Customer Reviews

No Half Steppin

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

The first artist that Clive Davis had signed to his new label, J Records was the foul mouthed new-comer Olivia. After achieving major success with her risque` first single "Bizounce", the record was a huge commercial disappointment, barely selling 122,000 units to date after its release in the summer of 2001. It was a damn shame too, she had an amazing voice and a gorgeous face, and given the right material the girl could have blown up big. Fans weren't feeling the extremely explicit & poorly written lyrics that she had used to give her a more "ghetto" edge. The same thing has happened again with Motown record's newest artist, Sharissa. The girl has mad talent, but her producers, writers and label are handling her carrer all wrong.

Songs like "Thug Love", "All These Years", and the pointless skits are just a bunch of people cussing & arguing together to give the album a parental advisory notice, and give Sharissa the "street image" that she is trying so desperatley to obtain. Its a damn shame too because the album does have good songs like the catchy "No Half Steppin" and the album's hypnotic first single "Any other Night", along with her powerful gospel voice, and a few sweet ballads ("I'm Waiting") which are going to be over looked do to the fact that smart record buyers know not to make the same mistake twice.

Maybe if she came first, then the music that she is recording could have been excepted, but she is serving up this earthquake after Olivia's hurricane, and fans will do anything to avoid the storm. Its a damn shame to see talent wasted, when artists who could have a bright future, can't live up to their potential. Not only is it a shame, but its extremely frustrating to watch it go down, and there being nothing that any of us can do.

There's nothing really in this record that sets it apart from any other, its alot along the same lines as Blu Cantrell, (although Blu sings a little better)Faith Evans, (although Faith sings better)Monifah (although Monifah sings better) and a lot of the other stuff out right now. I do give Sharissa credit for making a song like Put Down That Phone though, its a very romantic song, that I'll probably listen to with my girlfriend several times. Other than that though, No Half Steppin' is just such an average body of work, the same tired topics (mistreating and cheating boyfriends, people in your business, and that bad guy that you just can't let go of for some reason). Overall, give Sharissa props for making it as far as she has and for making a couple of good songs on her debut, but that's pretty much it, if I could go back to a few hours ago when I bought this, I'd probably pass, of course thats just my opinion though.

C'mon now, you gotta admit that the girl can sing! Her album was great to me! Especially 'Any Other Night', 'I'm Waiting', and 'Over A Man'. Sharissa may be kinda ghetto but she's got soul. And in my book that's what counts. I recommend it.

I like this CD. I especially like the songs "All these years", "Issues", and of course "Any other night". But my favorite is "I'm Waiting". This girl has a good voice. I highly recommend this CD.

this was actually a good album. she sings and her alto voice is really sultry and her songs are real.Thats another reason i like this album...she curses and says what she has to say and some people dont liek it because they say shes ghetto and all that but it is a good cd...and she can sing..

BEST SONGS:
*No Half Steppin
**All These Years
**Any Other Night
**Dun Put Up To Long
**I Cant Wait
**Thug Love
**Over A MAn

After all it wasnt a very very very good debut but it was enough to get her some shine even though she should have gotten a little more than she did.This is just the debut and the second album is coming up in due time..maybe this time we can see her a little bit more and she will get osme actual spotlight.....

OVERALL GRADE = 76/100 = C

Sharissa is definitely a talented "singer". In the world of so many lip synchers it is refreshing to hear a "real" talent. I love her CD and wish her all the success in the world. If you like real gritty soul, then this is the one for you.

I think Sharissa is going to be really successful in the future. She has good slow songs. It's an okay freshman CD!

Sharissa Dawes had a good voice, good songs, But Lack of promotion is what stopped this CD from selling

She gave us those mas dissing "I can't take no more" songs which seemed to be the entire basis of the CD with songs like "Any other night", "Do We Really", "dun put up too long" "All these years" and the song that got axed from the album she perfomed live on the Appolo "see if I don't"

it seems as if her attempted comeback in 2005 was outshined by Newcomer Keyshia Cole

But Sharissa had a good voice, which is what attracted me.

I'm starting to Think Motown didn't promote this album because a lot of the songs were about the same thing - I can't take anymore of my man's crap


6 years later, Listening to this CD again, I'm starting to think maybe if she had given more variety in her lyrics, maybe Motown might have invested in promoting it better. Didn't a lot of the female Rappers give us this "I can't take your crap" Already? I recall songs by Lil Kim, Foxy Brown having that kind of content

It seems as though every album that I think is at least decent, there are numerous people who think the album is just trash. (I still don't understand why people didn't like Truth Hurts' album.) Sharissa's debut is not that bad at all. The skits do not need to be on here, and there are two or three filler/mediocre songs on here... but the rest is quality. I wish she would put the ghetto queen persona away, though. Record companies should learn by now that when it comes to a female R&B singer, the parental advisory label drives the potential fan base away rather than attracting them. I would recommend buying this, probably used, though.

Ok after seeing Sharissa's first video for her song "Any other Night", I thought she would just be another "ghetto" girl singing regular stuff. HOWEVER, my sister got the cd and I listened to it and her music IS HOT. She has a lovely voice; a great range- sounds like real soulful artist. Her songs are written beautifully and is just perfect for her. Despite that one song, all of the others surpass that one. I love this cd and have been playing it virtually nonstop since I got it. So please buy this cd and support this great, great artist.
Thanks!