How Beyoncé’s ‘Dangerously in Love’ Became a Certified Classic
Think back to spring 2003, when the wild, horns-blazing "Crazy in Love"was inescapable. It was Beyoncé 2.0, as you'd never heard her before. Though long the star of Destiny's Child (alongside fellow DC-ers Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams), this was Beyoncé Knowles' coming out moment, the beginning of what would become a nearly unmatched career in pop superstardom.
The song served as the lead single off Beyoncé's debut solo album,Dangerously in Love, a sexy, powerful statement that proved the singer could hold it alone. The album met commercial and critical success, launching four singles toward the top of the charts and earning Beyoncé five Grammys. It was the entry point for what would become an incredibly fruitful career that's given way to four more solo albums including the insta-smash, air-dropped Beyoncé that released in December.
Quite frankly, without Dangerously in Love, the pop landscape wouldn't be the same. As the LP turns 11 on June 20, we spoke with some of the album's biggest writers, producers and collaborators. They all agree, the album was a defining moment in pop music, and there's no greater pop royalty than Queen B.
MISSY ELLIOTT
The Misdemeanor rapper and songwriter has collaborated with the biggest names in pop and R&B. She co-wrote and guested on Beyoncé's "Signs."
I've known Beyoncé since Destiny Child's first album. I went on to do a record with Bey on my second album called "Crazy Feelings," and we worked many times after that, so she was aware I was a writer. They reached out looking for records for her solo project and I just went in the studio with my boy Craig Brockman and said we gotta give Bey something grown and sexy.
I remember saying, what can I write about for her that everyone can feel a part of? And at the time people didn't really know how deep her and Jay's relationship was. Therefore I tried to figure out something without saying his name. Then I thought, I wonder what his sign is, and I said, oh he's a Sagittarius. Then it clicked, like let me do a song about all the zodiac signs. I did a demo. She heard it and loved it and recorded it, then she put her "King Bey Sauce" on top and there you have it!
Dangerously in Love was significant in music and for Beyoncé as a pop star because she had already proven herself in the group Destiny's Child, but I think people wondered if she could hold her own as strong as a solo artist than with a group. But what she did was put out a body of work, not just hot singles. She made a classic album where you didn't want to fast-forward any song because they all were strong. She meshed different genres of music together, and not only did she deliver musically, she showed the world as a performer she had grown into what we call a superstar that would be around for years to come.
SCOTT STORCH
Mega-producer for the likes of Dr. Dre, 50 Cent and Christina Aguilera. He co-wrote and produced three of Beyoncé's biggest singles: "Baby Boy," "Naughty Girl" and "Me, Myself and I."
My publisher hooked me up with this lady Theresa, I think she still does a lot of stuff with Beyoncé. An awesome woman. Theresa put me in the studio for two weeks with Beyoncé at the South Beach Studios at the Marlin [in Florida]. It was crazy. We got in there, vibin' out, myself and Robert Waller, also known as EST, and Beyoncé in the room. We somehow managed to have such an incredible vibe and it was just one after another—we just kept writing and writing and writing—it was flowing so hard. I was trying to follow Beyoncé's melodic language and think about what it is that would be the most incredible kind of music for her to sing on. We managed to come away with three number one records on one album. It's pretty awesome.
I don't really have a particular formula [to the way I write songs]. I just let it flow. I think about different vibes. In regards to "Baby Boy," I just felt like she's such a beautiful lady [she should] have some sort of exotic music, and for "Naughty Girl," as well. Thinking about "Me, Myself and I," I was really trying to emulate where I started in my music [career] with The Roots. Patti LaBelle, all that Philly stuff, we caught that vibe. Sean Paul on "Baby Boy" was awesome to me; he locked in the Jamaican sound.
[When the songs came together], everything was pretty immediate. With the way I make my music, the outline is pretty much there within the first hour. It dictates what's going on melodically and dictates what the vibe is gonna be. Beyoncé and Robert Waller just vibed out. It was literally effortless. We did so many other songs, too. Out of the songs we did, we definitely picked the right ones—they all went to number one. I'm curious how the other ones would have gone. Maybe hopefully someday Beyoncé would use them. We got some jewels on the cutting-room floor.
One thing I remember: we recorded a version of Billy Joel's "Honesty," and it was so awesome, I can't even tell you. It was just beautiful. It was one of the other ones that we did. Beyoncé's amazing.
There were other songs on the album [done by others] that were great. I definitely was proud of the work that we did. I'm always appreciative of everybody's music and tracks. I don't lie to myself and say, "Oh your stuff is the best." She had hot shit all over that album. I just happened to get lucky, and I guess the label and Beyoncé and whoever the powers that be decided to make those the singles. And a stroke of luck—the timing and everything else that are the essential components for getting a hot record out for a producer. [After the album dropped] it was crazy, crazy, crazy. I was looked at like the golden child. It was definitely a departure for me from [working on] rap.
SHUGGIE OTIS
The legendary singer-songwriter saw two of his songs, "Strawberry Letter 23" and "Rainy Day," sampled in Beyoncé's "Be With You" and "Gift From Virgo," respectively.
I thought [Destiny's Child] were cute and groovy. The funk was in their music. [Of the songs on Beyoncé's solo album that sampled my music], I thought that they came out exceptionally well. Her new "Strawberry Letter [23]" idea, I thought [it] was cool. The cute lyrics she wrote, along with the other songs she used. I thought that the entire album was "Dangerously Great!"
This album is significant because of Beyoncé. A unique young girl prodigy. A young lady which would possess such a talent, with a voice so beautiful, and strong, her super energetic and very creative dancing (her body is as strong as her voice!), as well as her brilliant acting, and of course, her style. She is a high-powered performer. You have to be physically fit, to say the least, to be able to do what she does so easily, so cool on stage. She's a hard worker.
I heard about an interview where Beyoncé had mentioned my name, and unfortunately, I've never seen it. I would like to. I heard it first from my mother, who is a big fan of Beyoncé as well. Apparently, she had stated something regarding my music, and that they [the viewing audience] should pick up on it. Yes, it's true, I do owe her a great debt of gratitude. Beyoncé, thank you, Beyoncé! I love you for it.
When I first put on the Dangerously in Love album, I enjoyed all of it. I held a party that night. The opening track is a trip. It was definitely an extremely well thought out and well-produced album. I hope to see Beyoncé continue to carry out her vision with her innovative skills. You are in perfect alignment with the stars. You are truly blessed to have attained the success that you have. Stay strong and healthy, and keep on doin' it!
D-ROY
Delroy "D-Roy" Andrews, a Grammy-winning producer who has worked with Twista, Fat Joe and Lil Wayne, co-wrote and produced "That's How You Like It."
We teamed up with Beyoncé through our at-the-time manager, now Roc Nation executive Tyran "Ty-Ty" Smith and Jay Z. It was rumored that Beyoncé was doing a solo album and they suggested we send some music over.
The writing process was actually initiated by Jay Z. After hearing the track we produced, he wrote the hook and recorded a demo before sending the record over, and the remainder of the verses were written by Jay and Beyoncé. Beyoncé was pleasure to work with and extremely down to earth. It was an honor to be a part of an incredible classic. The album was a giant success winning five Grammys as well as being critically acclaimed.
Dangerously in Love was a very significant album in terms of its musicality, so many genres are fused into that album, from dancehall to Arabian to pop. In regard to adding to her star power, many say this album blasted her into superstardom.
The album has opened many doors [for my career]. The first thing record executives and music A&Rs want to know is what are you working on and who did you work with. To this day, when asked and the album is mentioned, a personal story regarding them having the album seems to always follow. It's still a great icebreaker, and it also honored us with the title of Grammy award-winning music producers.
SLEEPY BROWN
Part of the team behind TLC's "Waterfalls," he made a guest spot on "Hip Hop Star" alongside Big Boi.
[I initially got contacted for the album] through Big Boi. We didn't really get a chance and go in the studio with her or anything like that. It was just kind of scheduled. I was just going along with the track. To be honest with you, it was kind of short. I was kind of like following Big and Big was following Beyoncé. I was just kinda lucky enough to be in the studio with Big.
Truthfully Beyoncé is like, she's so talented and the nicest person you ever want to meet. She's sweet as pie. She's incredible. I think that album was her first time ever really coming out. She kind of came out really sexy. She was from Destiny's Child, which was cute. They had great hits and a great group, like the Supremes and everything. That was a group thing. When Beyoncé did solo, that whole image just got sexier.
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