The Bottom Line
Let us not mince words. This is a sub-par single by an artist who, in the past, has demonstrated great promise. The lyrics and production of this song are contrived, trite and full of failed formulaic expression. In stark contrast to her hit “Dip It Low” (Listen), which was exceptional, “Say I” might as well be from Mary Jane down the block, forever trying to get a record deal which never comes. Unfortunately, Def Jam got hold of that demo tape.
Listen to "Say I."
Pros
- The song picks up toward the end and becomes mildly entertaining
- Christina looks great in the video
Cons
- The lyrics seem like they were written on a tight apprentice-esque deadline
- Lack of creativity
- Completely non-descript
Description
- Sample from Jackie Moore's 1973 r&b hit "Sweet Charlie Babe"
- Rap courtesy Young Jeezy
- Strained vocals from Christina Milian
Guide Review - Christina Milian featuring Young Jeezy - Say I
The advent of file sharing and the general downturn of the music industry in recent times have catalyzed a movement towards a renaissance of creativity, self expression and uniqueness. “Say I” is an unquestionable fallback to the routine of basic cut and paste editing in Pro Tools.
For what its worth, the song isn’t bad. Cool and Dre left their marks here with a sound very reminiscent of The Game’s “Hate It or Love It”. Ironically, this song arouses neither of those emotions. “Say I” is dead smack in the middle - completely run of the mill. The lyrical content is as profound as a nursery rhyme and the production is neither distracting enough to hide the lack of substance, nor enticing enough to make it a hit.
Christina’s voice also sounds tested and strained at times, despite the simplicity of the melody. “Say I” wanted to be an inspirational hip hop/dance song which got caught up in hubristic exuberance. Ultimately, the song is a hodgepodge, sexy, ghetto, in-your-face for no reason, wannabe inspiring song, over a so-so beat.
