The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3
The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 is the third studio album by American singer Jill Scott, released on September 25, 2007, by Hidden Beach Recordings. It received positive reviews from music critics.
The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3
September 25, 2007
2005–2007
- The House That Quest Built[a]
- The Studio (Philadelphia)[b]
- 609 (Philadelphia)[c]
- Sigma Sound (Philadelphia)[d]
- Keswick (Reseda, California)[e]
- Glenwood Place (Glendale, California)[f]
- Atlantis (Hollywood, California)[g]
- Kush (Miami Beach, Florida)[h]
- Bazz[i]
- Currie House (Maplewood, Minnesota)[j]
- Headquarters (Philadelphia)[k]
- The Cosmic Dust Recorders (Los Angeles)[l]
50:39
- Abduology
- Adam Blackstone
- Randy Bowland
- Vidal Davis
- Andre Harris
- Shafiq Husayn
- JR Hutson
- Om'Mas Keith
- Khari Mateen
- Steve McKie
- Jesse Owenz
- Jill Scott
- Omari Shabazz
- Stokley
- Scott Storch
On certain editions of the album, recordings of live performances of "Golden" and "The Fact Is (I Need You)" are included as bonus tracks. A deluxe limited edition of The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 was also released, containing a bonus DVD. On March 17, 2009, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was Scott's last release on Hidden Beach Recordings before her departure from the label in 2010. This is also the final installment of the Words and Sounds series.
Commercial performance[edit]
In the United States, the album debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 and number two on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, selling 148,000 copies in its first week,[3] Scott's second highest debut on both charts after 2004's Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2. The album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on March 17, 2009,[4] and by April 2011, it had sold 663,000 copies in the US alone.[5] Elsewhere, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 charted at number 65 in the Netherlands,[6] number 75 in the United Kingdom,[7] and number 128 in France.[8]
Singles[edit]
Lead single "Hate on Me" is an unusual song for Scott, stepping out of her soft and smooth soul style and into a bigger, jazzier, more sassy style. In the album sampler, Scott says it is addressed to a group of people she found online who were "hating on her".[9] Amber Riley's character Mercedes Jones performed the song on the Glee episode titled "Throwdown", aired October 14, 2009. "My Love" was released as the second single, for which a music video premiered on September 2, 2007. The third and final single was "Whenever You're Around" and features George Duke. While there was no video shot, the promotional single was successful at R&B radio stations, reaching number 56 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number 16 on the Hot Adult R&B Airplay chart.[10][11]