by Charne Graham
It’s the year 2009 and you just finished picking out a spandex color-blocking fit with studded heels for the party tonight. Getting dressed to music is imperative before a night out and of course, CDs are still a thing. You press play on In a Perfect World…, Keri Hilson’s debut album.
The fourteen track project from the Decatur, Georgia native is filled with party tracks and sexy deep cut slow jams alike. Set to be released in 2007 but pushed back several times due to issues with the budget, the album would go on to earn Hilson two Grammy nominations for Best New Artist and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards. That should come as no surprise, as Hilson has an illustrious history of writing hit songs for some of music’s biggest names like Ciara, Usher, Ludacris, Britney Spears and Omarion.
A bulk of In a Perfect World… is produced by Timbaland, Danja, fellow Georgian, Polow Da Don and Hilson herself. The features are star-studded as well with appearances from Keyshia Cole, Trina, Kanye West and Lil Wayne. On the 10 year anniversary of its release, here are three of the most notable and impressive singles from Ms. Keri Baby’s debut.
1. “Turnin’ Me On” - The album’s third single featuring Lil Wayne is produced by Polow Da Don and Danja. The song gave us a futuresque vibe and peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The visual that accompanied “Turnin’ Me On” finds Keri in rockstar attire surrounded by shirtless buff men with a white backdrop giving a new perspective to the typical scantily-clad music video eye-candy. Besides Weezy, other stars make appearances in the visual like Rich Boy and Polow Da Don.
2 . “Knock You Down” - The fourth single from In a Perfect World… and her highest peaking song ever on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 3. The double platinum song, co-produced by Danja and Hilson and featuring appearances from hitmakers Kanye West and Ne-Yo is all about how love catches you slipping at the least expected moments. This music video is set in a swanky loft party which also a complete era of the late 2000s fashions. Remember fingerless leather gloves? Kanye and Ne-Yo both play a love interest of Hilson in a love triangle at this party. “Knock You Down” is undisputedly one of Hilson’s hugest songs and also got her one of her two Grammy nominations in 2010 for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.
3. “Make Love” - The video, released on March 9th, 2009 was used as a promo for Hilson’s album. The “Make Love” also features Kanye West, and finds him cuddling in bed with Keri Hilson after she comes home to prepare chocolate covered strawberries and champagne. The promotional video cuts the five minute and 22-second song short at three minutes and 14 seconds successfully teasing us and wanting more.