Rated Love is the fourth studio album by American R&B singer Keke Wyatt. It was released on April 22, 2016, by Aratek Entertainment and INgrooves via Universal Music Group. The album was preceded by the release of three singles,including "Sexy Song", "Love Me" and "Jodeci".

Rated Love
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 22, 2016
Length46:07
Label
Producer
  • Robert Erness
  • Dominic "Dom" Gordon
  • Terrell "Hendrix" Green
  • Jevon Hill
  • Johniee Miller
  • Diego Morales
  • Kevin "KP" Pridgen Jr.
  • Aaron Scott
  • Theodore Thomas
  • Eero Turunen
Keke Wyatt chronology
Ke'Ke'
(2014)
Rated Love
(2016)
Keke Covers
(2017)
Singles from Rated Love
  1. "Sexy Song"
    Released: November 20, 2015
  2. "Love Me"
    Released: March 18, 2016
  3. "Jodeci"
    Released: October 21, 2016

Promotion

edit

"Sexy Song" was released as the album's lead single on November 20, 2015.[1] It peaked at number 26 on the US Adult R&B Songs chart.[2] A music video for "Sexy Song" was released on Wyatt's YouTube channel on February 18, 2016, directed by Steven C. Pitts and filmed by Rite Media Group.[3] Wyatt performed an impromptu version of the song at SOB's in New York City.[4] Wyatt also performed "Sexy Song" at the Capitale night club in Washington, DC on December 12, 2015, and on Essence Live on February 12, 2016.[5][6]

On March 18, 2016, Wyatt took to social media to announce "Love Me" as the second single from Rated Love.[7][8][9] It was released on March 18, 2016.[10] On October 13, 2016, Wyatt revealed "Jodeci" as the third single from th album, stating: "I think we got a new one with my new single Jodeci!!! I wanna know what ya'll think" revealing it would be released with a deluxe version of her album Rated Love on October 21, 2016.[11] A music video for the song was released to Wyatt's YouTube channel on October 17, 2016.[12]

Critical reception

edit
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Soul in Stereo     [13]

Soul in Stereo gave the album a 3.5 rating, stating that "If the album’s title wasn’t enough to clue you in on this album’s themes, the tracks themselves tell the story: “Love Me,” “Dumb Love,” Still Have Love,” “Love Reigns” — KeKe's fourth album is an audio love letter, with the mistress of ceremonies simply narrating life's emotional rollercoasters.[13] Centric wrote: "Her single "Love Me," perfectly captures the ups and downs of marriage and relationships, particularly when you're faced with conflict but yet can't help but be with the one you love. Another standout record on the album, "If It Ain't You" — among many others — is a beautiful ballad that showcases Keke's natural ability to breathe life into a love song like no other."[14]

SoulTracks editor Melody Charles felt that "with its adept pacing, experimentation in style approaches and enthusiastic delivery, Rated Love showcases why KeKe Wyatt will continue rise and to personify that "80/20 rule" that so often applied to relationships: admitted flaws and irritants don't justify going without when you truly have a good thing." She further noted: "Co-writing the bulk of Rated allows the full spectrum of [Wyatt's] gifts to shine, whether she's getting the groove on ("Sexy Song"), detailing how sprung she is (the tangy groove "On Repeat") or explaining precisely why ol' boy's clothes are spilling out of trash bags out on the porch (the soaring lump-in-the-throat ballads "24 Hours" and "No Peace")."[15]

Commercial performance

edit

On February 19, 2016, Wyatt announced on Twitter, that the album would be available for pre-order on digital music stores, while also revealing the album cover.[16] In the week of May 14, 2016, Rated Love debuted at number 11 on the US Billboard's Top R&B Albums,[17] number 16 on Billboard's Top Independent Album,[18] and number 19 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.[19] It also charted at number eighty on the Top Current Albums chart.[20]

Track listing

edit
Rated Love track listing[21]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Anything"
Erness3:16
2."Sexy Song"
  • Wyatt
  • Brandon Hesson
  • Peter Penn
Dominic "Dom" Gordon3:54
3."On Repeat"
  • Wyatt
  • Hesson
  • Gordon
  • Jenny Karr
  • Kyle Christopher
  • Shantee Taylor
  • Diego Morales
  • Eero Turunen
3:11
4."Things Change (Interlude)"WyattGordon0:10
5."24 Hours"
  • Wyatt
  • Erness
Erness3:57
6."No Peace"
  • Wyatt
  • Hesson
  • Gordon
  • Taylor
Gordon3:24
7."If It Ain't You"
  • Wyatt
  • Hesson
  • Gordon
  • Taylor
Gordon3:39
8."Dumb Love"
  • Wyatt
  • Hesson
  • Gordon
  • Taylor
Gordon3:35
9."Make It Work (Interlude)"WyattGordon0:10
10."Love Me"
  • Wyatt
  • Hesson
  • Gordon
Gordon3:00
11."Still Have Love"Carmael M. Frith
  • Jevon Hill
  • Theodore Thomas
3:15
12."I Know"Wayne Wilson
  • Aaron Scott
  • Johniee Miller
  • Kevin "KP" Pridgen Jr.
  • Terrell "Hendrix" Green
3:42
13."If I Had You"
  • Wyatt
  • Hesson
  • Gordon
  • Taylor
Gordon4:33
14."Love Reigns (Interlude)"WyattGordon0:06
15."It's Reigning"
  • Wyatt
  • Erness
Erness2:42
16."If I Had You" (radio edit)
  • Wyatt
  • Hesson
  • Gordon
  • Taylor
Gordon3:33
Total length:46:07
Deluxe edition – bonus tracks[22]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
17."Jodeci"
  • Wyatt
  • Hesson
  • Gordon
  • Donald Earle DeGrate, Jr.
Gordon3:24
18."Red Light"
  • Wyatt
  • Hesson
  • Gordon
  • Milton Adams
  • Samira Lashay Taylor
Gordon3:17
19."I Won't Complain"
  • Wyatt
  • Hesson
  • Gordon
  • Erness
  • Taylor
Gordon3:14
20."Back to You"
  • Wyatt
  • Gordon
  • Erness
Gordon3:20
Total length:59:30

Credits and personnel

edit

Album credits taken from AllMusic and Discogs.[23][24]

Performers and musicians
  • Keke Wyatt – vocals, background vocals, composition
Technical personnel
  • Aaron Scott – production
  • Alex D. Rogers – photography
  • Brandon Hesson – composition
  • Carmael Frith – composition
  • Diego Morales – production
  • Dominic Gordon – composition, engineering, mixing, production
  • Eero Turunen – production
  • Jenny Karr – composition
  • Jevon Hill – production
  • Johnnie Miller – production
  • Kevin "KP" Pridgen Jr. – engineering, mixing, production
  • Kyle Christopher – composition
  • Michael Ford – executive production
  • Peter Penn – composition
  • Profango Amore – graphic design
  • Robert Erness – composition, production
  • Shantee Tyler – composition
  • Steve Morales – engineer, mixing
  • Terrell "Hendrix" Green – production
  • Theodore Thomas – production
  • Wayne Wilson – composition

Charts

edit
Weekly chart performance for Rated Love
Chart (2016) Peak
position
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[18] 16
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[19] 19

Release history

edit
Rated Love release history
Region Date Edition Format Label Ref
Various April 22, 2016 Standard
  • Digital download
  • CD
[21]
October 21, 2016 Deluxe [22]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Sexy Song by KeKe Wyatt on iTunes". iTunes. iTunes. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  2. ^ "Keke Wyatt – Chart History". Billboard. Billboard. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  3. ^ "Keke Wyatt's Official "Sexy Song" Video". YouTube. YouTube. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  4. ^ "Keke Wyatt – Sexy Song (Impromptu)". YouTube. YouTube. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  5. ^ "KeKe Wyatt performs "Sexy Song" Live in Washington DC". YouTube. Concert Daily. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  6. ^ "KeKe Wyatt sings "Sexy Song" on Essence Live". YouTube. YouTube. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  7. ^ "My new single "Love Me" is available NOW". Instagram. Retrieved March 18, 2016.
  8. ^ "Keke announces second single on Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved March 18, 2016.
  9. ^ "Check out my new single". Twitter. Retrieved March 18, 2016.
  10. ^ "Keke Wyatt – Love Me (Audio)". YouTube. Retrieved March 18, 2016.
  11. ^ "I think we got one with my new single "Jodeci"!!! I wanna know what y'all think??? #RATEDLOVEDELUXE #OCT21 #JODECI". Instagram. Keke Wyatt. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  12. ^ "Keke Wyatt – Jodeci". YouTube. YouTube. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  13. ^ a b Bowser, Edwin. "ALBUM REVIEW: KEKE WYATT, RATED LOVE". SoulinStereo. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  14. ^ Gaynor, Gerren Keith. "EVERYBODY LOVES KEKE WYATT [EXCLUSIVE]". Centrictv. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  15. ^ Charles, Melody. "KeKe Wyatt – Rated Love (2016)". Soultracks. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  16. ^ "Guess What?!.... My album "Rated Love" is available for Pre-Order NOW.. Any where music is sold digitally". Twitter. KeKe Wyatt. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  17. ^ "KeKe Wyatt Billboard R&B Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  18. ^ a b "KeKe Wyatt Billboard Chart History R&B Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  19. ^ a b "KeKe Wyatt Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  20. ^ "Chart Search Top Current Albums for KeKe Wyatt". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  21. ^ a b "Rated Love by KeKe Wyatt on iTunes". iTunes. iTunes. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  22. ^ a b "Rated Love (Deluxe Edition) by KeKe Wyatt on Apple Music". iTunes. iTunes (UK). Retrieved October 22, 2016.
  23. ^ Kellman, Andy. "Rated Love – Keke Wyatt Credits AllMusic". AllMusic. AllMusic. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  24. ^ "Keke Wyatt – Rated Love (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved September 1, 2016.