My favorite Neo/R&B soul singer and songwriter is back with a new look, new label, and definitely a new attitude.  “The Light of the Sun” is her fourth studio album and her first with Warner Bros. records.  With her leading single “Still in Love” featuring Anthony Hamilton that reached the top 11 on the Billboard charts, the anticipation is finally over.  On the first day of summer, Jill Scott kicks off her summer block party!

The Light of the Sun brings you a re-awakening of the hip-hop neo soul element.  You can take it personal or be just as carefree as you want to be but I love how Jill Scott manages to hit all type of angles.  Being that she’s been through a lot with her relationships, you get a dynamic feel of her thoughts across the board.  In a recent interview with NPR she describes the making of this album as, “I’ve really just been standing in front of the microphone and blacking out musically. I come back a couple hours later and there’s six songs from beginning to end.”  With Scott being able to just spit on the mic and using her creative ability to produce great music is astounding.  I haven’t seen her do it, but I know it’s something serious in the studio.

As a single woman trying to establish a career, I thought I could relate to her song “So Gone (What My Mind Says)” which features Texas native Paul Wall.  She sings of a woman who is fighting celibacy.   The preaching of self-respect for your body and especially if you want to build a relationship, sex can be a very underlying issue.  I’m not going to lie; we all need that sexual satisfaction, so for her to put those thoughts to words, and to produce a song that doesn’t elude too much sexploitation is dope.

Jill Scott always seems to bring it for the powerful, fist rising, and proud, appreciative woman and with “Womanifesto”.   If you ever seen her in person, her spoken word segments are the highlight of the night and this poem here was my highlight of her whole album.

 “I Appreciate my culture/thick not just from bone dense and eat/ I have a rhythm in my ways and a practice in my speech/ and yes I do crave the rhythm of my own space/with a man that rejoices in God’s grace, with faith /I do hear to listen, two hands that fist.  I am gifted, and all of this…..and indeed, the shit.”

The Light of the Sun is indeed a different sound, but the same character and content that any Jill Scott fan can appreciate. Check her out her Summer Block Party Tour in your area, and if you are local to the Bay Area, AUGUST 12^TH!