
Araica started her prof ...
* Mastering – Chris Athens
Visuals and imagery
* Art direction
Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film and television, the Internet, and video games.
It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and unify the visi ...
, design – Fusako Chubachi
* Creative direction – Erwin Gorostiza
* Photography – Tyler Kolhoff
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Release history
References
External links
Monica.com
– official site
{{Authority control
2015 albums
Monica (singer) albums
Albums produced by Oak Felder
Albums produced by Timbaland
Albums produced by Polow da Don
Albums produced by Fatboi
Albums produced by Danja (record producer)