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Chris Brown dropped the deluxe version of his '11:11' album on April 11, 2024. This appears to be in line with his "1111" angel number theme, representing a spiritual awakening, that is prevalent throughout the project.
Chris took to social media to announce this project with a post detailing the complete list of tracks that have been included in the deluxe project. It seems the R&B singer has added 13 new tracks to the album bringing the total number of songs on the album's tracklist to 35.
His intention to bring up the album's tracklist to this number could be a reference to his project's release coinciding with his 35th birthday on May 5, 2024. This album review will focus on the fresh records that have been added to 11:11's OG tracklist which debuted in November 2023.
The following tracks were part of the album's initial release:
- Angel Numbers / Ten Toes
- Sensational (Feat. Davido and Lojay)
- Press Me
- That's On You (Feat. Future)
- Feel Something
- Best Ever (Feat. Maeta)
- No One Else (Feat. Fridayy)
- Shooter
- Nightmares (Feat. Byron Messia)
- Very Special
- Messed Up
- Midnight Freak
- Moonlight
- Bouncing / G5
- Make Up Your Mind
- Stutter
- Need A Friend
- Summer Too Hot
- Feelings Don't Lie
- Red Flags
- Closure
- Views
11:11 (Deluxe) was released to all major DSPs (Digital Streaming Platforms) via RCA Records under an exclusive license from Chris Brown Entertainment LLC.
Breaking down Chris Brown's new 11:11 (Deluxe) album
Chris's new project, 11:11 (Deluxe), contains 13 fresh off-the-pan tracks that feature some of the biggest artists in the music industry like Bryson Tiller, Lil Wayne, Joyner Lucas, and more.
The themes on these new tracks are very similar to those tackled on the original album. Notable thematic elements identified in this project include:
- Relationships
- Love
- Intimacy
- S*x
- Drugs
- Self-reflection
- Hope
- Pain
- Jealousy
- Control
Disclaimer: This album review is rated explicit. Reader's discretion is advised.
1) Bruce Lee
(Production Credits: YX)
Bruce Lee opens 11:11 (Deluxe) with an intoxicating production that appears to blend afro-beat music with trap and pop. This makes for an interesting listen that draws listeners into a self-reflecting emotional record.
The lyricism on this track appears to use water as a metaphor to highlight the fluidity of the relationship that is required to ensure its long-term survival. Some notable lines from Bruce Lee include:
"High tide, we capsize / We blame it on something lunar, rogue winds are coming in (We’re sinking) / Secrets are washing out, if we make it out the storm / We're stronger, so we need to move like water."
2) Go Girlfriend
(Blaq Tuxedo)
Go Girlfriend is a track whose production is filled with classic Chris Brown tropes from the slow-paced rhythm to the dance-trap music elements incorporated into its instrumental.
Chris appears to playfully praise his girlfriend throughout the track highlighting her beauty and the closeness of their relationship, which is best evidenced in the chorus of the track where he sings:
"Go girlfriend, go girlfriend / You s*xy and you know it / Your best friend, my best friend / We best friends and we f**kin."
3) No Interruptions
(Production Credits: Bizness Boi, Fortune, Fridayy, and Kofo)
The third track, No Interruptions, features silky drum patterns that flow over a pop instrumental, blending perfectly well with Brown's vocal performances.
The lyricism on this record draws listeners in with its emotional tone. It has the singer speaking directly to his love interest highlighting how they should get away from all the noise and give each other "undivided" attention. The theme of this song is best noticed in the chorus where Brown sings:
"I get you wetter than the sea when we touchin' / Put your phone on DND, no interruptions (Oh) / Bout to turn this little fling into somethin."
4) Run Away (Feat. Bryson Tiller)
(Production Credits: Boi-1da and YogiTheProducer)
Run Away opens as the fourth track on Chris's new album alongside a feature from Bryson Tiller, who also dropped his self-titled fourth studio album last Friday. The production on this track is electric and filled with boppy drum patterns creating a perfect club-dance anthem.
The lyricism on this song dives into themes of relationships, love, and s*x, with both artists expressing their interest in providing for their love interest. Some of the lines that emphasize this theme show up in the chorus which reads:
"He don't know you need the bag every Monday, hey, hey / Watch this, yeah / Got them bands in my pockets / Girl, you know I'll pay for it, but watch this."
5) Delusional
(Production Credits: YX)
Delusional is a fast-paced love song that incorporates thick bass drops, 808s, and hi-hats into its composition making this one of the most enticing songs in the project.
The lyrics add several layers to the depth of this track, with Chris looking back on a lost relationship highlighting how they both were too "delusional" to notice they were never meant to be together. Some of the most memorable lines on this track include:
"Neither side wants to take an L and be the one to blame / Somehow it's my fault, no problem / In your eyes, I can see you think that we will never change / Baby, maybe we was just delusional."
6) Freak (Feat. Joyner Lucas x Lil Wayne x Tee Grizzley)
(Production Credits: ADHD Productions and Leo Son)
Freak opens with an intro from Joyner Lucas before the production kicks in with a fresh Hip/Hop composition that samples Nelly's 2002 track Air Force Ones. This is what makes the song a stand-out entry on 11:11 (Deluxe). The track is filled with bars, double entendres, and s*xual metaphors delivered with aggressive performances from all four artists.
From Joyner shouting out Kanye West and his Sunday Service choir to Lil Wayne comparing his regular s*x life to Uber Eats, these are the most notable lines that stood out on Freak:
"[Lil Wayne] Look, ma, let's get freaky deaky, baby / Give me so much head, I can tell you what you thinkin', baby / Ooh, now I'm creamin', got you lookin' like you been drinkin' Baileys / Weezy F, AF, I'm a freaky alien."
7) Won't Keep You Waiting (Feat. Mario)
(Production Credits: 1Mind, GYW Eli, KVRIM & Sam E Lee Jones)
Won't Keep You Waiting finds the project returning to its pop music production with elements of Afro-beats and electric performances from both, Chris and Mario. It goes on to highlight the intimacy of their relationships.
In the chorus, both artists are performing side by side expressing how their love for their partner runs so deep that the relationship feels endless, almost like they're in "eternity". Some of the notable lines from the chorus include:
"It feels like eternity / What we did was so heavy / Come and get it, you wanted all of me / No, I won't keep you waiting, no."
8) Hmmm (Feat. Davido)
(Production Credits: Young Alpha)
Hmmm is the first track on 11:11 (Deluxe) to completely embrace the Afro-beat inspiration into its production, with the whole track filled with entrancing trap music elements. Nigerian singer-songwriter Davido's feature on this track is effectively introduced as he manages to build the vibe on this record by opening the first verse.
Chris' vocal performance on this track also appears to draw inspiration from African linguistics, with the lyrics referencing the toxic nature of an unfulfilling relationship. Some of the notable bars from this song include:
"[Chris Brown] Big bakassi (Mm-hmm) / Under the influence (Mm-hmm) / She wanna get freaky, freaky (She wanna get freaky) / Make your boyfriend no go dey vex / Tell me what you want from me / You wey I see for ozumbadiwe (Mm-hmm) / She said you tryna get off the streets."
9) Afterlife
(Production Credits: BeazyTymes and Louis Bell)
Afterlife is a track with an upbeat production that samples and draws inspiration from Michael Jackson's 1989 record Leave Me Alone. The song was initially previewed back in 2017 on Brown's Instagram account following the release of his Deluxe version of Heartbreak on a Full Moon.
The lyrics find Chris explaining how his attraction toward his love interest will never cease as he hopes to continue their relationship even after they both die, intending to meet her in the "afterlife". The pre-chorus of the song builds on this theme as he sings:
"And don't even make a mistake / It's too hard to get away / 'Cause there's a chance I gotta take on my own / And even though my bones, they might break / And this body's no more / Just meet me in the afterlife."
10) S*x So Good
(Production Credits: Troy Taylor, Xris Keys, and WillOnnaBeat)
The soft R&B track, S*x So Good, finds Chris performing sultry lyrics over a slow-paced production that invites listeners in with its harmonies and melodies.
The lyrics, although explicit, emphasize how all the problems that he and his partner might face in their relationship together tend to fade away when they get intimate with each other. This point is brought forward in the chorus of the song where Chris sings:
"Leave you on read, yeah / I know how to get in your head, yeah / Oh, you'd rather meet me in your bed, yeah / And before you cut me off, I'll come through and break you off, shawty."
11) My Slime
(Production Credits: Bizness Boi and Christopher Bivens)
The 11th track on Chris Brown's 11:11 (Deluxe) is the track titled My Slime a fast-paced trap/R&B composition. This song finds the singer highlighting how he wants his muse to stand by his side i.e. be his "slime".
Slime is a term used to identify a close personal relationship with an individual, which can be seen expressed in the chorus for the track which states:
"We got ties / Yo, that's my shooter, she stay qualified (Qualified) / We always see it eye to eye (Eye) / I just wanna make you my slime."
12) Sweet Lullaby
(Production Credits: Mussiah Lott)
Sweet Lullaby is an emotionally painful production that finds Chris harmonizing over his love for this woman who appears to have him hooked. Throughout the song, the singer seems to be alluding to her beauty and attraction as the reasons for him making these love songs.
The chorus dives deeper into these themes as Chris gets more metaphorical with his writing to explain the relationship he has with this woman, where he sings:
"All I see is smoke and mirrors / I ignore it 'cause she's a bad b*tch / Then the smoke gets clearer / And then she comes and gives me the passion, attraction, she's the definition of malice / Such a beautiful distraction."
13) Residuals
(Production Credits: Blaq Tuxedo and Eric Hudson)
The final addition to 11:11 (Deluxe) is Residuals which like many of the tracks on this project is a soft R&B love song whose jazzy production makes the song an interesting listen.
Chris Brown's lyrics and vocal performances on this song appear to be more somber with him pondering over who would receive his "residuals" if his current relationship ends. Some of the lines that best evidence this theme include:
"Tryna put a muzzle on my crazy feelings / One minute I'm cool and then the next, I'm tripping, no / With somebody new, I swear she done deserted / Wasted on my mind, she still on my mind."
The production and vocal performances on this album are stellar and exceptionally well done. However, the project does lack a certain depth from the perspective that several tracks could be excluded from the album but it would sonically still sound the same.
Several songs on both of Chris Brown's projects, 11:11 and 11:11 (Deluxe), revolve around the recurring themes of love, intimacy, and relationships. They seem to be refusing to create a linear storyline that listeners can get attached to. However, it is possible that leaving his audience wanting more was Chris's artistic direction all along.
