I’ll start this with a very bold, very real, very arguable statement; K.T.S.E. was the best R&B album to drop in 2018.

While most knew Teyana Taylor from her feature in Kanye West’s “Fade” music video; I knew her from “Christmas In Harlem.” Yes, the same song that was released during Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Friday releases. I never even bothered to look into her after that. I never listened to VII and, according to the numbers, not many people did. I thought her career was done. I did always notice that she was still apart of G.O.O.D. Music’s roster. I figured she was on board for writing purposes. I didn’t expect to be stunned by her performance in Kanye’s music video. I don’t think any one expected to see her shine like that. Her and her team took advantage of the newfound light. Her album, K.T.S.E. (Keep That Same Energy), was the last project to be released following the “Wyoming Sessions.” 

After Taylor’s debut album, she turned her focus toward her career in television with a few features and singles popping up over the years. A full project was never expected. Over the years, her personal life grew to include a husband, Iman Shumpert, and a child. After four years, Teyana Taylor had her shot in the music industry again.

She delivered on her opportunity.

The album opens with a tease of an introduction in “No Manners.” The song is quick and to the point. In it, she makes reference to her husband, but also makes it known that this will not hold her back from anything. She is still who she is. A listener can’t get much from a one minute and thirty second track, but if one were to listen close they can hear extension in her vocal range, a shift in flow, and passion. Everything a good R&B album would need.

Kanye would later say on a track “no fade outs.” This slight adjustment in what is known to be the norm in music is extremely important to the album. As the introduction shifts into the album’s most popularized song, “Gonna Love Me,” the listener is thrust into a smooth listen. The production lays an incredible foundation for a sound that is reminiscent of a 90’s R&B love songs. Yet, it is Taylor’s voice that carries the production further. In the song, she recounts difficulties in a relationship, mainly focusing in on the night after a problem has arisen. It is the idea of “not going to sleep upset” in song form. It is the after thoughts that creep into a mind after a fight with someone they care about. There is reality in the lines “I hope that you see it through” and “Sometimes I don’t think we really say enough.” As human’s, the fight or flight element is still alive and well. It is the reason why people give up on relationships so quickly. It is the reason why people shut down during arguments and confrontation. People would rather choose the simple route. But Teyana makes it clear that through the hardships, all she wants is to spend her “nights with you/ My life with you…” Thats a lucky “you.” The follow up remix that pairs the songstress with the likes of Raekwon, Method Man, and Ghostface Killah elevates the song that much more. The video, directed by Taylor, gives all the 90’s vibes you need.

“Issues/ Hold On” reiterates the idea of problems occurring throughout a relationship. This time, instead of the aftermath, Taylor focuses on the cause of the tension. Throughout the song she explains that there is always a fight to keep a relationship intact but there is also a battle within each individual. Her “demons” include “daddy issues” and “being played before.” There is no doubt on her mind that her partner has deep and true feelings for her. Yet, she’ll need “reassurance every now and then” and “a shoulder, to kill this hangover” to overcome her insecurities. It takes a huge amount of self-awareness to even speak these words, let alone release in song form for the world to hear. The song comes with a video featuring fellow Harlem rapper, A$AP Rocky. The video is comical in that audiences are able to see Rocky with an Afro and see the pair overly dramatize interactions within a relationship for the camera. The video is dope. The song deserves nothing but respect.

The album gets real spicy once it gets to “Hurry.” She dominates her partner throughout the song by telling him exactly what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. Whether it’s making sure the “Jimmy Choo’s” are on during the encounter or him “[taking his] hands and [grabbing] it,” this is clearly Ms. Taylor’s show with a featured guest. All the while, she wants him to “hurry” into the room so they can go “’til the sun come up.” The song also features Kanye West. It was expected that he would step up to the mic after assisting in producing the entire album.

The spiciness doesn’t stop there. There is still “3Way.” The song details an orchestrated (by Taylor) encounter with another woman and her husband. The goal? To “turn [him] on.” Don’t get it twisted though. She makes a couple of things clear; she has to “like” the potential partner, “soon as [Taylor and her husband are] done [the second woman] leavin’ right out the door, and, finally, the “freaky secret” has to be kept “on the down low.” Spicy. The singer continues to verbally describe exactly what she wants the other woman to do and what her husband should do. This is all right before Ty Dolla $ign breaks into the song with his own perspective as a male in that exact situation. The pair finalize the song with a memorable duet on the chorus. 

Continuing on with the album, Taylor begins to discuss her life outside of music and the process it took to get to the point of the album in “Rose in Harlem.” The main staple in her ordeal to rise to her current position was doubt. Even the people closest to her seemed to doubt her progression in the music industry. The song promotes Taylor as the late Tupac Shakur penned “a rose that grew from concrete.” But it is the second verse that stands out the most with her lines, “I just bought my third house/ No album out and got ‘em asking/ ‘What she do?’ I do everything/ I move everything/ Put that on my wedding ring/ Put that on my baby’s name.” There is nothing greater than the truth. 

Teyana throws in “WTP” as the final song of the album. The song is rooted in her dancing background and has made its way to be remixed by various DJs.

The true conclusion of the album falls onto “Never Would Have Made It.” The song is an ode to those who helped her reach her goals. She gives light to her failures as much as her accomplishments. She specifically names her mother as a driving force in her life. She also cites her self growth as a leading factor in her life. The song is also an ode to her daughter who has the final words of the song: “Move forward.”

It has been said that Taylor’s album draws heavily on 90’s R&B. I agree.

What makes K.T.S.E. the stand out R&B album of 2018 are these 90’s references but most importantly the layering of the album. If there is a fault in the project it is that it is too short. It would have been an incredible experience to listen to Taylor over the course of a longer album.

Yet, it is the length that it is the albums’ strength. There are many layers packed in such a short amount of time. The production is spot on, the soul she delivers is impeccable, the storytelling is there, the range in her voice is present, the range in her style is also apparent, and her vulnerability is encased in every single song. 

Teyana Taylor did that.