KeAnthony - A Hustlaz Story

Storytelling is becoming a sort of lost art in contemporary R&B and Soul music: many songwriters these days throw together songs that, instead of having a solid foundation, are dumbed down and built on flimsy ground. But on his debut album, A Hustlaz Story, released in the U.S. on Aug. 5, 2008, KeAnthony bucks the trend by not focusing on superficial issues like cars and nightclubs, and instead delves into real issues, like wanting to be in a committed, loving relationship; being betrayed by someone close to you; and even spending time in jail. In other words, A Hustlaz Story is as real as it gets.

Although KeAnthony is still a young man, he's already been through a lot in life, and those experiences serve as the foundation of the album. Despite the overall grittiness, the albums opening few tracks are traditional love songs, such as the cliched but still enjoyable "Down Girl," the commitment song "I Ain't Tryna" and the R. Kelly-ish, drama-filled "This Feelin'," that are aimed at the ladies. But the meat and potatoes here is the album's second half, which consists mostly of compelling tales of the block that many men will be able to relate to.

On these songs, KeAnthony definitely displays a flare for the dramatic. Although on the songs he primarily covers love and romance - two topics that have been staples of R&B since it was invented - he adds a different perspective and new phraseology to the mix, making the old seem fresh again. For example, on "I Ain't Tryna," he sings about he needs the love of his life so that he doesn't end up lonely and alone: "I ain't try'na walk into an empty house and end up on the couch by myself, no," he sings. "And I ain't try'na be starin' at the TV feelin' hungry with no homecooked meal."

But despite the lush, romantic songs up front, the album's centerpiece is "Forever My Homie," a based-on-a-true story tale about two longtime friends who do some dirt, only two have one snitch on the other to save himself: "I never even saw it comin', now now I'm sittin' in this jail cell wonderin' why I'm the only one doin' time."

After "Forever My Homie," the drama continues on "I Thought," which is the opposite of the song before it in that it's about loyal friends who have your back when you need them most. The example Ke sings of on teh song is when he's confronted by a jealous man packing two guns, but then: "All I heard was shots, by the time the smoke cleared, they were lockin' up my man, readin' rights and cuffin' hands."
On some songs, KeAnthony seemingly channels the spirits of late singers Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye, such as the title track, which is reminiscent of '70s-era Soul, and "Everytime I'm High," which is about using marijuana to deal with the stress of everyday life.

A Hustlaz Story isn't perfect - some songs toward the end of the album seem like filler, plus on a few tracks the vocals aren't particularly strong. But despite its flaws, the album's definitely a compelling journey. it's obvious from the level of emotion on most songs that KeAnthony Dillard's first full album was a labor of love. And it's that love and that realness that lifts the album from what could have been mediocrity and propels it upward, making this of one of the better R&B debuts of 2007.