Rich Girl is the sixth studio album by American singer Angie Stone. It was released on September 25, 2012, by Saguaro Road Rhythm,[1] selling 4,000 units in the US in its first week of release. The lead single, '"Do What U Gotta Do" was released on June 5, 2012, and the music video premiered on July 21, 2012.
Washington Post critic Bill Friskics-Warren found that on Rich Girl Stone "sounds as assured as ever with a groove-steeped mix of ballads and mid-tempo testimonials to self-possession and resilience [...] Without a misstep among the pressing beats and handclaps that animate these 15 tracks, the redoubtable Stone proves herself to be in complete command of the smart, sexy neo-soul she's been perfecting ever since the release of her signature 1999 single, "No More Rain (In This Cloud)"."[4] Biana Roach from Associated Press called the album a "triumphant return" and described it as a "a collection of positive, in-your-face, fresh funky tunes" as well as an "easy listening."[3]
L. Michael Gipson, writing for SoulTracks, called Rich Girl "classic Angie Stone old school cry." Less impressed with the uptempo material which he felt was "enjoyable, but just shy of must-listen artistry," Gipson noted that "ballads here fare better."[5]Allmusic editor Andy Kellman remarked that "this album doesn't offer as many high points as her two previous Stax albums, and it's as scattered quality-wise as it is stylistically diverse. Stone's beaming, easygoing nature and typically excellent vocals save the majority of the substandard material [...] If Stone really wanted to get back to basics, she could have made a whole album with the terminally undervalued Mike City. His smacking but smoothened grooves are a great fit [...]"[2]
Rich Girl debuted and peaked at number 109 on the US Billboard 200 in the week of October 13, 2012, selling 4,000 units in its first week of release.[6] The second-highest debut on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, it also debuted and peaked at number 15 on the chart.[7]
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