Hung Jury was one of Michel’le’s darker albums as 1998 was such a dark time for her. She was depressed when she wrote and recorded songs for the album. Wasted My Tyme and Don’t Say U Love Me are some examples. There is a mixture of slow jams, mid tempo ballads, and up tempo songs.

The Hung Jury album is good, but not great. Sadly the album did not meet up with the success of Michel’le’s last album 9 years prior due to Suge Knight’s crack addiction, stupidity, and his piss poor marketing skills the album was overlooked. Well, the New Jack Swing era was long over at the time this album was released. The album’s production sounded out of date at the time it was released in 1998.

There is a lack of her Minnie Mouse-like squeaky voice on this album unlike the last album. The only song on here with her signature Minnie Mouse-like squeaky voice is Crazy. Here 4 U is the worst song off the album. Single tracks were Hang Tyme, Can I Get A Witness?, Crazy, Tonight Is, Don’t Say U Love Me, and Walk With Me.

The album could have been better. Hang Tyme should have been put as the last track and Hung Jury be the first. Better production would be needed. Here 4 U was not needed. Music videos for Can I Get A Witness?, Crazy, Tonight Is, and Walk With Me should have made for better promotion. Dr. Dre should have been a producer on this album.

The song Tonight Is is a bouncy and jazzy soul song where jazz and soul meet each other. You have upbeat swing jazz and soulful R&B. The upbeat smooth bass follows the upbeat swing jazz patterns. Michel’le is looking for more than friendship from her lover as tonight is the night for him. Michel’le tells him tonight is to be more than friends. A test of infidelity. She explains this in the song.

Michel’le tells her that she willing to try something new. Possibly infidelity. She is looking for more than friendship from her lover. Michel’le tells her lover, “You say it’s alright if I want to come by. What can I do for you tonight? But if I’m gonna come by, then you’ll have to try something new. And if you wanna be with me, tonight is the night set for you.”

He says it’s alright if she’s want to come by. Michel’le wonders what she can do for him tonight. He’ll have to try something new if he wants to be with Michel’le. Tonight is the night set for him. Michel’le tells him, “If tonight is the night, it’s alright. So get yourself together. Tonight is the night.”

Michel’le tells him tonight is the night to be more than friends. “Well, tonight is the night. When I’ll feel it’s right to do what we like, yeah.” Michel’le tells him, “I expect you to get yourself together, baby. Tonight is the night to be more than friends. We can be more than friends. It’s alright, but only if tonight is the night. When I’ll feel it’s right, we’ll do what we like, you’ll see. Tonight is the night”

The song Walk With Me will remind you of rain due to the slow tempo as this song is a slow jam. The smoothness of the rain and wind chimes give away the feeling indicating that Walk With Me is a slow jam. This was a quiet storm song mixed with jazz.

Michel’le was talking about how much she loved Dre. She really loved him. Michel’le was trying to be the best woman Dre could possibly ever have and still he treated her horribly. All she wanted and asked for was there to be true love in their relationship.

You can tell Michel’le still had feelings for Dre when listening to the lyrics on Wasted My Tyme. The lyrics “Don’t cry, don’t you cry no more” and “I told you to go, I just want to be alone” hit the heart hard. Her lyrics have ability to touch your heart. This was the song that caused Dre and Suge to slap her. The song uses a warm funky bass line which makes the song memorable.

Don’t Say U Love Me uses a smooth melodic jazzy piano and jazzy saxophone over modern R&B production. The song also incorporates a bass line lyrics from The Delfonics song La La La La I Love You. Old school soul meets the sounds of modern R&B and jazz. It was such a dark time when Michel’le wrote Don’t Say U Love Me. It was rough. The song explained her toxic relationship with Dre when her commitment to him was strong.

I rate this album 3 1|2/5***(.