The new Lady Wray – Joy & Pain/Piece of Me remix single is a dream come true since the entire single was produced the one and only Pete Rock. Soul meets rap and hip hop on this single. The single Lady Wray – Joy & Pain/Piece of Me serves as a testament to the trials and tribulations in her life both good and bad. The songs on this album represent the few milestones she has encountered in life. She has grown and matured as a person.

Soul fans and Nicole Wray fans will not be disappointed as this single follows the same old school soul formula of Queen Alone. This is perfect deep Southern soul. Big Crown Records is doing something right by bringing back soul music everyone used to listen to. They put in soulful beats and soulful voices that speak to everyone’s heart and soul. Leon Michels and Pete Rock do no wrong when it comes to production, songwriting, or singing.

Nicole wrote Piece Of Me with songwriter Leon Michels before she gave birth to her daughter Melody. The song was written in 2018 before she became a mother. Her alto voice gives off a jazzy vibe in this particular song. Now the feeling, tone, and mood for this song is filled with sadness. The 2023 remix version of Piece of Me was produced by Pete Rock and features Ghostface Killah rapping. The song is certainly a dream come true. This is a WU banger!!

Piece of Me is a sad heartbreaking love song that is filled with uncertainty and emotional attachment. Nicole and her man have been thru the best of times even through her darkest days. They’ve been through the best of times and the worst of times. Why must it turn around? She asks herself.

Life has its uncertainties. Life is not fair. So many questions with so many answers. She’s not sure these days. He has been good to Nicole. That’s why it’s hard for her to walk away.

The song is a perspective of her world. Throughout the song, she sings about sacrificing for her family even if they don’t always help, contribute, or give back. She broke us off a piece of her with this song soulfully speaking as this song represents the few milestones she has encountered in life. She broke herself off a piece of herself with this song.

These lyrics explain the burden and pain of life being unfair.

You’ve been the best at times
You walk me through my darkest days
Why must it turn around?
I ask myself (I don’t know)
This just ain’t fair, so hard to bear (It’s not fair)
I’m not really sure these days
Sure these days, sure these days (Ooh)
I’ve stashed the memories to ease the pain

Those memories of hers are hard to let go of. So she stashed the memories away to ease the pain and as a way to cope. That is what the lyrics “I’ve stashed the memories to ease the pain” mean.

Ghostface Killah rapped about how best friends became lovers. They struggled through everything together. They both needed peace. They went to the flicks in leathers. Read books together. Enjoyed carnivals and all that. Fast forward now and they’ve both got mixed emotions. Both got lovе, but the seal was broken. He may regret he made the wrong decision. He felt the love slipping away. If it’s meant, they’ll circle back and complete the mission. This feels different

Joy & Pain (Pete Rock Remix) uses a bit of dub bass over a minimal reggae soundscape with production from the one and only Pete Rock. Those thick bass lines bring out the dub reggae sound. Pete Rock was killing the beats, instrumentation, and bass lines.

She sings about how she managed to get through the rough times by experiencing joy and pain with her man. He gave her heaven and hell. Will he trust Nicole when times are tough? Wanna go easy when the game get rough. Wasting time when love’s in vain. Through all this she experiences joy and pain. Nicole wants the good times.

I rate this single 5/5*****!!