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''Two Eleven'' is the sixth studio album by American recording artist
Brandy Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...
. Released on October 12, 2012, it served as the singer's debut release with Chameleon Entertainment and
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 ...
after departing from
Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...
soon after releasing her previous album, ''
Human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...
'' (2008). The album's title is taken from Norwood's birthday; it is also the day on which her idol and friend, entertainer
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...
died eight months prior to ''Two Eleven''s release. ''Two Eleven'' is the first album from Norwood to include a diverse roster of collaborators, including songwriting credits from
Frank Ocean Christopher Francis "Frank" Ocean (born Christopher Edwin Breaux; October 28, 1987), is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper. His works are noted by music critics for featuring avant-garde styles and introspective, elliptical lyrics. Ocean ...
,
Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to '' Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempo ...
and
Sean Garrett Garrett Robin Hamler, known professionally as Sean Garrett, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is responsible for a series of chart-topping compositions, most notably Usher's " Yeah!" which ranks second on the ''Billboa ...
. Production comes courtesy of the likes of Bangladesh and
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 ...
, amongst others. Upon its release, the album received critical acclaim, with many complimenting Norwood's vocals, the album's production and the overall direction. ''Two Eleven'' debuted at number three on the US ''Billboard'' 200 with first-week sales of 65,000 copies, becoming Norwood's fourth top-ten album and her first in eight years. It also debuted atop the
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, her second album to do so. The album produced two singles. " Put It Down", featuring Chris Brown, was released in May 2012. It peaked within the top five on the US
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 ...
, becoming Norwood's tenth top-ten single on the chart and her first in a decade, but peaked only at number 65 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. " Wildest Dreams" was released as the second and final single in August 2012, failing to enter the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and peaking at number 68 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.


Background and development

''Two Eleven'' is Norwood's sixth studio album, and follow up to her least commercially successful releases, ''
Human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...
'' (2008), and 2005's greatest hits album ''
The Best of Brandy ''The Best of Brandy'' is the first greatest hits album by American singer Brandy. It was released on March 28, 2005 by Atlantic Records, completing her contract with the label after being signed since 1994. The album comprises nearly all of Nor ...
'', both of which missed the US ''Billboard'' 200 album charts top-ten. Norwood began conceiving ''Two Eleven'' in the week ''Human'' was released, in December 2008. ''Human'', was originally scheduled to be released in November but was delayed to accommodate last minute recording sessions with American producer and close friend of Norwood,
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 ...
. The records produced were ultimately omitted from ''Human''s track listing due to Timabaland not being able to get his trademark vocals on the songs. As a consequence, Norwood stated in an interview with '' Rap-Up'' magazine that she wanted Timbaland to be heavily involved in the next album, along with frequent collaborator
Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins Rodney Roy Jerkins (born July 29, 1977), also known by his stage name Darkchild, is an American record producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has collaborated with a broad range of popular artists. Jerkins has won multiple Grammy Awards. Among hi ...
, who had executively produced ''Human'', expressing her wish of both musicians executive producing her next project together." Norwood began working on the album with her then-record label,
Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...
, to which she had signed in April 2008. Amongst those to record with the singer were songwriting and production partners
Tricky Stewart Christopher Alan "Tricky" Stewart (born January 4, 1974) is an American record producer, record executive, songwriter, and music publisher. In a career spanning over 30 years, Stewart has won 5 Grammys and is responsible for over 50 million rec ...
and
The-Dream Terius Youngdell Nash (born September 20, 1977), better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. His co-writing credits include songs with "Me Against the Music" (2003) for Britney Spears, " Rid ...
. In early 2009, songwriter Amanda Ghost was appointed president of Epic Records, ultimately leading to speculation around the future of Norwood's record contract and its eventual termination as confirmed by Tricky Stewart. Soon after, it was reported that Norwood had been dropped by
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
's management company
Roc Nation Roc Nation is an entertainment agency founded by Jay-Z in 2008. The company is headquartered in Manhattan and has additional offices in Los Angeles and London. Roc Nation comprises a comprehensive talent agency, sports agency, record label, mana ...
, something which Norwood's team refuted in July 2009 by stating "They pichave not dropped her. We are trying to get a release from them. We're in waiting" and that "Brandy and Roc Nation parted amicably". Norwood's joint record deal with RCA and producer Breyon Prescott's Chameleon Records was finalized in late 2010, however, it was not announced to the public until August 2011, when it was also confirmed that Norwood's sixth studio album would be released in 2012. After Norwood was signed in late 2010, professional recording and submissions for the album began. Much of the earlier material recorded under Epic Records was left with the label and allocated to other artists such as
Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
. Speaking of her new record deal during an interview with ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' magazine, Norwood commented: "I'm reinventing myself and I feel fearless, 'Two Eleven'' ismature, it's gritty, it's edgy. RCA reminds me of how Atlantic used to be, they really believed in my vision as an artist when they signed me at 14, RCA welcomed me and Breyon Prescott and Peter Edge showed such passion for what I wanted to do". Before Prescott worked with Norwood he sought the permission of the singer's long-time collaborator and friend Darkchild. Prescott told Darkchild that he wanted to work on making an R&B record with Norwood. Darkchild agreed giving him his blessings. In 2009, Norwood introduced her
rap Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
alter ego An alter ego (Latin for "other I", " doppelgänger") means an alternate self, which is believed to be distinct from a person's normal or true original personality. Finding one's alter ego will require finding one's other self, one with a differen ...
Bran'Nu on
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 ...
's album ''
Shock Value II ''Shock Value II'' is the third studio album by American record producer Timbaland. It serves as the sequel to ''Shock Value''. Initially slated for a 2008 release, the project was pushed into 2009 and tentatively confirmed for November 23, 2009 ...
'' (2009), the result of artistic experimentation with the musician, who had tapped her for her rhyming ability after seeing a video on
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
that Norwood had uploaded and showed her rapping freestyle. Norwood, who had initially thought of rapping as a hobby and fun for friends, felt encouraged by Timbaland to write and perform her own verses on at least three tracks for his album, two of which eventually made it to the track lisiting. In December 2009, the producer revealed his intentions to reteam with her on her next project, producing the bulk of an album that he envisioned to be “half singing, half rapping”. Norwood confirmed his idea in an interview she held at the release party of ''Shock Value II'': "What I'm doing on the
ext Ext, ext or EXT may refer to: * Ext functor, used in the mathematical field of homological algebra * Ext (JavaScript library), a programming library used to build interactive web applications * Exeter Airport (IATA airport code), in Devon, England ...
album is a little bit different than what everybody knows me for. Timbaland endorsed that ..He really gave me a shot to be different and be versatile. I can't thank him enough for that. This is a wonderful opportunity." Though Norwood went on to record several other rap songs the following months and hoped it would eventually lead to a signing with Timbaland's
Mosley Music Group Mosley Music Group (MMG) is a record label founded and formed by producer Tim "Timbaland" Mosley. Founded in 2006, the imprint is distributed exclusively by Interscope Records and Def Jam Recordings. History The label was created after Timbala ...
, plans for hip hop-oriented album under his imprint were eventually abandoned as the singer felt the sound would not aim at her core audience. Approached on the subject, she later dismissed the idea of recording a rap album, stating that “it was a hobby. I was convinced to do it professionally, which I never should have listened to that advice.” After unveiling her new record deal in August 2011, Norwood finally revealed that she had found her sound for ''Two Eleven'', stating: "What I'm truly excited about is how the album is all about R&B and figuring out the new sound of R&B, and that was the challenge for me. I wanted to do something different – I didn't want to just sing about love over regular beats". Norwood also stated how Frank Ocean inspired her on this album: "We've always had that great chemistry, and we both understand music in the same ways, to work with him on this album was great as well, and I hope I can get in he studiowith him some more because his music is just so moving; I'm inspired by him. I think he's a great artist and he hasn't even touched on what he will touch on in the future". Speaking to ''Billboard'' magazine she said "I think the fans have been very patient with me, but I just wanted to make sure that this album was right – the right type of music, the right core. I feel like we're getting to that point where I felt comfortable with putting something out." Speaking of the types of records she was making, in a separate interview with ''Rap-Up'', Norwood compared her album to previous records. "It's just gonna be a different album, but of course expressing the love that I feel now and the struggles and different situations that I’ve gone through in the past,... My music always tends to be the soundtrack to my life and definitely inspired by what I see other people go through as well—gritty, edgy, different." Then touching the subject matter of songs on the album, Norwood said she felt like the past failures in her life should be addressed,


Recording and production

Norwood began recording the album in early 2009 with her then-record label
Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...
. Among those to first work with the singer were
Ne-Yo Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1979), known professionally as Ne-Yo, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, dancer, and record producer. He gained fame for his songwriting abilities when he penned Mario's 2004 hit " Let Me Love You ...
, Stargate, and production and songwriting duo
Tricky Stewart Christopher Alan "Tricky" Stewart (born January 4, 1974) is an American record producer, record executive, songwriter, and music publisher. In a career spanning over 30 years, Stewart has won 5 Grammys and is responsible for over 50 million rec ...
and
The-Dream Terius Youngdell Nash (born September 20, 1977), better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. His co-writing credits include songs with "Me Against the Music" (2003) for Britney Spears, " Rid ...
. The duo produced the record " Louboutins" for Norwood but after losing her record deal it was re-recorded by actress and singer
Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
for her album ''
Love? ''Love?'' is the seventh studio album by American singer Jennifer Lopez. It was released on April 29, 2011, by Island Records. Produced during the pregnancy of her twins Emme and Max, ''Love?'' was cited by Lopez as her most personal album to ...
'' (2011). Another record which Norwood recorded under Epic was titled "Decisions", which was produced by Stargate and featured guest vocals from American R&B singer-songwriter
Ne-Yo Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1979), known professionally as Ne-Yo, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, dancer, and record producer. He gained fame for his songwriting abilities when he penned Mario's 2004 hit " Let Me Love You ...
. The record was reclaimed and eventually recorded by upcoming girl group
RichGirl RichGirl was an American R&B vocal girl group consisting of four members: Audra Simmons, Christina "Brave" Williams, Kristal Lyndriette Smith (then known as Lyndriette and now known as Kristal, a member of June's Diary) and Amber Streeter (n ...
for their debut mixtape ''
Fall in Love with RichGirl ''Fall in Love with RichGirl'' is the debut Mixtape#Mixtapes in hip hop, mixtape by Contemporary R&B, R&B girl group RichGirl. The mixtape serves as the first official release by the group that pertains to anything concerning an album release. The ...
'' (2011). By late 2009, the singer resumed recording, this time with a duo called The Chase (consisting of Kadis and Sean). In early 2010, Norwood stated that she wanted to work with
will.i.am William James Adams Jr. (born March 15, 1975), known professionally as will.i.am (pronounced "Will-I-am"), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is the founding and lead member of the musical group Black Eyed Peas. ...
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) ...
. Throughout 2010, Norwood continued recording independently with a variety of musicians, including producers Danja,
Clinton Sparks Clinton Charls Sparks (born September 18, 1975) is an American Disc jockey, DJ, record producer, songwriter and singer from Boston, Massachusetts. He initially started his career as a rapper, dancer, producer, and DJ who gained notoriety by maki ...
, The Jam, Corey Gibson and songwriter
Stacy Barthe Stacy or Stacey may refer to: Places In the United States: * Stacy, California, an unincorporated community * Stacy, Kentucky * Stacy, Minnesota, a city * Stacy, Virginia, a village People * Stacy (given name) * Stacy (singer) (born 199 ...
. Some of this was chronicled on her VH1 reality series '' Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business'', which originally aired from April 2010 to February 2011 and spawned a soundtrack of the same name (2011), on which some of the tracks were included. During early conceptions of the album, Norwood had wanted to reunite with
Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins Rodney Roy Jerkins (born July 29, 1977), also known by his stage name Darkchild, is an American record producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has collaborated with a broad range of popular artists. Jerkins has won multiple Grammy Awards. Among hi ...
–her longtime collaborator who had executively produced ''
Human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...
'' (2008). However, midway through 2009, during an interview with '' Out'' magazine, Norwood refused to talk about ''Human'', telling interviews "to hell with that album" when questions were asked about it. It wasn't until 2010 when Norwood would break her silence during an episode of her VH1 reality TV show ''Brandy and Ray J: A Family Business''. During one of the episodes when her brother
Ray J William Ray Norwood Jr. (born January 17, 1981), known professionally as Ray J, is an American singer, actor, and television personality. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Carson, California, he is the younger brother of recording a ...
announces that he wants to work with Darkchild, Norwood reveals that she felt the producer "did not put his all into the album", and that "was a personal issue between me and him." Elaborating on what she meant, Norwood replied "You know what kind of chemistry Rodney and I have too, but on some personal issues, he doesn't deliver.....I don't want the same thing that happened to me, to happen to you.". In September 2010, producer Bangladesh confirmed that he had been commissioned by Norwood to helm the production of the entire project, though Norwood later expressed her intent to further connect with several producers, including
Jim Beanz James David Washington (born August 26, 1980), known professionally as Jim BEANZ, is an American vocal producer, songwriter, actor, singer and record producer from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He is signed to Timbaland Productions and Sunset Enterta ...
,
WyldCard Kendrick Jevon Dean (also known as Wyldcard) is an American record producer, songwriter and entrepreneur. He has produced or written for 7 GRAMMY Nominated albums to date. Some of his hits include Chris Brown's "Say Goodbye" (Billboard #1), Mar ...
, newcomer
Kevin McCall Kevin Lamar McCall Jr. (born July 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his association with fellow singer Chris Brown. McCall signed to Brown in a joint venture with RCA Records in 2012. He was fe ...
,
Lonny Bereal Joseph A. "Lonny" Bereal is an American R&B singer, songwriter and producer. He is also a member of Flipmode Squad with other rappers such as Busta Rhymes, Spliff Star and Reek da Villian. Career Bereal is the cousin of songwriter and produ ...
,
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 ...
, production collectives The Woodworks and The Runners, and singer
Sean Garrett Garrett Robin Hamler, known professionally as Sean Garrett, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is responsible for a series of chart-topping compositions, most notably Usher's " Yeah!" which ranks second on the ''Billboa ...
who worked on nine songs for the album.
Hit-Boy Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr. (born May 21, 1987), better known by his stage name Hit-Boy, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. In May 2011, he had signed a two-year deal with Kanye West's GOOD Music production branch. ...
who had previously worked with
Frank Ocean Christopher Francis "Frank" Ocean (born Christopher Edwin Breaux; October 28, 1987), is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper. His works are noted by music critics for featuring avant-garde styles and introspective, elliptical lyrics. Ocean ...
on Norwood's ''Human'' album returned to production on ''Two Eleven'' with the ballad "White Flag", which discusses "emotional defeat". However it was excluded from the final track listing. Norwood's collaboration with
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals * A male duck People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name * Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * ...
was a song written by James Fauntleroy and produced by
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; however it failed to come to fruition. A press release from
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 ...
announced that Breyon Prescott was overseeing the album with productions by the aforementioned producers as well as
Mario Winans Mario Mendell Winans ( Brown; born August 29, 1974) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer best known for his 2004 song " I Don't Wanna Know", which reached number 2 in the United States and number 1 in the United Kingdom. Wina ...
and writing from
Ester Dean Esther Renay Dean (born April 15, 1986) is an American singer, songwriter, music producer and actress. Dean has also written songs for many artists, with numerous Top 10 hits, including No. 1 hits for Rihanna and Katy Perry, earning the name " ...
. Despite Prescott stating that
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 ...
was in the studios crafting a song for the album, Norwood revealed on August 29, 2012, that the album was complete and that time didn't allow for her and the producer to work together.


Music and lyrics

During the album's listening party on August 20, 2012 at Germano Studios in
Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
, New York, ''Two Eleven''s executive producer Breyon Prescott revealed that there would be fifteen songs on the final track listing. Eleven of the songs were previewed at the album party but not all were completely mixed, mastered or finished. The album's first single " Put It Down" featuring
Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to '' Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempo ...
has a distinctly hip-hop flavour, with Norwood taking on her "rap-singing" vocal performance she last used when assuming her persona of Bran'Nu on
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 ...
's album ''
Shock Value II ''Shock Value II'' is the third studio album by American record producer Timbaland. It serves as the sequel to ''Shock Value''. Initially slated for a 2008 release, the project was pushed into 2009 and tentatively confirmed for November 23, 2009 ...
'' (2009). The song is built around a "mid-tempo thumping production" courtesy of Bangladesh. Its co-writer and co-producer
Sean Garrett Garrett Robin Hamler, known professionally as Sean Garrett, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is responsible for a series of chart-topping compositions, most notably Usher's " Yeah!" which ranks second on the ''Billboa ...
revealed that "Put It Down" was a "good segway" to what the rest of the album would sound like. By contrast not all of Garrett's songs follow the same flow. The album's second single, titled " Wildest Dreams", was also written by Garrett, but this time produced by The Bizzness. An introspective ballad, "Wildest Dreams" speaks about Norwood's losing out emotionally. Lyrics include the line "Never in my wildest dreams did I think someone could care 'bout me/ Not just the way you love me, but you know I'm emotional (sometimes)." During the course of the song, Norwood mentions herself several times, over the "thawacking percussion" and production. Prescott stated that on ''Two Eleven'', Norwood's vocals return to a multi-layered style like those present on previous songs " Angel in Disguise", "
Full Moon The full moon is the lunar phase when the Moon appears fully illuminated from Earth's perspective. This occurs when Earth is located between the Sun and the Moon (when the ecliptic coordinate system, ecliptic longitudes of the Sun and Moon opp ...
" and " Afrodisiac". These are present on another ballad on ''Two Eleven'' called "Without You", which was originally crafted for singer
Alicia Keys Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. A classically trained pianist, Keys started composing songs when she was 12 and was signed at 15 years old by Col ...
. Initially tipped by Norwood as an early contender for the second or third single, ''
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 Andrew Hamp said "Without You" showcases Norwood's "strong vocals" with a "confident" attitude. It drew comparisons to " Enough of No Love" by
Keyshia Cole Keyshia Myeshia Cole Johnson; born October 15, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Born and raised in Oakland, California, Cole began her career as a backing vocalist for MC Hammer. After signing with A&M Records ...
, both Cole's song and Norwood's song were produced by Harmony Samuels. Touching on similar subject, "No Such Thing As too Late" sees Norwood talking about the emotions of a new relationship. Lyrics include the line "When you really love somebody / you can wait / 'cause there's no such thing as too late." This goes hand-in-hand with another song "Hardly Breathing", where Norwood speaks of the anguish of having her partner leave. Both of the songs were written and produced by
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, ...
and
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 ...
. R&B singer-songwriter
Frank Ocean Christopher Francis "Frank" Ocean (born Christopher Edwin Breaux; October 28, 1987), is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper. His works are noted by music critics for featuring avant-garde styles and introspective, elliptical lyrics. Ocean ...
wrote the ballad "
Scared of Beautiful "Scared of Beautiful" is a song by American recording artist Brandy Norwood from her sixth studio album, ''Two Eleven'' (2012). It was written by Frank Ocean, Warryn Campbell and Breyon Prescott while production was handled by Campbell and Prescott ...
" for the album. Ocean previously co-wrote "1st & Love" and "Locket (Locked in Love)" with Rich King for Norwood's ''
Human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...
'' (2008) album. "Scared of Beautiful" was originally conceived as a duet between Norwood and Ocean, and features the duo exchanging lyrics about looking forwards and not backwards, with lines such as "I wonder why there's no mirrors on these walls no more/ You can't tell me why you're so terrified of beautiful". However the final version features just Norwood. Speaking on how the song came about Norwood said, "Well, he had the song for a while and when I heard it, it really just spoke to me. Sometimes you get to a point in your life where you're scared to be great, you're scared to be beautiful, you're scared to be the best version of you and you talk to yourself and you try to get yourself back on track. I just remember feeling like that at a point in my life. I know there are so many people out there that go through that dark time and I felt like it could speak to a lot of people." Singer turned producer
Mario Winans Mario Mendell Winans ( Brown; born August 29, 1974) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer best known for his 2004 song " I Don't Wanna Know", which reached number 2 in the United States and number 1 in the United Kingdom. Wina ...
, wrote and produced a song for the album called "Wish Your Love Away" where Norwood sings with angst for her lover "who played her like a fool". Centred around a melody of "serrated drums" and a "piping"
pan flute A pan flute (also known as panpipes or syrinx) is a musical instrument based on the principle of the closed tube, consisting of multiple pipes of gradually increasing length (and occasionally girth). Multiple varieties of pan flutes have been ...
Norwood singles "Remember that you told me you were with it, and all them other bitches you could do without." " Do You Know What You Have?", helmed by Mike WiLL Made It, switches direction, with Norwood firing back at her love. In the lyrics she "cuts down her man for failing to return her affections." The subject content changes slightly on the Bangladesh-helmed "So Sick", another record which was written by Garrett. On the song, Norwood addresses a lover who pushes her too far and "violating her trust", it includes the lyrics "How far do you think I'll let you push me before I cross the line?". Not all of the songs are mid-tempo or ballads, Bangladesh also produced a song called "Let Me Go" which Hammp described as an "up-tempo club song." On the chorus, Norwood sings "You know how I get when you let me go", and later in the song she makes reference to
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and her mother. The song interpolates "Tonight" by Swedish pop singer
Lykke Li Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson (born 18 March 1986), known as Lykke Li (), is a Swedish singer. Her music often blends elements of indie pop, dream pop and Electronic music, electronic. Her debut studio album, ''Youth Novels'', was released in 2008 ...
.
Deluxe edition The terms special edition, limited edition, and variants such as deluxe edition, or collector's edition, are used as a marketing incentive for various kinds of products, originally published products related to the arts, such as books, prints, r ...
bonus track "Can You Hear Me Now?”, producer Danja's sole contribution on ''Two Eleven'', works up an extended musical foreplay around a single mind-numbing groove. Built around an instrumental that was originally produced for
Diddy – Dirty Money Diddy – Dirty Money was a musical duo consisting of singer-songwriters and dancers Dawn Richard and Kalenna Harper in 2009; both artists having been signed to Bad Boy Entertainment.Sherwin, Adam (2010)Preview: Hello, Good Morning from Diddy ...
's 2010 album ''
Last Train to Paris ''Last Train to Paris'' is a 2010 studio album by American rapper and record producer Diddy and American R&B and hip hop duo Dirty Money, billed collectively as "Diddy – Dirty Money". It was released on December 14, 2010, by Bad Boy Records ...
'', it was re-constructed by Love for Norwood. Danja used heavy
vocoding A vocoder (, a portmanteau of ''voice'' and ''encoder'') is a category of speech coding that analyzes and synthesizes the human voice signal for audio data compression, multiplexing, voice encryption or voice transformation. The vocoder was i ...
during production of the song.


Title and artwork

The album's title, ''Two Eleven'', is a reference to both Norwood's birthday and the day her idol and mentor, entertainer
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...
, died in 2012. Norwood declared selecting a title a "tough decision." About the title, she stated: "Some of the titles I was working with were ''Rebirth'', ''Reincarnation'', ''Reinvention'', ''Resurrection'' ..I just felt like ''Two Eleven'' describes all of that. It's the day I was born, and each year, I evolve and change with time. It also has a whole new meaning to it because I gained my angel. My icon is my angel now. It's all tied in there and I just think it best represents who I am and the responsibilities I have moving on." Dismissing ongoing reproaches, that she was "trying to use the passing of Whitney Houston to sell records", Norwood remarked that the title was nothing but a homage: "I need for everybody to know that, if it wasn't for Whitney Houston, there would be no me, because she was the possibility for me. She was the vision of my dreams actually coming true, and she meant everything to me." The album's cover artwork, photographed by Gomillion & Leupold, was revealed on August 29, 2012. The deluxe edition's cover is entirely identical to the standard edition's but is tinged yellow.


Release and promotion

Initially, the album was due to be released in March 2012 according to ''Billboard''. In November 2011, Sean Garrett announced through ''Rap-Up'' that he wrote and co-produced the album's first single, which he expected to be released before December 25, 2011 and was to feature a rapper. Plans fell through and the song was eventually pushed back to avoid clashing with the release of Norwood's collaboration with former rival Monica, the song "
It All Belongs to Me "It All Belongs to Me" is a duet by American recording artists Monica and Brandy. Written and produced by Rico Love, Earl Hood, and Eric Goudy II, the track originally belonged to R. Kelly. He then gave the song to Monica and the label presented ...
", taken from Monica's 2012 album '' New Life''. Following the delays in the release of "Put it Down", May 2012 was announced as a second release date. In March 2012, Norwood revealed the album's title as ''Two Eleven'' and announced that the album would arrive in June; it went on to be postponed to August 28, then to October 2, and then finally to October 15. On July 18, Norwood performed "Put It Down" for the first time at the
Howard Theatre The Howard Theatre is a historic theater, located at 620 T Street, Northwest, Washington, D.C. Opened in 1910, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. In its heyday, the theater was known for catering to an African- ...
in Washington, D.C. The first televised performance of the song occurred at the
MDA Show of Strength The ''MDA Labor Day Telethon'' was an annual telethon held on (starting the night before and throughout) Labor Day in the United States to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). The Muscular Dystrophy Association was founded i ...
benefit concert, which aired on September 2. In October, Norwood performed the song on television shows '' 106 & Park'', ''
Good Morning America ''Good Morning America'' (often abbreviated as ''GMA'') is an American morning television program that is broadcast on ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends with the debut of a Sunday edition on January 3, 1993. Th ...
'' and ''
Live with Kelly and Michael ''Live with Kelly and Ryan'' (or simply ''Live'') is an American syndicated morning talk show hosted by Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest. Executive produced by Michael Gelman, the ''Live with...'' show formula has aired under various hosts since ...
''. Norwood performed the song, along with the album's second single "Wildest Dreams", at the ''
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve ''Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve'' (''NYRE'') is an annual New Year's Eve television special broadcast by ABC. The special broadcasts primarily from New York City's Times Square and prominently features coverage of its annual ball drop ev ...
'' special on January 1, 2013, being the only R&B performer at the event. In February, Norwood performed "Without You"–originally scheduled for release as the album's third single–at
The BET Honors The BET Honors were established in 2008 by the Black Entertainment Television network to respect the lives and achievements of African-American luminaries. The awards will be presented annually and broadcast on BET during Black History Month. Ce ...
.


Singles

On April 12, 2012, Norwood confirmed she was going to release " Put It Down", featuring fellow R&B singer
Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to '' Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempo ...
, as the album's
lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release s ...
. Produced by Bangladesh, Norwood described the song as "very commercial, but at the same time, it's got a dope hip-hop influence—it's club, it's radio, it's all formats ..it's uptempo, it's really different." The song premiered on April 26, 2012, and was made available for purchase as a digital download on May 4, 2012. "Put It Down" first entered the US
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 ...
at number 98 and eventually peaked at number three, marking Norwood's highest-charting entry since " What About Us?", the lead single from her third studio album ''
Full Moon The full moon is the lunar phase when the Moon appears fully illuminated from Earth's perspective. This occurs when Earth is located between the Sun and the Moon (when the ecliptic coordinate system, ecliptic longitudes of the Sun and Moon opp ...
'' (2002), had peaked at number two a decade before. "Put It Down" also reached number 65 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. In July 2012, during an interview with Angie Ange on 93.9 WKYS radio, Norwood said that two songs were in contention to become the second single. While Norwood favored "Without You", Chameleon and RCA wanted to release the
Sean Garrett Garrett Robin Hamler, known professionally as Sean Garrett, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is responsible for a series of chart-topping compositions, most notably Usher's " Yeah!" which ranks second on the ''Billboa ...
-produced "So Sick" first and then service "Without You" as the third single from ''Two Eleven''. However, at an album listening party at Germano Studios in Manhattan, it was revealed that The Bizness-produced " Wildest Dreams" would serve as the album's second single. "Wildest Dreams" premiered online on August 21, 2012, and was released for digital download on August 28, 2012. Serviced to
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 ...
radio stations on September 11, 2012, it peaked at number 68 on the US
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 and was seen as a commercial failure compared to "Put It Down". In an interview with '' Rap-Up'', Norwood stated that she would like the third single to be the
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 ...
and
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, ...
-helmed "No Such Thing as Too Late." Garrett also tipped a song he produced, "Let Me Go", for the album's third single release. However, during
The BET Honors The BET Honors were established in 2008 by the Black Entertainment Television network to respect the lives and achievements of African-American luminaries. The awards will be presented annually and broadcast on BET during Black History Month. Ce ...
in February 2013, "Without You" was introduced as Norwood's new single and she performed the song live for the first time. It remained unreleased, however. After the release of ''Two Eleven'',
urban contemporary Urban contemporary music, also known as urban music, hip hop, urban pop, or just simply urban, is a music radio format. The term was coined by New York radio DJ Frankie Crocker in the early to mid-1970s as a synonym for Black music. Urban contem ...
radio stations began playing "Do You Know What You Have?" and "Wish Your Love Away", which resulted in them peaking at numbers 61 and 66 on the US
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (previously known as Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay) is a chart published by ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks the top R&B and hip hop songs in the United States, based on audience impressions from a panel of radio stations monitored ...
chart, respectively. "
Scared of Beautiful "Scared of Beautiful" is a song by American recording artist Brandy Norwood from her sixth studio album, ''Two Eleven'' (2012). It was written by Frank Ocean, Warryn Campbell and Breyon Prescott while production was handled by Campbell and Prescott ...
" also charted at number 48 on the South Korean International Singles Chart, based on downloads alone.


Critical reception

''Two Eleven'' became Norwood's most critically acclaimed album at the time of its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a rated mean out of 100 from mainstream critics, the album received a score of 77, which indicates "generally favorable reviews." Andy Kellman of
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 ...
wrote that Norwood "took something of a risk by breaking from her norm and working with numerous songwriters and producers" and remarked that the strategy "paid off." He found adding that "Brandy, a superior vocalist ignored or disregarded by many ..released one of her best albums. She should not be taken for granted." Steve Jones, writing for ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'', considered ''Two Eleven'' Norwood's "most impassioned album in years. Whether she's overjoyed with a new love or ready to be shut of an old one, her heart seems like an open book." Fekadu from ''
San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. de ...
'' stated, "Not many singers have released six consistently amazing albums. Brandy has. Her newest is a collection of R&B songs that are personal, flavored and fantastic. The album doesn't miss a beat, as Brandy's raspy-yet-earthy tone weaves into each song's beat nicely to create outstanding tracks that will have you listening again and again." ''
People A person (plural, : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of pr ...
'' declared ''Two Eleven'' "her best work since 2004's career high '' Afrodisiac''" and wrote, "full of subtle, sensual pleasures, the album unfolds at a slow-to-midtempo pace and stays there for most of the time, even when incorporating hip-hop or electronica beats." Andrew Chan from
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
commented that while ''Two Eleven'' was "touted as progressive R&B, it doesn't exactly redefine the singer as a visionary. What's refreshing about this new work, though, is how it clears a place for her in the realm of forward-thinking urban music while also reaching back to clarify her distinctive position in the diva pantheon." He called the record "the clearest portrait yet of Brandy's instrument", praising the "unusual tone
f her voice F, or f, is the sixth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''ef'' (pronounced ), and the plural is ''efs''. His ...
its strange mix of warmth and cold, hard edges", and felt that the album revealed a "contradictory admiration for ..
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals * A male duck People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name * Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * ...
,
Frank Ocean Christopher Francis "Frank" Ocean (born Christopher Edwin Breaux; October 28, 1987), is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper. His works are noted by music critics for featuring avant-garde styles and introspective, elliptical lyrics. Ocean ...
, and
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
circa ''
808s & Heartbreak ''808s & Heartbreak'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Kanye West. It was released by Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records on November 24, 2008, having been recorded earlier that year in September and October at Glenwood Studi ...
''". Ken Capobianco of ''
The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' believed that with ''Two Eleven'' "Brandy delivers one of her better sets with these songs tracking love's mysterious ways ..Unlike some past efforts, which sounded like musical wallpaper, there's swagger to the club tracks and real soul in the ballads." Andrew Hampp, writing for ''
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 ...
'', felt that the album "features some of her freshest beats since 2004's experimental, critically adored '' Afrodisiac''" and summed it as "a collection of old-school R&B songs with a modern, often futuristic twist with no trend-chasing experiments with
EDM EDM or E-DM may refer to: Music * Electronic dance music * Early Day Miners, American band Science and technology * Electric dipole moment * Electrical discharge machining * Electronic distance measurement *Entry, Descent, and landing demonstrat ...
", calling it "her most focused album since 1998's '' Never Say Never''." ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
''s Tanner Stransky called the album "a well-crafted for-the-fans album. Ignore what's pushed to pop radio. Brandy scores when her raspy-sweet voice soars during ballads and slow jams, and that's what stands out on this intimate, often ethereal collection." He gave the album a B+ rating. Sarah Godfrey from ''
Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' complimented the songs on the album and wrote that the album "serves as a fine tribute
o friend and mentor Whitney Houston O, or o, is the fifteenth letter and the fourth vowel letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''o'' (pronounced ), pl ...
in part because it is a testament to the fact that, despite whatever trends are happening in popular music right now, a good voice always shines through." ''
Vibe ''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down producti ...
'' noted that "experimentation can spell struggle for some artists, but ''Two Eleven'' finds Brandy cruising fluidly past the predictable. Swinging from OVO-worthy emo-ethereal reflections to quirky up-tempos, the 18-year vet deviates from overdone slow-tempo production." Rich Juzwiak from ''
Gawker ''Gawker'' is an American blog founded by Nick Denton and Elizabeth Spiers and based in New York City focusing on celebrities and the media industry. According to SimilarWeb, the site had over 23 million visits per month as of 2015. Founded in ...
'' felt that ''Two Eleven'' "doesn't sound any younger or older than Brandy is. It's not obtusely hip or desperately serious. It just is, it's just now and it's just right." Less enthusiastic with the album, Noah Berlatsky from ''
The Atlantic ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...
'' felt the songs on the album were "worse than the largely ignored ''
Human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...
'', but better than the beloved-yet-boring 2002 ''
Full Moon The full moon is the lunar phase when the Moon appears fully illuminated from Earth's perspective. This occurs when Earth is located between the Sun and the Moon (when the ecliptic coordinate system, ecliptic longitudes of the Sun and Moon opp ...
''," and added, that "but such parsing seems mostly beside the point. If you're one of the dwindling number of fans of this '90s style, you know what you're getting; if not you'll probably skip it anyway."


Accolades

, - ! scope="row",
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
,
Soul Train Music Award The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards show which previously aired in national broadcast syndication, and honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the makers of ''Soul Train'', the pro ...
, Best Collaboration , " Put It Down" , ,


Commercial performance

''Two Eleven'' debuted at number three on the US ''Billboard'' 200 and atop the
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, with first-week sales of 65,000 copies—less than Norwood's previous effort ''
Human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...
'' (2008), which had first-week sales of 73,000 copies. However, this marked her fourth top-ten album on the ''Billboard'' 200, as well as her second number-one album on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, following her third studio album ''
Full Moon The full moon is the lunar phase when the Moon appears fully illuminated from Earth's perspective. This occurs when Earth is located between the Sun and the Moon (when the ecliptic coordinate system, ecliptic longitudes of the Sun and Moon opp ...
'' (2002). In its second week, the album sold additional 22,000 copies, falling to number ten on the ''Billboard'' 200. By November 2012, ''Two Eleven'' had sold 110,700 copies in the United States, and went on to finish 52nd on ''Billboard''s 2012 Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums year-end chart. In October 2013, ''
Sister 2 Sister ''Sister 2 Sister'' was a monthly U.S. four-color women's magazine devoted to the world of African-American entertainment. It was in circulation between 1988 and 2014. History and profile ''Sister 2 Sister'' was established in 1988. Jamie Foster ...
'' magazine confirmed that the album had "sold around 180,000 copies."


Track listing

;Notes * denotes co-producer ;Sample credits * "Slower" contains a sample from
Flourescences
as performed by Anglo-French pop band
Stereolab Stereolab are an Anglo- French avant-pop band formed in London in 1990. Led by the songwriting team of Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier, the group's music combines influences from krautrock, lounge and 1960s pop music, often incorporating a repetit ...
. *"Let Me Go" interpolates "Tonight" as performed by Swedish singer
Lykke Li Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson (born 18 March 1986), known as Lykke Li (), is a Swedish singer. Her music often blends elements of indie pop, dream pop and Electronic music, electronic. Her debut studio album, ''Youth Novels'', was released in 2008 ...
. *"Wish Your Love Away" contains a sample from " Seven Samurai: Ending Theme" as performed by Japanese composer
Ryuichi Sakamoto is a Japanese composer, pianist, singer, record producer and actor who has pursued a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO). With his bandmates Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi, Sakamoto i ...
.


Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Two Eleven''. * Dwayne "Dem Jointz" Abernathy Jr. – backing vocals, programming *Tony Aliperti – guitar *Diego Avendaño – assistant *
Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to '' Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempo ...
 – vocals *Nathan Burgess – assistant *
Warryn Campbell Warryn Stafford Campbell, Jr. (born August 21, 1975) is an American record producer. He has worked with a number of gospel, hip hop and R&B artists. Campbell originally got his start as a session musician and producer under the tutelage of DJ ...
 – producer *Shondrae "Mr. Bangladesh" Crawford – producer *Sheika Daily – make-up, hair styling *Alex Dilliplane – assistant *Peter Edge – executive producer *
Sean Garrett Garrett Robin Hamler, known professionally as Sean Garrett, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is responsible for a series of chart-topping compositions, most notably Usher's " Yeah!" which ranks second on the ''Billboa ...
 – producer *Conrad Golding – producer *Gomillion & Leupold – photography *Erwin Gorostiza – creative director *Eric Goudy II – keyboard, programming *Francis Graham – engineer *Trehy Harris – assistant *Earl Hood – keyboard, programming *Matt Huber – assistant *Brandon James – instrumentation *Brandon Ramon Johnson – producer *
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, ...
 – producer, programming *
Jaycen Joshua Jaycen Joshua is a mix engineer and music producer who owns the revered Canton House Studios in Studio City, California. Joshua started his mix career in 2005 when he became partners with his mentor Dave Pensado and formed The Penua Project. Joshu ...
 – mixing *Kimberly Kimble – hair styling *Carlos King – engineer *Dave Kitch – mastering *
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 ...
 – backing vocals, producer *Fabian Marasciullo – mixing *Robert Marks – mixing *Nikolas Marzouca – engineer *Thurston McCrea – engineering assistant *Pierre Medor – engineer, producer, vocal engineer, keyboard, programming *Mike "Snotty" Miller – engineer *Danny Morris – keyboard *
Brandy Norwood Brandy Rayana Norwood (born February 11, 1979), better known by her mononym Brandy, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actress and model. She is known for her distinctive sound, characterized by her peculiar timbre, voice-layer ...
 – lead vocals, backing vocals, vocal producer, arranger, executive producer *P-Nasty – producer *Michael Piazza – engineer *Breyon Prescott – producer, executive producer *Ryan Ramsey – artist management *Dana Richard – assistant *Andy Rodriguez – assistant *
Frank Romano Frank Romano is an American born guitarist, songwriter and record producer, influenced by a number of musical styles and backgrounds. Career Currently based in Nashville, Tennessee, Romano grew up in a musical family in the suburbs of Clevel ...
 – guitar *Harmony "H-Money" Samuels – producer, instrumentation *Cody Sciara – assistant *Jenke Ahmed Taily – creative director *The Bizness – producer *Ashley Sean Thomas – styling * Mike Will – producer *
Mario Winans Mario Mendell Winans ( Brown; born August 29, 1974) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer best known for his 2004 song " I Don't Wanna Know", which reached number 2 in the United States and number 1 in the United Kingdom. Wina ...
 – producer, instrumentation


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Release history


See also

* List of ''Billboard'' number-one R&B albums of 2012


References


External links


Official website
{{Authority control 2012 albums Brandy Norwood albums RCA Records albums Albums produced by Bangladesh (record producer) Albums produced by Danja (record producer) Albums produced by Jim Jonsin Albums produced by Rico Love Hip hop albums by American artists Albums produced by Hit-Boy Albums produced by Mike Will Made It Albums produced by Harmony Samuels