Blaque - Torch: Deluxe Edition [Unreleased, 2004]

Long before Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes of TLC’s protégées Blaque added “Torch” to their fully released discography in 2019, nearly more than a decade prior their album was in an unreleased state thanks courtesy to label issues and creative differences.

Originally, “Torch” was due to be released in 2003 under Elektra Records. The group’s first promotional single “No Ganksta” (featuring Missy Elliott) was sent to radio in late 2002 as a “buzz” cut for the LP, but failed to amass critical acclaim after reviewers felt the Missy Elliott-produced mid-tempo number was a blatant rip-off of 50 Cent’s “Wanksta”, when in actuality it was an essential “answer” song to Fif’s single.

Resorting back to the drawing board, Elektra and Elliott decided on ushering in Blaque to make a concluding cameo in the Jessica Alba-, Mekhi Phifer-starring dance-drama flick “Honey” (2003). The group’s theatrical feature was accompanied with a catchy Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins-produced groove entitled “I’m Good”, which charted modestly overseas in countries like Australia and Germany but failed to repeat the same momentum in the states where it only managed to peak at number 95 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

Making matters worse was that Blaque’s follow-up single “Ugly”, featuring fiery hot production and hilarious guest vocals by the group’s fellow labelmate Missy Elliott, missed the singles charts but fared better on the Singles Sales aspect.

Due to a combination of the singles underperforming commercially in the states, lack of creative input from the group and Blaque’s label Elektra merging with Atlantic Records, the album was pushed back from a fall 2003 release to an early 2004 date and eventually got scrapped.

Talks of the album being revisited via iTunes were considered as early as 2008 when Beyoncé’s father Matthew Knowles absorbed the group’s unreleased content for his Music World Entertainment label. Unfortunately when delays followed and no release was shown, deceased member Natina Reed spoke to ‘YouKnonwIGotSoul’ two months before her death to relay that as a group it wouldn’t make sense to put out “Torch” to fans if Blaque had no creative control during the album’s recording process.

As time elapsed, towards the 15th anniversary of the shelving of “Torch”, remaining members Brandi and Shamari confirmed that the long sought-after LP would be available to digital servers in May 2019. Production credits include Missy Elliott, Linda Perry, Wylee, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, Craig Brockman, Jazz, among others.

Track-listing is as follows:

1.) I’m Good

2.) Blaque Out (feat. Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz)

3.) Blaque Out (Original Mix)

4.) Freakazoid (Demo Version) ft. Missy Elliott

5.) Freakazoid (Album Version) ft. Missy Elliott

6.) (Deeper) Try Harder

7.) It’s Not Me

8.) Ugly (Album Version) ft. Missy Elliott

9.) Ugly (Alternate Version) ft. Missy Elliott

10.) Fall Through

11.) Hopeless (Dirty/Explicit Version)

12.) Hopeless (Clean/Amended Version)

13.) Nappy Dugout

14.) Dat’s Right (feat. Missy Elliott)

15.) If It Was Me

16.) Fall Back

17.) Love ‘Em Down

18.) Her Name (Tribute to Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes of TLC) ft. Alicia “4Bia” Cherry, D.R.I.P. da Gumph

19.) No Ganksta (Album Version) ft. Missy Elliott

20.) I’m Good (Trackmasters Remix) ft. Freck Billionaire