This past Friday brought us the highly anticipated follow up to Summer Walker’s 2019 album, ‘Over It,’ and Black Twitter is drowning out the final embers of Hot Girl Summer with their tears.
Whether you’re currently in the throes of love’s woes, recalling a former heartbreak hell, or perfectly content in your relationship (or singledom) and feigning sorrow for participation points, chances are, you’ve streamed Summer Walker’s new release. The 25-year-old artist continues to prove that lemon sour relationships juice musical masterpieces. While her debut album broke streaming records set by Beyonce’s Lemonade in 2016, ‘Still Over It’ is projected to launch at #1 on the Billboard 200.
The 20 track compilation, which could have been alternatively titled, ‘20 new reasons to leave that man,’ features SZA, City Girls’ JT, and Ari Lennox. Rapper Cardi B even lends herself to the end of intro track, ‘Bitter’ where she narrates what appears to be a voicemail message to Walker about her (then) rumored pregnancy with former partner London on da Track.
“If you are pregnant and everything, say it in a beautiful way in your music, say why you, you know, decided to be with your nigga, even though you have problems, put that drama in your music, yeah ‘Cause if bitches wanna get clout off you, you gonna get clout off them” Cardi narrates.
The album leaks with the blues of a new single mother still reeling over her relationship with the father of her child, and yet, has begun to heal herself through it. Tracks like Circus, Insane, and Constant Bullshit, are self reflective of her willing participation in what she knows is a toxic relationship. While tracks like Closure offer a transparent and relatable take on just how strong the pull can be in back and forth dealings with a lover.
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Now despite her ex London being dragged in damn near every track on the album, the producer took to Instagram stories over the weekend to make a pretense of surprise that it had been released – although he is credited as having produced the majority of the album. (I know, I know. Another story for another day.)
He writes: “Lol just woke up. What happened?…Oh s***. Album’s out. I’m just glad to be an inspiration. Keep streamin!!”
*Insert eye roll emoji
The songstress shared her own voice on social media in an Instagram post where we catch a glimpse of a healing Summer Walker:
“Take this opportunity to learn from my mistakes,” she writes. “You don’t have to guess if something is love. Love is shown through actions. Stop making excuses for people who don’t show up for you. Don’t ignore the red flags. And don’t think you have to stay somewhere ‘cause you can’t find better — you can and you will. Don’t settle for less — you don’t deserve it and neither does your family.”
By the end of the album, we move towards Summer’s hope for her future in love in a track titled Ciara’s Prayer, a full on invocation recited by Ciara herself. A prayer folks have vowed to commit to memory by Monday morning.
And speaking of the “one two step era,” if you’ve been looking for a throwback nod to the vibes of late nineties and early to mid aughts, our good sis Summer has got you covered. This album singlehandedly delivers the R&B sound millennials have been complaining about missing since Avant dropped Separated in 2000. Through Summer’s voice and melodies we hear influences from Aaliyah, Erykah Badu, and “The Vocal Bible” Brandy.
While ‘Still Over It’ continues to keep us strapped in on Summer’s emotional rollercoaster, one thing I can assure is that it is indeed a ride worth the ticket.
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