Looking for something soulful to listen to? The Allen Anthony – Oakland International Sampler leans much towards the sound of neo-soul and funk. More so neo-soul than funk. The sampler includes the soulful So Selfish, the sweet but sexy buzz single You, and the uplifting motivational cut Alright. Sultry love songs such as Lady Baby and Long Walks are included on the album sampler as well. You and Touch Myself are the super sexy cuts.
The Allen Anthony – Oakland International Sampler (also known as the Allen Anthony Sampler) was released in 2004. The Allen Anthony – Oakland International Sampler was pressed up on CD format only. There is no vinyl version for this album sampler. There is no barcode or catalog code on the back either. Included on this album sampler were full length songs to his debut album Oakland International. On the back cover “The Dynasty Continues” is printed in cursive writing.
Now the Allen Anthony – Oakland International Sampler was an album sampler for what was supposed to be Allen Anthony’s debut album, Oakland International, that was to be released on Roc-A-Fella Records in the summer of 2004. The Oakland International Sampler was produced by Allen Anthony, Tone Capone, and Trey James. Tone Capone and Trey James handled most of the production. Jay-Z and Dame Dash had nothing to do with this album sampler as they were busy shooting the film State Property 2 to be hands on with production.
For those who don’t remember or did not know, Allen Anthony was one of the few R&B singers that was signed to Jay-Z’s label Roc-A-Fella Records during the early 2000s with artists such as Rell, Nicole Wray, and Christión.
The song You was the sweet but sexy buzz single that gave Allen Anthony a minor hit in 2004. His voice is reminiscent and similar to Rell when he sings on this song. The song You is a tale of passionate romance and sex. Sadly the song failed to chart on the Billboard Charts even if the song did give him a minor buzz. The sweet but sexy buzz single You is one of the better songs off the album sampler.
She’s touching him and he is kissing her. It’s a day of passionate romance for them. Allen tells her, “Now close your eyes. Imagine what I’m gonna do. Gonna make you sweat. You’re so soft and wet. You’re the best I just can’t wait to get inside of you. Let me tease your body down and all around your body. Come with me. Let’s feel ecstasy. Give it to me ’cause I only wanna get somewhere with you.” He shows her how he is going to give her much sexual pleasure. She is only person Allen wants to get with and have sex with.
Now this is where things start to get sexually explicit in nature. Allen breaks everything he does down into detail.
When she lets Allen use his tongue, she starts to moan. Her rhythm turns into emotion. Every word Allen says is a calculated move. Every move he makes is a calculated move. He figuratively gets inside her by swimming deep within her emotions and motions.
Lyrics to Verse 2 explains into detail how Allen gets sexually explicit in nature. Verse 2 shows his kinky side.
[Verse 2]
When you let me
Use my tongue
You start to moan you rhythm turns into emotion
Every word I say
Is a calculated move
Get inside of
Swimming deep within your motion
Damn your body is like nobody’s
Let me work your body up and down don’t hurt nobody
Come with me
Please believe
I will set you free
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I only wanna get somewhere with you
Baby you
Babe ooh
Babe
I only wanna get somewhere with you
Baby you
Babe ooh
Babe
On Verse 3, he shows her how he is going to give her much sexual pleasure and satisfy her needs. He makes it clear to he that he is here to please her. He wants her to spend some time with him, have some fun, and have sex with him.
[Verse 3]
Sexuality is
One on one
Spend some time with me lets
Have some fun
Let me know
What you want
What you need
I’m here to please
Baby I’m here to please yeah yeah yeah
Allen expresses his selfish desire to keep a girl he is trying to date and get with all to himself on the soulful song So Selfish. He doesn’t want her to be seen with no one else as he wants her all to himself. Allen never had a love that was so real and beneficial.
Allen is really feeling this girl. He doesn’t want her to be seen with no one else. He tells her, “You know, girl. I’m really feeling you now and I don’t wanna see you with nobody else. I just want you for me. Yeah that’s right.”
There’s something about the way she is that has Allen attracted to her. All he wants to do is touch and look at her face a bunch. This feeling is taking him like ecstasy. Allen is so selfish when it comes to her. He does not shy away for being aware of this conflict. He never had a love that was so real.
Allen shows awareness of him being selfish in the chorus.
[Chorus]
You’re so selfish when it comes to you
I’m so selfish what can I do (What can I do)
You’re so selfish when it comes to you
I’m so selfish, so selfish, so selfish
He never had a love so real. Clearly he wants to be her man. She is always down for him.
Lady Baby is a sultry love song with a blend of neo-soul and funk. This song is one of Allen Anthony’s lesser known love songs. Lady Baby is a slow jam as the song follows a slow tempo. Now this is one of those songs that you will have on repeat constantly.
Allen thinks about the first time that he saw her face. Those cornrows and painted toes got Allen attracted to her. She is lovely. Not to mention her lip gloss. Her attitude is so sassy. He knew he just had to have her near him. She was something so clear that he had never seen before. She’s the one he wants to be with. He tells her, “I want you to be my lady, baby.”
The uplifting motivational song Alright teaches us that sometimes we need to struggle to reach for something better in life. We need to keep our faith. You can feel the pure soul, inspiration, and motivation when you listen to the lyrics of this song. It’s a positive track for everyone.
Alright uses a huge touch of neo-soul and samples Ronnie Foster – Mystic Brew. The sample fits in perfectly with the neo-soul sound.
Now this is music. The radio stations would rather not play this song but other negative songs instead because this song might and will make your change the ways that you live. The radio stations want to kill intelligence instead of uplift people. Radio stations would rather play that bubblegum pop as that is what sells.
This world’s a crazy place filled with such misery. Allen wipes teardrops off his face. His wife’s momma’s having problems. His child is having problems. Allen doesn’t know how he can solve them. Money won’t change his life but it will make things better. Allen is trying to save his family and give them a better life. Sometimes we need to struggle to reach for something better. Allen also tells us to take charge of our own lives in the first verse. That is what the lyrics “take charge of our own life” mean.
Everything’s gonna be alright. I know we can make it through this. Don’t let go. Please open up your eyes. Rise up. Let’s come together. We gotta reach for something better!
All his homeboys are still grindin’ and out hustlin’ ’til the sunrise trying to make it out the game. Still they don’t see the light. Everyone in the hood is striving to make it out of the game trying to reach for something better in life. Nothing has changed.
The second verse deals with how some people have no choice but to resort to prostitution. Read the lyrics below.
My black sister on the street
She makes it her own business
To sell her precious body
(Y’all don’t hear me)
Her baby has to eat
So don’t hate her for her choices
How do you think she feels inside?
This African American woman sells her body to men on the streets. She engages in prostitution for a means of revenue. She makes it her own business. She and her baby have to eat and survive. So don’t criticize her for her choices because you haven’t been in her shoes.
Oh follows more of a neo-soul sound with a blend of funk. Stone Mecca is the band which provided the background vocals and instruments. This was another of his minor hits which helped him gain a buzz in the underground music scene. The song was used on the Afro Samurai soundtrack in 2007.
I rate this album 5/5*****!!
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