R&B is back! Real R&B is back.

You can tell quite quickly once you begin to indulge into Black Rose that Tyrese has matured. It’s honest, it’s powerful and most of all, it has a lot of soul. You can really sense the deep and enormous heart Tyrese gives in this album. I cannot compliment it enough.

The most incredible thing about Black Rose is Tyrese’s fight for people to listen. He posted video upon video, went into store upon store to check stock levels, and preached the idea that the world needs an album like this. He’s not wrong. He also went on about wanting the album to reach number one on Billboards Top 200; not because he’s desperate for money or fame. That, he already has. But because he wants everybody to understand what true artistry is, and wants the world to open up their hearts again. If Black Rose doesn’t do that, I don’t know what will.

Unfortunately, for Australia, this sound is right over our heads. It won’t get the well deserved airplay on radio, and you won’t hear about it on Australian talk shows. Australian radio is still confused by what R&B and Soul actually is.

Unfortunately, the way the Urban industries going, if a song isn’t talking about big booties, heavy partying, how much money the artist has or God forbid it has any meaning at all, and isn’t accompanied with a video with half naked women twerking and money being thrown in the air, and to add further insult to R&B, it isn’t R&B at all but is classified as such, it does not have longevity. That is the saddest thing of all when you really think about the music industry today. Tyrese is also right when he says that it takes a white man to make Soul music and give it the airplay it deserves (i.e. Sam Smith.) Not that Sam Smith doesn’t deserve the recognition, and isn’t a talented man. He is incredible and has done well to stand in this industry alone, but you need to delve real deep into the history of R&B and Soul to get why Tyrese is offended.

Politics aside, let’s talk about how incredible and inspiring this album is.
Black Rose is a monster of an album. It is consistent, with each song holding dominance on its own. I love how Tyrese has taken his time with each song. Every message is being heard. Every feeling will be felt. As I already said, Tyrese and this sound is a lot more mature than anything we have heard from him in the past. You can expect a higher level of experience and maturity considering what he has been through recently. What I hear in this album is the deep sadness that was caused by the death of a close friend and his fellow Fast & Furious co-star, Paul Walker. There is also the tale of hurt he caused to the mother of his child due to infidelity. There is so much growth with every lyric. We see and feel the pain Tyrese has. So therefore, from tragedy, loss and heartbreak, a soul was nurtured and a new perspective in life shined.

And with that message and personal push from Tyrese himself, this album became number one on Billboards Top 200, but not for long enough.

The album starts off with Addict. It’s a cool R&B warm up that picks the interest and gives an insight to what’s to come. Body Language does something similar. Don’t Want to Look Back is another part of that cool R&B family and features Chrisette Michele. But, the best of all that takes us back to that 90s style R&B we heard from the likes of The Fugees and Mary J Blige is Dumb S*** which features a 90s legend in Snoop Dogg and Black Ty, and Picture Perfect which is just lovely. Together they are funky and get that head bopping without you even noticing.

If you hadn’t seen the video to Shame already, you would probably already picture that smoky underground club, with Tyrese alone on the stage with a small band pouring his heart and tears into the mic. Jennifer Hudson applies some powerful background vocals here, too.

Leave is where you will truly notice the real instruments being used right throughout this album. You got your top hat, grand piano and bass. The instruments create a sense of reality, because nothing on this album is fabricated. Waiting on You takes you straight to church with a soulful organ sound. From these songs, we hear the pain and the desperate cry out to the person he is singing to. Otis Redding would be a proud supporter of this album with tracks like this, I would think.

Prior to You which features Tyrese’s old TGT bandmate Tank, takes us back to K-Ci and JoJo. Both vocals are progressive and beautiful. You also get a sense of that doo-wop style.

Without My Heart is by far the darkest and my most favourite. The progression in this song is mesmerising. The slow piano, the thumping drum, the vocal that grows more powerful and haunting; it’s something out of a medieval battle. Last time I felt so mesmerised by a song like this was with The Mask of Zorro hit from Marc Anthony and Tina Arena, I Want to Spend My Lifetime Loving You. I get goose bumps every time I listen to this song. It’s almost brain washing. Without My Heart does the same.

Gonna Give You What You Need gives off that Boys II Men style, especially with the deep speech. It prompts us once again that Tyrese is trying to remind people what R&B is. This comes with When We Make Love as well. What is an R&B album without a song about making love? But, we need to remember, this is old school sounds. He will not talk about ‘fucking’ a woman; he will talk about how much he admires every bit of her and wants nothing more but to pleasure her. It’s tasteful and respectful.

Rest of Our Lives is so refreshing to hear. Brandy hands us the female vocals. It’s a romantic ballad that makes you wonder, when was the last time you heard a romantic, R&B, ballad duet? Last one I could think of was in something like, 2000. No one makes a track like this anymore, and I am so glad we finally have another song couples can use as their first dance as husband and wife.

I Still Do is a fitting finale to what was an incredible journey with Black Rose. Most of this song is just a powerful message supported with nothing but a piano, which eventually follows with some finger clicking.

I have nothing negative to say about any of these tracks. These songs are lyrically interesting and inspiring, non-discriminative, consistent throughout, vocally strong, it has harmonies for days and damn it if I don’t say it, it’s perfect.

I am not even hesitating. Tyrese’s Black Rose is worth a lot more than 5 out of 5. Australia wake up, get your heads out of the gutter and listen to some real music.