R&B crooner Trey Songz was still basking in the success of his platinum-selling fourth album, Passion, Pain & Pleasure, when he decided to release his first EP. Carrying the moniker Inevitable, it hit stores on the singer’s 27th birthday, November 28, 2011.
Trey opens the project with “Top of the World,” a song where he croons about not forgetting where he’s from and wanting to go back to the hood to put everyone on. Die-hard Trey fans know that the song formerly appeared on Trey’s mixtape Anticipation II. I did like the production of the track and the message, however, when Songz attempts to spit a Hot 16, it loses its luster.
Trey reunites with his frequent collaborator Fabolous for the next track, “What I Be On,” a bragging song. The production isn’t that impressive and sounds like a Fruity Loops composition from the early 2000s cleaned up for a more modern sound. Even the usually reliable Fabolous verse is uninspired. However, I get the vibe that Songz was going for and I’m sure this was specifically for the clubs.
Thankfully, Songz regains his footing on “I Do.” Songz fully taps into his persona of “Mr. Steal Your Girl,” which his female fans, or Trey’s angels as he calls them, can’t get enough of. Producer Troy Taylor always brings out the best in Songz, and this one is no expectation. While the song may appear arrogant and brash, Songz can sell the theme to his female fans. “Outside” follows and is a typical bedroom interlude, nothing exceptional, and comes off more as a filler track.
Trey closes the project with “Sex Ain’t Better Than Love,” where he croons about finally finding the right one after sowing his wild oats. The song isn’t anything we haven’t heard before, but I will say it’s the strongest one on the EP. When Inevitable hit stores, Trey was in his prime as a singer from a sales standpoint.
Since his 2009 release Ready, and up until Inevitable, Songz received seven Top Ten solo R&B singles. Not to mention, he was the opening act for Jay-Z’s The Blueprint 3 Tour, Usher’s OMG Tour and even headlined his own tour. With all of that success, it was inexorable that Songz would have a misfire, and unfortunately, Inevitable falls into that category.
Final Grade: C-
Inevitable is available on all streaming platforms.
I’ve always been a fan of Eric Bellinger. My admiration stems not only from the records he has released under his own name but also from the impressive career he built behind the scenes. Long before casual R&B listeners recognized his face, they were already familiar with his songwriting through tracks he penned for artists like Chris Brown, Usher, Justin Bieber, and Wale.
As many of you know, I had the opportunity to visit Paisley Park earlier this week while vacationing in Minnesota. During the tour, our guide shared that an expanded edition of Prince’s album “Parade” is expected to be released to celebrate its 40th anniversary. After spending the day exploring the Twin Cities, it felt like the perfect excuse to revisit one of the most fascinating and underrated albums in Prince’s legendary catalog.
One of the reasons I’ve always considered Prince to have the edge over Michael Jackson is his remarkable collection of ballads and