Two Eleven is Brandy's sixth studio album that was released on October 12, 2012 by Chameleon Entertainment and RCA Records.
Tracklisting
- Intro 0:57
- Wildest Dreams 4:26
- So Sick 4:31
- Slower 2:57
- No Such Thing As Too Late 4:01
- Let Me Go 3:17
- Without You 4:12
- Put It Down (featuring Chris Brown) 4:06
- Hardly Breathing 3:55
- Do You Know What You Have 3:28
- Scared Of Beautiful 3:46
- Wish Your Love Away 3:19
- Paint This House 3:58
- Outro 0:57
Album Background
Brandy's joint record deal with RCA and producer Breyon Prescott's Chameleon Records was finalized in late 2010; however, it was not announced to the public until August 2011, when it was also confirmed that her sixth studio album would be released in 2012.
After Brandy was signed in late 2010, professional recording and submissions for the album began. Much of the earlier material recorded under Epic Records was left with the label and allocated to other artists such as Jennifer Lopez.
Speaking of her new record deal during an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Brandy commented: "I'm reinventing myself and I feel fearless, [Two Eleven is] mature, it's gritty, it's edgy. RCA reminds me of how Atlantic used to be, they really believed in my vision as an artist when they signed me at 14, RCA welcomed me and Breyon Prescott and Peter Edge showed such passion for what I wanted to do".
Before Prescott worked with Norwood he sought the permission of Brandy's long-time collaborator and friend Darkchild. Prescott told Darkchild that he wanted to work on making an R&B record with Norwood. Darkchild agreed giving him his blessings.
Development
In 2009, Brandy introduced her rap alter ego Bran'Nu on Timbaland's album "Shock Value II," the result of artistic experimentation with the musician, who had tapped her for her rhyming ability after seeing a video on YouTube that Brandy had uploaded and showed her rapping freestyle.
Brandy (who had initially thought of rapping as a hobby and fun for friends) felt encouraged by Timbaland to write and perform her own verses on at least three tracks for his album, two of which eventually made it to the track lisiting.
In December 2009, Timbaland revealed his intentions to reteam with her on her next project, producing the bulk of an album that he envisioned to be “half singing, half rapping”.
Brandy confirmed his idea in an interview she held at the release party of Shock Value II: "What I'm doing on the [next] album is a little bit different than what everybody knows me for. Timbaland endorsed that [...] He really gave me a shot to be different and be versatile. I can't thank him enough for that. This is a wonderful opportunity."
Though Brandy went on to record several other rap songs the following months and hoped it would eventually lead to a signing with Timbaland's Mosley Music Group, plans for hip hop-oriented album under his imprint were eventually abandoned as Brandy felt the sound would not aim at her core audience.
Approached on the subject, she later dismissed the idea of recording a rap album, stating that “it was a hobby. I was convinced to do it professionally, which I never should have listened to that advice.”
After unveilling her new record deal in August 2011, Brandy finally revealed that she had found her sound for the album, stating: "What I'm truly excited about is how the album is all about R&B and figuring out the new sound of R&B, and that was the challenge for me. I wanted to do something different – I didn't want to just sing about love over regular beats".
She also stated how Frank Ocean inspired her on this album: "We've always had that great chemistry, and we both understand music in the same ways, to work with him on this album was great as well, and I hope I can get in [the studio] with him some more because his music is just so moving; I'm inspired by him. I think he's a great artist and he hasn't even touched on what he will touch on in the future."
Speaking to Billboard magazine, Brandy said: "I think the fans have been very patient with me, but I just wanted to make sure that this album was right – the right type of music, the right core. I feel like we're getting to that point where I felt comfortable with putting something out."
Speaking of the types of records Brandy was making, in a separate interview with Rap-Up, she compared her album to previous records, saying: "It’s just gonna be a different album, but of course expressing the love that I feel now and the struggles and different situations that I’ve gone through in the past,... My music always tends to be the soundtrack to my life and definitely inspired by what I see other people go through as well—gritty, edgy, different."
Touching the subject matter of songs on the album, Brandy said she felt like the past failures in her life should be addressed, saying:
"The evolution of Brandy is crazy, i've gone through some things that I haven't yet sang about....From the break up with my ex-fiance, to the struggles since the car accident, and then Human not performing well at all, and then to being cheated out of Dancing with the Stars; it's like failure after failure after failure......I'm bringing everything i got. Everything I have to this project. I honestly feel like and i'm not trying to get emotional but i really feel like this is my last chance....This is time away from my daughter."
Recording
Brandy began recording the album in early 2009 with her then-record label Epic Records. Among those to first work with her were Ne-Yo, Stargate, and production and songwriting duo Tricky Stewart and The-Dream.
The duo produced the record "Louboutins" for Norwood but after losing her record deal it was re-recorded by actress and singer Jennifer Lopez for her album, "Love?"
Another record which Norwood recorded under Epic was titled "Decisions", which was produced by Stargate and featured guest vocals from American R&B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo.
The record was reclaimed and eventually recorded by upcoming girl group RichGirl for their debut mixtape, "Fall in Love with RichGirl."
By late 2009, Brandy resumed recording, this time with a duo called The Chase (consisting of Kadis and Sean). In early 2010, she stated that she wanted to work with Will.i.am and Akon.
Throughout 2010, Brandon continued recording independently with a variety of musicians, including producers Danja, Clinton Sparks, The Jam, Corey Gibson and songwriter Stacy Barthe.
Some of this was chronicled on her VH1 reality series "Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business", which originally aired from April 2010 to February 2011 and spawned a soundtrack of the same name on which some of the tracks were included.
During early conceptions of the album, Brandy had wanted to re-unite with Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, her longtime collaborator who had executive-produced "Human."
However, midway through 2009, during an interview with Out magazine, Brandy refused to talk about "Human", telling interviews "to hell with that album" when questions were asked about it; it wasn't until 2010 when Norwood would break her silence during an episode of her VH1 reality TV show "Brandy and Ray J: A Family Business."
During one of the episodes when her brother Ray J announces that he wants to work with Darkchild, Brandy reveals that she felt the producer "did not put his all into the album" and that "was a personal issue between me and him."
Elaborating on what she meant, Brandy replied: "You know what kind of chemistry Rodney and I have too, but on some personal issues, he doesn't deliver.....I don't want the same thing that happened to me, to happen to you."
In September 2010, producer Bangladesh confirmed that he had been commissioned by Norwood to helm the production of the entire project even though Brandy later expressed her intent to further connect with several producers, including Jim Beanz, WyldCard, newcomer Kevin McCall, Lonny Bereal, Rico Love, production collectives The Woodworks and The Runners and singer Sean Garrett who worked on nine songs for the album.
Hit-Boy (who had previously worked with Frank Ocean on Brandy's "Human" album) returned to production on "Two Eleven" with the ballad "White Flag", which discusses "emotional defeat". However, it was excluded from the final track listing.
Brandy's collaboration with Drake was a song written by James Fauntleroy and produced by Noah "40" Shebib; however it failed to come to fruition.
A press release from RCA Records announced that Breyon Prescott was overseeing the album with productions by the aforementioned producers as well as Mario Winans and writing from Ester Dean.
Despite Prescott stating that Timbaland was in the studios crafting a song for the album, Brandy revealed on August 29, 2012, that the album was complete and that time didn't allow for her and the producer to work together.
Album Title
The album's title is taken from Brandy's birthday; it is also the day on which her idol and friend, entertainer Whitney Houston died eight months prior to the album's release.
Chart Performance
"Two Eleven" debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 and topped Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart with first week sales of 65,000 copies.