Watching Brandy work a room in “Put It Down” is pretty hot. The R&B singer has always had a firework for a voice, and she earned a killer single to put it to use.
As I noted in my review of the track before, I don’t have much use for Chris Brown on the single — not just because I think his name taints the appeal of a Brandy comeback — but because his overtly processed voice has no place in a track with an emphasis put on a minimal beat and big vocal performance.
And thankfully, he’s not in the vid too much.
This is Hype Williams’ second video premiere in the last 24 hours, and this one hits much harder than the nauseating “I Wish You Would”/”Cold” from Kanye West, DJ Khaled and friends. This is big splashes of bold colors — Williams’ specialty — and some fresh moves from Brandy and her merry band of street dancers. Brown, meanwhile, dons his favorite pair of painters overalls and pretends to flirt with Brandy. Their chemistry is like that of a cat to a vacuum cleaner.
“Put It Down” — which, I repeat, is a damn fine song — is off of Brandy’s forthcoming set “Two Eleven,” due via RCA on Oct. 2. It will also feature guest spots from Frank Ocean, Sean Garrett and Drake.