6-7 years it's still a crappy album.

I got this album about 6 to 7 years ago and I initially didn't like it. I thought it was because the good songs were the radio singles and the rest were fillers or that maybe I had to give some songs some time to sink in. Well nope.

In the last two years since I started playing two instruments I've learned to appreciate real songs and how they're put together and looking back at this album it's still crap. I expected to hear songs with background music along the lines of say my name, independent woman pt 2, or from the last destiny's child album, cater 2 u, lose my breath, etc but the radio singles and the other songs on the album are like day and night. The main problem is the background music on the other songs are very bland and lack any real arrangements or diversity in instruments used in the songs. Also there were too many slow songs and not enough faster more upbeat songs and even the slow songs lacked life.

If you really want to know whether to buy the cd or not. Go on youtube and listen to the songs there and if you like them then buy the album.

Beyonce's firstborn...

Beyonce has a huge following, and I get it. I'm a fan, you could say. I loved Destiny's Child back in the day (yes, I just used THAT phrase) and when she split I was intrigued. I mean, she was never my favorite `Child' even though she was the only one that got any attention (MICHELLE, I LOVE YOU). That said, she has spunk and style and swagger and she is a commanding presence.

Her `Sasha Fierce' album is worth checking out, even if it is inconsistent.

`Dangerously In Love' was her debut album, and it proves to be what we expect from her. It's loud and boisterous and catchy and fun, but in the end it doesn't transcend anything, and when the years go by the album becomes a tad dusty.

I mean, there really isn't any song off of here that can be considered `her best'.

The album spurned a slew of radio hits like `Crazy in Love', `Naughty Girl' and `Baby Boy'. They are all decent. `Crazy in Love' is generic, but fun. `Naughty Girl' is slinky and seductive in all the right places. `Baby Boy' excels because of Sean Paul, but Beyonce does what she does rather well here as well. Add to this mix the `Dangerously in Love 2' (which is NO different from the one on Destiny's Child's album) and you have the best on the album. Sadly, the rest of the tracks pale in comparison (big time).

`Hip Hop Star' is decent. I like it, but it just doesn't really do much more than allow Big Boi to steal all of Beyonce's thunder.

It's a `by-the-books' hip-hop track.

The rest is generic pop/R&B fluff really. It's rather forgettable. `Be With You' is soft and has a glimmer of vintage R&B slink going on, but it is nothing memorable. `Me, Myself and I' is, again, generic. I mean, this is not a track to separate Beyonce from the pack. `Yes' sounds too much like early Destiny's Child. There is no progression of sound here. `That's How You Like It' is fun and playful, if not a tad annoying in parts. The duet with Vandross is far too `old' for the likes of Beyonce. I feel like I sound like Simon Cowell, but it's true.

That song ages her.

`Signs' is GAWD-AWFUL, as are `Speachless' and `Gift From Virgo'. These are just cheesy and forgettable (thankfully) tracks and `Signs' is just plain insulting to my taste.

And that interlude is just stupid.

I think that to call out the albums content as generic and a fault here would be rather harsh since there is only so much that musical acts within this particular genre sing about, but it is all about presentation here. You can hear a million songs about heartbreak but if they are all sung convincingly and consist of noteworthy musical arrangements and intriguing lyrics than you can listen to a million GOOD songs about heartbreak. When the songs are sung in a way that evokes no emotion and merely consist of recycled and uninspiring musical arrangements and lyrics that are forgettable and boring then you have a million MEDIOCRE songs about heartbreak.

In the end I'd say, without hesitation, that this is Beyonce's weakest album. There are a handful of good songs amidst a sea of mediocre ones. Hey, I like her, and I totally recommend getting your hands on her other albums, but this one is a forgettable and generic album that doesn't do anything to help define Beyonce as an artist...if you dare to consider her one.

Beyonce's Crazy Debut

Here we have an album that's gotton a lot of different reviews here on Amazon and apparently a lot of varrying opinions. Maybe that has to be with Beyonce's heavy media exposure during this time and the fact that she seemed to be eating it all up a little too much might have something to do with that. But whatever sources this songs come from or even overexposure this album was an excellent way for Beyonce to begin her solo career. Coming a year and a half after Destiny's Child dropped their Survivor album Beyonce has every intention of forging ahead with her own sound. Perhaps it was the success of her Foxy Cleopatra persona in Austin Powers in Goldmember that prompted her to take a look at the strong funk roots in her music. And considering how much heavy African rhythms and the Arabic flavored melodies were not only with her previous group but in contemporary R&B in general she decided to play up how these flavors could function in a modern funk context. Samples and Jay Z's presense abound "Crazy In Love" is all of that and more-70's Chi-Lite horn samples notwithstanding the hip-hop/funk rhythms really push this forward as a great funk jam that managed to cross over big time into pop. "Naughty Girl" is the type of groove that could'nt be further from Destiny's Child. It's got a mean bassline right up front that's not in the commonly heard "low tone" style of most modern bass lines but also finds Beyonce singing a Donna Summer inspired high alto vocal that is incredibly fluid. "Hip-Hop Star" featuring OutKast's Big Boi may not be hugely inventive lyrically but the rocking-funk rhythms in the tune really remind me of many of the innovative hip-hop/funk hybrid OutKast were turning out at the same time. "Be With You" and "Me,Myself And I" are both excellent midtempo funk grooves with again some great basslines. Missy Elliot joins in on "Signs",another like minded groove that explores the different romantic qualities along the astrological chart,again emphasizing the 70's funk connection. "Speechless","Gift From A Virgo" and "Daddy" all find a great ground between jazz,funk and soul balladry that showcase a certain rootedness in her music. Some of the more contemporary sounding songs such as "Baby Boy" and "That's How You Like It" are pretty typical of the time and not the most hugely powerful musical statements on the album. Yet even with those,no matter how you view Beyonce's visual persona this is a very strong album especially in the musical sense and was a great kick off to her career on her own.

Queen Bee's own shining star

Beyonce need her own star to shine which she finally did on this album. Reigning the pop charts that was once done with Britney. thank god for Beyonce. this album is very soulful and has that old school/70s atmosphere. i have very good memories of this album. 2003-2004 was her year.


1. Crazy In Love Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z-this song was the summer anthem of '03. it got everyone wanting to be like her. i even saw an el dorado commercial doing their own version. 5/5

2. Naughty Girl-"i'm feeling sexy" makes me laugh. she and usher looked great in the video. i love the part where she's in a champagne glass. it's a great song if you want to seduce your man. 5/5

3. Baby Boy Beyoncé featuring Sean Paul-this song is hot. it has reggae fused in with middle eastern beats. this song was also huge. her collaboratin with sean paul was pure genius. 5/5

4. Hip Hop Star Beyoncé featuring Big Boi and Sleepy Brown-i like the way she sings in this song and the beats are fun. it reminds me of video phone. 4.5/5

5. Be With You-i like that old school beats in this song. makes you want to sway your hips. 5/5

6. Me, Myself And I- i LOVE LOVE this song!!! this is definately her best one on the album. 5/5

7. Yes-good song. 4/5

8. Signs-i heard this song the first time in my high school english class. i didn't really paid attention to the lyrics really good until i listened to it again. when i did, i was like omg!!! "i was in love with a sagittarius" caught my attention! everything she described about the sagittarius was sooo true!!!! 5/5

9. Speechless-very sensual. i like it. 5/5

10. That's How You Like It Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z-it's okay...4/5

11. The Closer I Get To You-her and Luther sound great together. i love the original and they did a good job on the remake. 5/5

12. Dangerously In Love 2-her vocals sound beautiful. 5/5

13. Gift From Virgo-this is a nice song. she has a great voice. 4/5

14. Daddy-awwww...this is a cute song where she appreciates all the things her dad has done for her. "i want my first husband to be just like my daddy". now that you marry jay-z, is he like your father?? 5/5

I thought it was terrible!

I was actually at home a few weeks ago, and discovered I bought this cd when I was a freshman in HS. I was like why would I buy that? I remembered I bought the cd because I used to be a huge Destiny's Child fan when i was a kid,but then I got older.Then i remembered thinking in the walmart cd section,well if i liked destiny's child years earlier then this cd might be good. To be quite honest. I thought Crazy in love, the video had a good look to it. The song sucked. Baby Boy was stupid. Pure crap to me, and very annoying. I actually thought her cover of Donna Summer's Love to Love you Baby was ok.(Naughty GirL). Me Myself and I was decent, but same old same old. I really just got to tired of Beyonce's sound at that point. It was to overplayed and not that good. Her duet with Luther Vandross was classy and He's a legend. It was good(the duet), but it wasn't worth paying almost 20 bucks at the time(remember this is when cd's were trying to justify their high prices). If your a huge Beyonce Fan this get this album. Personally, i thought it was too safe and not gritty enough. I liked her recent release way better.