Take Back Thursday - Revisiting “Heaux Tales”, Jazmine Sullivan
The critically acclaimed, once-in-a-generation talent, Jazmine Sullivan, has this habit of keeping a very low profile for years on end; only to step out to drop a beautiful body of work and leave the R&B world in shambles with it. As a long-time fan, this routine of waiting can be difficult in a fast-paced music industry, but when she delivers, it is always worth the wait.
The last time we heard from Jazmine was back in 2015, when she released the album Reality Show. Back then, she drew inspiration from reality show culture and used it to tell stories of her experience with toxic relationships, beauty standards, aspiring for fame, men in the music industry, and heartbreak, among other things. Reality Show, a vocally flawless album, was one of the few pieces of R&B music at the time explicitly laden with honest social commentary about being a black woman (trying to find love) in America.
Five years later, as the mainstream media gave way to more explicit expressions of sexuality, Sullivan has dug even deeper into her life experiences and brought us more authenticity with her fourth studio album, Heaux Tales (read as “ho”). Although it was first released as an EP, its popularity led it to expand as an album through “Heaux Tales, Mo’ Tales”. This album is heavily conceptual and thematic, exploring themes of sex and sexuality, sex work, hookup culture, pleasure, body-shaming, self-comparison, love, and infidelity through a uniquely feminist perspective.
In Heaux Tales, Jazmine, along with several of her friends and musical peers, sit down with us and narrate their experiences with love, sex, dating, and everything in between. Coming from all angles, she gives us the good, bad, and ugly. Jazmine and the other narrators play multiple roles and give us a variety of perspectives. In between her tracks, she lays down interludes in the form of conversations with her friends, recording their stories, followed up by songs where Jazmine sings her own tales.
Track 1: “BODIES (INTRO)”
Jazmine is an underrated mastermind when it comes to telling stories in songs, and she proves this once again as we listen to the first few lines of “Bodies.” She lets us into the world of her “heaux” tales by painting a hazy scene of the aftermath of her latest hookup:
“Gotta stop getting fucked up,
What did I have in my cup,
I don’t know where I woke up,
I keep on pressing my luck,
I don’t know where I woke up….”
The unique raspiness of Sullivan’s tone, coupled with the way she slightly slurs through these lyrics, is undergirded with a dizzying set of synth chords, with spare snaps to keep the beat. Every element in this song works to leave the listener feeling this sense of haze and confusion; which is exactly what Jazmine feels in this scene. Here, she is tired, groggy, confused, and likely hungover, trying her best to recount the night:
“You don't know who you went home with
(Who you went) home with again
Was he a friend?
Or a friend of a friend? (Was he a?)
Was he a four, or was he a ten? (I know)...”
Over the course of the song, you learn that this isn’t the first time she’s been in a situation like this; and, although she wants to have better control over her hookups, she’ll probably end up in a situation like this again. You get the sense that this is something like a phase for her, and we catch her in the middle of it. Overall, the fact that it only takes two minutes for Jazmine to set this scene and tone for the rest of her album makes this one of my personal favorite tracks off Heaux Tales.
Track 2: “PICK UP YOUR FEELINGS”
Statistically, this track is the most popular, hands-down, off the album. Receiving two Grammy nominations (for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance) and winning a Grammy award for Best R&B Performance in 2022, “Pick Up Your Feelings” is the quintessential “niggas ain’t shit”/“fuck you” anthem of the album, and the year to be honest; complete with melismatic riffs, adlibs, and swells, with an easy beat to rock to. If you haven’t heard enough of Jazmine’s vocal prowess, agility, and range already, this track quickly makes up for lost time. Juxtaposed with the slurring of her words and the nebulous nature of the last track, she cuts to the chase and makes it clear to this imagined lover that she has no more time for their games; with one last response, she only has one request for this guy to “..come pick up your feelings..” Even though this is such a common scene in R&B music, particularly among Black women, her unique voice and lyrics recreate this and breathe new life into this style.
Track 3: “PUT IT DOWN”
While many of these tracks have Jazmine’s classic R&B flair, I find that “Put It Down” is a really unique deviation from her typical style, both lyrically and musically. In our culture, Black women have historically been labeled “gold diggers” in their romantic relationships whenever they are partnered with richer-than-average or financially stable men (think back to Kanye West’s “Gold Digger”, CeeLo Green’s “Fuck You”, and a myriad of other songs put out by Black men). The idea of trophy wives is a common concept that (Black) men often project onto women. In this song, Jazmine seems to have lyrically reversed the role of the stereotypical gold-digging woman; as she is the one in this relationship spending all the money and time on a man who offers little to nothing (and does more relational harm than good). Nothing, that is, except for sex. With this reversal, she takes on the “masculine” perspective of this story.
Like a true musician and storyteller, Jazmine Sullivan embodies this masculine character completely, using both the lyrics and the instrumentals/production choices. Musically, you can hear heavy elements of trap music (a genre more dominated by black men), from the synthesized drums to the ad-libs, to the auto-tune and distorted vocals. She practically adopts a rap-singing style as she sings on this track, staying in pocket with the bounce and flow of the music effortlessly as if she’s been doing it forever. It’s a really cool break from what we’re used to hearing from her.
Track 4: “ON IT” (feat. Ari Lennox)
“On It” is such a perfect blend between classic R&B and Neo-Soul. It almost feels as if they ripped a page out of Lauryn Hill and D’Angelo’s “Nothing Even Matters” when writing this song. Another personal favorite of mine off the album overall, this track slows things down and gives both Jazmine and Ari Lennox the floor to express their most sensual desires.
With two powerful vocalists sharing the mic, it can be hard to pull off a duet without feeling like they’re both competing against each other, or like one has outshined the other. But their voices complement each other extremely well without turning into a competition; Jazmine’s melismatic riffs contrast with Ari Lennox’s smooth sound and create a unique blend of vocal textures. You could argue that this duet technique of give and take, of complementing each other’s sound while allowing each other to shine; is how they view sex; as a consensual act \involving people who listen to each other’s needs, with a healthy balance of give and take. Overall, Jazmine unintentionally gave us the next classic R&B/Neo-Soul slow jam of our time.
Track 5: “PRICE TAGS” (feat. Anderson .Paak)
Musically, this track merges elements of 90s Hip-Hop, R&B, and Neo-Soul, so it’s no surprise. Content-wise, this track reminds me of the song “Mascara” on her last album, Reality Show, as it deals with the same subject/content matters; specifically using your body and sexuality for money, power, prestige, safety, security, etc. And like “Mascara”, this song is very gritty and shows off her lower range more than anything.
The subject matter of this song is foreshadowed in the previous track interlude, “Donna’s Tale”, where she talks about the ways in which many women, femmes, and nonbinary individuals in more traditional romantic relationships play the role of a “heaux” at one point or another in their lives; whether they engage in casual hookups, or have been in committed long-term relationships. She asserts the fact that everyone in relationships at one point has exchanged romantic or sexual gestures for material needs; whether that be money, clothing, opportunities, etc. This conversation is comedically underlined with church organs, almost as if to liken Donna’s tale to a proverbial truth spoken in a church congregation.
One thing that’s interesting to me is the latter half of Anderson .Paak’s feature; His charismatic verse lends itself to controversy, as he reveals coloristic tendencies and exposes the ways black men can weaponize skin color shades to determine the worth of potential long-time relationships or partners:
“...Forget it, momma told me put the kid in (woah)
So I did it (yes)
But that baby came out black as Samuel in Pulp Fiction (woah)
I'm light skin and (woah), my granddaddy Indian
You fuckin' with my lineage and dividends (come on)...”
I can’t seem to tell where the line is here between satire and truth, or whether this is hinting at Jazmine’s supposed infidelity or exposing .Paak’s colorism. For better or worse though, it stands there to be heard and explored.
Besides that, I think his feature was great; Anderson .Paak is a very funny guy, in addition to just being an all-around gifted musician, and so his role-playing here in “Price Tags” does much for this satirical piece.
Track 6: “LOST ONE”
Although this is the sixth track chronologically on the album, “Lost One” was the first song Jazmine Sullivan actually released from the project. I can remember first listening to this track during the height of COVID; a time when we were all losing so much. Although I wasn’t aware of it the moment I first heard the track, I think what kept me listening was the way I related to that sense of loss; lost opportunities, lost lives, lost relationships. Looking back, I can see how this was a timely release.
I think this song is the most bittersweet and honest of all the tracks. The most compelling stories are those filled with complex characters who are not simply “good” or “bad”. Oftentimes, these characters will play both the hero and the villain; the victim and the victimizer. This track really reflects that, and Sullivan’s vulnerability and honesty are extremely noteworthy here.
She also gives other women the chance to admit and confess their past regrets in relationships where they’ve played the villain. This song is predated by “Rashida’s Tale”, where Rashida has the floor and talks about cheating on her partner while they were engaged; and how, having heard of Rashida’s infidelity, her girlfriend broke up the engagement almost immediately. Her voice is laden with regret and breaks at times in the interlude; every listener can feel this sense of loss here. This track pokes at our very own consciousness and forces us to reflect on the times when we’ve been the villains, the self-sabotagers; where we’ve ruined good things and hurt people who didn’t deserve it.
The musical elements present in this soulful confession are subtle and minimalistic, but meaningful. Nothing much but a distant guitar gently accompanying Jazmine’s voice as she honors the lost ones; very fitting.
Track 7: “THE OTHER SIDE”
We turn things a bit more upbeat and lighter with this song. This is almost a renewed, sobered-up version of the content discussed in “Price Tags”. Back then, the idea of requiring money and financial security for love or sex was a satirical notion we took semi-seriously. But in this song, we truly get to explore this ideal without simply writing it off as a ‘gold-digger’ mentality. In the interlude before this song, “Precious’ Tale”, we get to hear some of the reasoning behind this. Precious recounts:
“....when I see a man thriving
Out here hustling in many different ways,
That turns me on more than anything…
I'm not dealing with anyone who does not have money…
Because I know my worth...
And my childhood plays a big role in? this
...Me not having stuff as a child…
Growing up that just gave me ambitions…
Okay, I'ma get my own, and I'ma be able to stand on my own…
But I'm not gonna deal with anyone unless they can contribute to what I'm doing…”
In “The Other Side”, Jazmine also reflects on her own struggles with financial security, and her desire to be taken care of and provided for in her relationship. Although the idea of being a housewife isn’t necessarily the most popular or ‘progressive’ idea, you understand over the course of the track that she is tired to the point where she’s willing to use her body to get the security she is looking for. Similarly, with the track Bodies, she paints a picture with her words to show us the walls she finds herself up against:
“I sit alone in my room thinkin’ how I’ma get out
I go to work at a job I don’t care nothin’ about
My rent is due later, only got half to pay up
I never can save up, think I’ve run out of favors…”
Although not everyone dreams of being a housewife, many of us have been in that same scenario Jazmine sings about hustling tirelessly at a job we could truly care less about, not being able to make ends meet financially, feeling tired and alone in our experiences; wishing someone would just give us a break; dreaming of a better life beyond the bitter lot we’re experiencing at the moment. When I think of those moments, I find myself singing along with the catchy bassline and intricate beat: “...I can’t wait to be rich, I want a better life….I just wanna live on the other side…”
Track 8: “GIRL LIKE ME” (feat. HER)
Jazmine first broke out into the music scene with her classic R&B heartbreak anthems; whether it’s “Bust Your Windows”, “Circles”, or “Forever Don’t Last”, she is the all-time pro at baring her soul on a track about an unfaithful lover. With that, it makes sense that she’d close out this project staying true to her lyrical origins, with “Girl Like Me”.
Despite the familiarity, it doesn’t seem to get old or tiring, as each new song comes with different angles, metaphors, and musical elements that keep people listening. This time, she shares the floor with the artist H.E.R. With H.E.R’s skillful guitar riffs and vocals accompanying Jazmine, they both voice the frustrations of the “good girls” who have been deeply hurt and cheated on by unfaithful men in past relationships:
“I made a profile on Tinder
Since you left me to be with her
Think that means I’m getting desperate
Wish you would return the sender
But you don’t love me ‘no more
And I don’t even know what for…”
And from this hurt, these “good girls” are driven to be promiscuous ‘heauxs.’For the first time on this album, this choice to be a ‘heaux’ isn’t driven by one’s own desires, or done to relish in sexual freedom or liberation; rather, this choice to be a ‘heaux’ is rooted in pain from past infidelities and doesn’t seem like something to be happy or indifferent towards. It sounds more like a resignation, a reluctant giving in of sorts:
“...no hope for a girl like me
How come they be winning?
And I don’t wanna be,
But you ‘gon make a heaux out of me”
It’s interesting that Sullivan includes this at the end of the album because it hints at a larger concept and gives a more realistic view of her own ‘heaux’ tales, as well as the tales of many other women. While sex is seen and can be something empowering and freeing for some, it can also be a source of hurt and can be enacted from a place of pain rather than exploration. I think that’s something you don’t often hear in music today circling around concepts of love or sex; Most mainstream artists tend to create unrealistic views of sexuality and equate all types of promiscuity to the highest pinnacle of sexual freedom, or even female liberation at best; even though this ideal isn’t necessarily true. Jazmine Sullivan understands these nuances and tells the whole story of her heaux tales: with this last track, she’s able to authentically capture the highs, the lows, and the in-betweens of it all, rather than portraying things as simply black or white.
Final Thoughts: Live, Recorded, Both?
When Jazmine spoke on her thoughts and motivations behind this album, she left us with some important gems. Namely, Heaux Tales “is about my observation of today's women standing in their power and owning who they are. — No longer is male patriarchy dictating what it means to be a 'good girl.' The truth is, women of all ages have been called a 'heaux' at some point in life, whether deserved or not, by some man trying to put us in our place; a place designed to keep us under control, out of the way and usually beneath them. [...] We all have a journey to make and it's our choice alone how we get there.”
More than just being an objectively well-executed body of work, Heaux Tales is filled with grit, laughter, honesty, and a sense of community. This project is more than just a ‘comeback’ or a marketing strategy, and hearing Sullivan’s thoughts on it confirms the heart behind everything.
My only note? Okay, here me out: Do her songs sound better live, or is it just me? Everything about this album is pretty top-notch; from the production, vocals, and features. So it’s not necessarily a knock on her studio sound. But I find myself replaying the live renditions of her songs a whole lot more than I do the recorded tracks (probably with the exception of “Put It Down” and “On It”, I truly doubt any live performance could top that studio version with her and Ari Lennox). One of my favorite tracks on the album (“Bodies”), for instance, is truly only my favorite because of the way Jazmine recontextualizes it in a live setting. While the studio version uses intricate synths and snaps, the live version is recontextualized as a modern jazz standard, where her vocal and improvisational skills flourish best. Is it just that her voice and her sound lend themselves more to live instrumentation than the trap/hip-hop/electronic influences found in the studio version? I guess you could say that. Either way, both sound great, but it’s interesting to compare and contrast the different forms.