single Ciara & Chris Brown - "How We Roll"

[Cbreezy]

2 hours ago, KING ACE said:

I still i cant believe she made that the lead single to return with, WTF was she thinking................

Lol. 

 

I don't even wanna drag Ci, cus I literally love her and feel she (still) has an uncontended lane to herself. 

 

But her musical ear is shockingly bad. 

 

She's the textbook example of many things can be true at once. 

 

Yes, she's been screwed over by many labels and teams. Her latter Epic days were frustrating because it seemed obvious that, in going where the $$$ was, execs shafted her in favor of Future IMO. Before then, Jive fumbled her everything from Fantasy Ride onwards. 

 

At least then, she was the clear victim because the music was generally serviceable.

 

But then hearing what she's been releasing since getting more creative control makes it clear that the label wasn't completely the problem. Imagine being an exec and her turning in an album like Jackie? Or Beauty Marks? 2-3 good tracks surrounded by absolute nonsense that I'm not convinced she even listens to.

 

This string of songs over the last year or two may be her worst run of singles to date. I get the sense that she's A&Ring her stuff herself rather than ceding control to someone with more of a skilled ear and vision. 

 

It's annoying to see other artists doing exactly what Ci could and should be doing. She would have killed it with the DJ Mustard sound (Chris Brown Loyal) that was dominating during the mid 2010's. Nope, she gave us...Jackie. Then slow jam R&B like Normani's Wild Side (video too)...nope. We get the decent but wordy attempt at a slow jam that was Greatest Love. Beyonce gives us catchy empowerment anthems like Brown Skin Girl...and we get Rooted and Melanin. The Pop Becky's gave us a disco revival, Ci decided to wear out their dated n discarded sickly sweet sound in Thinkin Bout You.

 

It'd be different if she was pushing out so much material to stay on the road. At least that would show some kind of method to the madness. But she doesn't even tour like that. It's like she literally releases music as a slightly delulu attempt at sustaining her music career and as somewhat of a vanity project (because she has the funds to). I high-key applaud the latter, but at least let the music be good. 

 

Rant aside, I hope How We Roll can do...something.

Edited August 9, 2023 by Cbreezy

[calvinharrisfan]

1 hour ago, Electric Youth said:

Wait, is she pregnant?

Yes 

[ciara]

2 hours ago, Cbreezy said:

Lol. 

 

I don't even wanna drag Ci, cus I literally love her and feel she (still) has an uncontended lane to herself. 

 

But her musical ear is shockingly bad. 

 

She's the textbook example of many things can be true at once. 

 

Yes, she's been screwed over by many labels and teams. Her latter Epic days were frustrating because it seemed obvious that, in going where the $$$ was, execs shafted her in favor of Future IMO. Before then, Jive fumbled her everything from Fantasy Ride onwards. 

 

At least then, she was the clear victim because the music was generally serviceable.

 

But then hearing what she's been releasing since getting more creative control makes it clear that the label wasn't completely the problem. Imagine being an exec and her turning in an album like Jackie? Or Beauty Marks? 2-3 good tracks surrounded by absolute nonsense that I'm not convinced she even listens to.

 

This string of songs over the last year or two may be her worst run of singles to date. I get the sense that she's A&Ring her stuff herself rather than ceding control to someone with more of a skilled ear and vision. 

 

It's annoying to see other artists doing exactly what Ci could and should be doing. She would have killed it with the DJ Mustard sound (Chris Brown Loyal) that was dominating during the mid 2010's. Nope, she gave us...Jackie. Then slow jam R&B like Normani's Wild Side (video too)...nope. We get the decent but wordy attempt at a slow jam that was Greatest Love. Beyonce gives us catchy empowerment anthems like Brown Skin Girl...and we get Rooted and Melanin. The Pop Becky's gave us a disco revival, Ci decided to wear out their dated n discarded sickly sweet sound in Thinkin Bout You.

 

It'd be different if she was pushing out so much material to stay on the road. At least that would show some kind of method to the madness. But she doesn't even tour like that. It's like she literally releases music as a slightly delulu attempt at sustaining her music career and as somewhat of a vanity project (because she has the funds to). I high-key applaud the latter, but at least let the music be good. 

 

Rant aside, I hope How We Roll can do...something.

This was so eloquently put! I be tired and don’t want to explain myself but this is what I be wanting to say! 

[KING ACE]

2 hours ago, Cbreezy said:

Lol. 

 

I don't even wanna drag Ci, cus I literally love her and feel she (still) has an uncontended lane to herself. 

 

But her musical ear is shockingly bad. 

 

She's the textbook example of many things can be true at once. 

 

Yes, she's been screwed over by many labels and teams. Her latter Epic days were frustrating because it seemed obvious that, in going where the $$$ was, execs shafted her in favor of Future IMO. Before then, Jive fumbled her everything from Fantasy Ride onwards. 

 

At least then, she was the clear victim because the music was generally serviceable.

 

But then hearing what she's been releasing since getting more creative control makes it clear that the label wasn't completely the problem. Imagine being an exec and her turning in an album like Jackie? Or Beauty Marks? 2-3 good tracks surrounded by absolute nonsense that I'm not convinced she even listens to.

 

This string of songs over the last year or two may be her worst run of singles to date. I get the sense that she's A&Ring her stuff herself rather than ceding control to someone with more of a skilled ear and vision. 

 

It's annoying to see other artists doing exactly what Ci could and should be doing. She would have killed it with the DJ Mustard sound (Chris Brown Loyal) that was dominating during the mid 2010's. Nope, she gave us...Jackie. Then slow jam R&B like Normani's Wild Side (video too)...nope. We get the decent but wordy attempt at a slow jam that was Greatest Love. Beyonce gives us catchy empowerment anthems like Brown Skin Girl...and we get Rooted and Melanin. The Pop Becky's gave us a disco revival, Ci decided to wear out their dated n discarded sickly sweet sound in Thinkin Bout You.

 

It'd be different if she was pushing out so much material to stay on the road. At least that would show some kind of method to the madness. But she doesn't even tour like that. It's like she literally releases music as a slightly delulu attempt at sustaining her music career and as somewhat of a vanity project (because she has the funds to). I high-key applaud the latter, but at least let the music be good. 

 

Rant aside, I hope How We Roll can do...something.

IDK if she thinks she's "too good" for Urban (myself and others noticed that she didn't promote with any black radio stations or shows her last outing) or if she just doesn't want to prove Future right when he said she needs to be doing r&b mid-tempos but....she needs urban and mid-tempos.lol A part of me does think she just wants to be popular with white ppl/mainstream. She doesn't realize that urban/hip hop IS mainstream now. Not those cheesy lizzo reject singles

 

 I'm really surprised that her lyrics have gotten so bad since they say she use to write. IDK if that were just a marketing ploy or what but I'm like, how can she not tell that ish is wack?

Edited August 9, 2023 by KING ACE

[ciara]

29 minutes ago, KING ACE said:

IDK if she thinks she's "too good" for Urban (myself and others noticed that she didn't promote with any black radio stations or shows her last outing) or if she just doesn't want to prove Future right when he said she needs to be doing r&b mid-tempos but....she needs urban and mid-tempos.lol A part of me does think she just wants to be popular with white ppl/mainstream. She doesn't realize that urban/hip hop IS mainstream now. Not those cheesy lizzo reject singles

 

 I'm really surprised that her lyrics have gotten so bad since they say she use to write. IDK if that were just a marketing ploy or what but I'm like, how can she not tell that ish is wack?

Ok I think you’ve made your point can you kinda reel it back and focus on the positive. This song isn’t really the full potential of what we know she can do but it’s a step in the right direction so let’s just put the focus on what’s to come and if it’s a dissapointment then go tf off at that point but like so far everything is going ok so let’s focus on that?  

[Cbreezy]

9 minutes ago, KING ACE said:

IDK if she thinks she's "too good" for Urban (myself and others noticed that she didn't promote with any black radio stations or shows her last outing) or if she just doesn't want to prove Future right when he said she needs to be doing r&b mid-tempos but....she needs urban and mid-tempos.lol A part of me does think she just wants to be popular with white ppl/mainstream. She doesn't realize that urban/hip hop IS mainstream now. Not those cheesy lizzo reject singles

 

 I'm really surprised that her lyrics have gotten so bad since they say she use to write. IDK if that were just a marketing ploy or what but I'm like, how can she not tell that ish is wack?

MTE!

 

You really may be onto something with the R&B/Urban/Future stuff. 

 

For someone whose success is almost entirely vested in R&B, I can't be convinced that she doesn't know what would work in a more automated way (e.g. catering to an R&B audience). But instead of dialing into it, she seems adamant on pushing this "Pop-Urban" instead of "Urban-Pop" mission up a hill. There's a difference.

 

The issue is, brand-wise, that she's made such a pivot towards that rich-Becky positioning (from her image to how she even speaks) that the Lizzo-reject zumba music almost feels more authentically on-brand for who she actually is now compared to when she tries to seem "street"...which oddly now almost seems like Black cosplay/its own form of Blackface. 

 

Back to your point about R&B and the R&B audience: I think sis may genuinely be scarred from a combo of a few things:

 

* The  Basic Instinct / "37k" clowning she got specifically from the Urban audience 

 

* Besides the Future-powered 'Ciara' era, she really has been disproportionately dragged by the Urban audience. From the bizarre hate Charlamagne had for her (during the peak of The Breakfast Club) to jabs she got for hanging with Kim Kardashian (which other Black stars didn't get) to how "cool" it seemingly was to clown her pre-Russell (particularly in the aftermath of Future doing what he did..just because he was musically hot).

 

* The constant comparisons to R&B Black girls, who by comparison were thriving (Beyonce, Rihanna). I sense she was and still is looking for a point of difference.

 

Add to that the fact that she comes from an era when "crossing over to Pop" was seen as aspirational for Black artists and it all makes a lot of sense why she's doing what she's been doing. Even though what she's doing doesn't actually makse sense from the perspective of actually being successful. 

 

How We Roll is a step in the right direction. But I can't help but feel it's 3rd, 4th single material from the Ciara album rather than what she should be leading with TEN WHOLE YEARS LATER. But let's take our wins where we can get them lol.

[ccfan007]

Spotify: 1,845,103 total streams (+323,412)

[ciara]

37 minutes ago, ccfan007 said:

Spotify: 1,845,103 total streams (+323,412)

Also just reached 4 million on YouTube  it’s giving Level Up steadiness 

Edited August 9, 2023 by ciara

[ccfan007]

Impacts rhythmic radio on the 14th 

[ciara]

lets goooooooooooooo

[ciara]

You better stand by your work queen!!! Yassss

[KING ACE]

3 hours ago, ciara said:

Ok I think you’ve made your point can you kinda reel it back and focus on the positive. This song isn’t really the full potential of what we know she can do but it’s a step in the right direction so let’s just put the focus on what’s to come and if it’s a dissapointment then go tf off at that point but like so far everything is going ok so let’s focus on that?  

Ok sorry I'll keep it positive for now on. I really wanna see Ci Win

[Power love]

16 hours ago, Electric Youth said:

Wait, is she pregnant?

This explains why we got a EP not album since she can’t promote it properly. 

[ciara]

 

considering it hasn’t impacted radio just yet (it will 8/14)  this is a cute start. 

[nuclear]

The lashing in here  I was son confused, I thought it was a thread to trash cici not promote her song  her music has suck, I guess she deserves it.

[ccfan007]

Looks like first week numbers will be:

 

YouTube: ~4.5 million.

Spotify: ~2.2 million.

[Movimento Perpétuo]

1 hour ago, ccfan007 said:

Looks like first week numbers will be:

 

YouTube: ~4.5 million.

Spotify: ~2.2 million.

good numbers!

[ciara]

5 hours ago, ccfan007 said:

Looks like first week numbers will be:

 

YouTube: ~4.5 million.

Spotify: ~2.2 million.

Very happy with these numbers. Major improvement! 
 

some other independent artists can’t even pull more than 1 million in 3 weeks 😁😁😁😁

Edited August 10, 2023 by ciara

[ciara]

[collin]

Wow, this isn’t good.

[ciara]

9 hours ago, collin said:

Wow, this isn’t good.

Ciara is independent. Getting this many views and charting is damn good. 

[humbz]

I'm actually impressed by the uk chart position. it's good news tbh!

[ccfan007]

 

The instrumental is gorgeous 

[ciara]

5 million views  

 

 

 

 

[CristianGarcia]

And I can tell that you readyyyy

 

3,2,1 it’s GOING DOWN LIKE CONFETTI!!! 

Edited August 12, 2023 by CristianGarcia