3.) J.Lo
(January 2001)
The Set-Up
She set everything up with her debut, showcasing this new style of Latin soul, fusing together R&B, Pop, Dance, and Latin music. It was in the spirit of the big Latin explosion (right along with Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, and even Enrique). Along comes this sophomore effort, and she was playing to her strengths once again, embracing her new name J.Lo.
The Play-by-Play
The first single “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” kicks things off with its plea for real love, not the material things in life. She shines so much more in the video, stripping down to the simple things (and yes, she literally does strip down). “I’m Real” follows as a sweet reminder of Jennifer’s signature Pop sound, so sweet, and so addictive. Then comes “Play”, co-written by Christina Milian. It’s an infectious single, somewhat like “Waiting For Tonight” part 2. And as a nine year old at the time, you can imagine my surprise with her line, “Now Mr. DJ, I’ve asked you three times. Play my mother-f***ing song!” It still is my guilty pleasure to listen to. “Walking on Sunshine” comes next and serves as my favorite song from the album, and who would have thought that Sean Combs was capable of producing such a sweet, sunny pleasure like this? It’s upbeat, infectious, and very uplifting. Jennifer then taps into her Latin side with the next two tracks, starting with “Ain’t It Funny” (a far cry from the Murder Remix that followed this single release). It’s a Paso Doble dream number, filled with a catchy hook and dramatic music. “Cariño” is next, showing off more of her sexy Latin side, and exuding so much of it! And what a clever move to mix in the English lyrics with a Spanish hook. Next comes the most forgettable song on the album, “Come Over” (one that I’m happy to place the blame on Sean Combs). But we soon forget about that and move right along with a memorable track “We Gotta Talk”. This is an amazing example of her Latin soul style, mixing in Pop with the Latin back beat. “That’s Not Me” follows with its dramatic tale of a woman who certainly isn’t willing to change just to be with her man, not willing to become one of his other girls (something sounds a lot like a personal message to Combs on this one). “Dance With Me” comes next with its seductive club groove and all. “Secretly” is a surprise for me, because she usually can’t sing well when it comes to the slower songs. Surprisingly though, she does a great job playing with the sexy side of her whisper vocals (and literally whispering certain lines within the background). It’s a seductive number, but very romantic. “I’m Gonna Be Alright” is another not so memorable moment, but it does play into her Latin soul side once again. Superstar producer Rodney Jerkins makes his way back into J.Lo’s heart in the end with the signature Darkchild sound from this time on “That’s The Way”. The last two tracks have Jennifer going full on into her Latin swing, beginning with the Spanish-written “Dame (Touch Me)” featuring Chayanne. It’s a sexy showstopper helping to close the album out with a big bang! “Si Ya Se Acabó” closes out the original album version on another high note. Then along comes the re-release later that summer with the bonus track “I’m Real” Murder Remix featuring Ja Rule. It was the perfect summer jam, playing back to Rick James’ “Mary Jane”, and definitely added another highlight to an already stellar album.
The Point
Jennifer was back in classic Latin soul prime with this effort, and certainly did her best to avoid the infamous sophomore slump. She even became the first artist to have both the number one album and the number one movie in the United States (The Wedding Planner, another favorite of mine) in the same week! It was a terrific milestone in her career overall.
The Essentials
As promised, here is the “I’m Real” remix as the highlight from the album.
Then comes the perfect first single “Love Don’t Cost a Thing”,
followed by my all-time favorite from the album “Walking on Sunshine”.
