The Princess of Hip Hop Soul, Mrs. Keyshia Cole, is currently headlining the “The Love Hard Tour” with fellow R&B acts Trey Songz, Jahiem, and K. Michelle. So, in that regard, I felt it was only fitting to go back to 2005 and revisit the third single, “I Should Have Cheated,” from her debut album, “The Way It Is,” for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday.

Cole first caught my attention almost a year earlier with the Luther Vandross sampling “Never,” which initially appeared on the soundtrack to “Barbershop 2: Back in Business”. Cole’s subsequent few releases were all for the club, but as someone partial to ballads, that’s what I was waiting for. Thankfully, the singer had an ace in her pocket in the form of 112 members Daron Jones and Quinnes “Q” Parker, who wrote “I Should Have Cheated,” with Jones co-producing with Ron Fair.

Jones and Parker’s lyrics portray a scenario in which Cole’s partner consistently accuses her of cheating despite her insistence on innocence. The narrator expresses frustration by suggesting that if she is perpetually being charged, she might as well have committed the acts she is being accused of. She points out the double standard in their relationship, where her partner’s accusations are unfounded. She notes how her partner was seen with another person. Still, she refrained from accusing him because she didn’t witness anything herself. The narrator implores her partner to trust her and to stop blaming her without evidence.

Despite her loyalty and devotion, the accusations take a toll on their relationship, and she begins to question whether staying in the relationship is worthwhile. She realizes that if her partner doesn’t change and continues to mistreat her, she will have no choice but to leave. Cole could have easily over sung the song to bring out the emotion but subtly gets her point across, which still sounds fresh nineteen years later. The writers wanted the song to convey a sense of regret and frustration that anyone can relate to while showcasing the emotional toll that constant accusations can have on a relationship and highlighting the desire for trust, respect, and fairness.

The next single, “Love,” would arguably become Cole’s signature ballad, but “I Should Have Cheated” is still one I keep in rotation.

Final Grade: B+

“I Should Have Cheated” is available on all streaming platforms.