India DOT Arie.

I tried to like her. I really did.


But I just couldn't. I have her first album, and I like it okay, but there's so many things missing.

I don't knock her for being on the positive tip. I'm glad that somebody is teaching girls about something else other than gettin' some head from a dude or how to whine about the fact you should have cheated on his ass when you didn't.

But there are just these...things about her that i dont' like.

Let's start with the DOT in her name. India.Arie.

Why the dot?

why the damn dot, girl?

It just screams pretentious. I hear it's cuz of the way she wanted people to think about her. Like you know...that pause is like the drama or something like that. India...Arie. I don't...think so. I can't get with that kind of stuff. I like Jill Scott cuz she can be creative without being pretentious about it.

Then there's the music. Again, I love positive soul music and stuff. I dig it. It's what I normally listen to if i'm not listening to underground stuff like MF DOOM or Cannibal Ox or something like that. Progressive hip hop, you know. But she has made the same song at least four times in her career. In fact, you can blend the joints into one song and called it "My hair is not your average little thing."

In addition, the production is so basic, so booooooring i just want to cut myself.

well not that bad,

but it's like she doesn't even try to be musically innovative. For someone whose biggest inspiration is Stevie Wonder, I sure as hell don't see it in her music. I do rather enjoy the remix of "I am not my hair" with Akon. even though i also don't like Akon (something about his voice). I'm simply not impressed with the bulk of it.

I do like her voice. she can sing. But she holds back I think. Who else saw her singing Chaka Khan at the BET awards? Why doesn't she sing like that more, with more power? I always get the feeling she isn't putting her back into it. Man, if she did, I'd definitely dig her. I dig singers who put their foot into any song they sing. and she may not have a range like jill scott, but she could work her voice so much better than she does.

This isn't a hate post, I respect her. I guess as the book says, I'm just not that into her.