The common collaborators include Rodney Jerkins, Ron Fair, and Bryan-Michael Cox, two of whom had nothing to do with The Way It Is.
In some ways, Just Like You plays out like an album that could've only been made after Blige's Breakthrough. In addition to becoming Blige's labelmate at Geffen, Cole prefaced the album's release with performances that included her takes on 'I'm Going Down' and 'Sweet Thing' - two songs memorably updated by a young Blige - which could be construed as insolence, reverence, or a combination of the two. Cole's second album will only prompt more of those comparisons, nearly to the extent that it might seem like its purpose. On the strength of two Top Ten R&B singles, the album eventually went platinum, several months after release, slowly transforming her into one of R&B's biggest stars - one often mentioned on a first-name basis, and one with several comparisons to Mary J.
Keyshia Cole's ascent was prepared with an appearance on the Barbershop 2 soundtrack and a mixtape presented by DJ Green Lantern, yet 2005's The Way It Is wasn't exactly hotly anticipated. Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
