In case you needed a reminder of how old you are, Destiny’s Child’s breakthrough album, ‘The Writings on the Wall’ came out 25 years ago this year
OPINION: Believe it or not, but songs like “Bills, Bills, Bills” and “Say My Name” are a quarter century old.
Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.
It’s 2024 in African America and that means, naturally, those of us of a certain age will be looking back at the cultural artifacts that have shaped our lives from 10, 15 and even 25 years ago. You see, for people like me — and this is mind-blowing — 25 years ago, I was a bill-paying, decision-making, tax-paying adult. I was still in college, and turning 20 years old so the pop culture of the day ruled my life. This brings us to the point of today’s entry into a series of sermons titled: “You Is Old.”
Destiny’s Child’s SECOND album, their breakthrough album, “The Writings on the Wall,” turns 25 years old this year. Let that sink in. A group that features Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and my personal fave Letoya Luckett (as well as LaTavia Roberson — can’t forget her) released an album before the turn of the millennium.
Whew, chile … the ghetto.
Look, I realize I’m jumping the gun a little bit; “The Writings on the Wall” was released in July 1999, so we have a few more months before we’re celebrating anniversaries. But I was in my car yesterday listening to some jams and “Say My Name” came on, and I was like, “Kids, this song came out when Daddy was in college” and then it hit me, I was in college in the 1990s. Like, the 1900s. Yowza.
That means songs like “Say My Name,” “Bills, Bills, Bills” and “Bug-A-Boo” are classics now, maybe? For what it’s worth, “Bug-A-Boo” and “Bills, Bills, Bills” would break the Internet today. I remember the call-in radio conversations about those songs on Atlanta radio and that was a thing. In 2024, not only would those jams be used as explainers for why Black women are preordained to be spinsters but also as lyrical proof of how Black women don’t appreciate the kingdom of Black men. Oh, what a time it would be. Perhaps we should revisit this when the album actually turns 25.
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It’s worth noting that in 1999 when this album was released, when you were 25 years younger than you are now, cell phones weren’t really a thing. Like, when Beyoncé and ’nem sing about their boos not paying their telephone bills, they’re talking about landlines. And gas prices in 1999? Their dudes won’t put gas in their cars? I remember gas prices in Atlanta being around 99 cents — yes, less than a dollar — for 87 unleaded gas. You could fill up a car for under $20. What a time to be alive. Hell, in the song “Bug-A-Boo” they mention pagers. I had a pager, even though I didn’t need one. They also mention MCI, and shout out to those of us in Atlanta who drove to Alpharetta, Georgia, multiple days a week to call you and attempt to sell you long-distance phone service for 10 cents a minute (25 cents a minute to Canada and Mexico). I was absolutely terrible at that job.
There are a few things worthy of note about “The Writings on the Wall.” For starters, this album is chock full of bangers. The non-singles were as good as the singles. For instance, “So Good,” “Temptation,” “Hey Ladies,” “Stay” and “Sweet Sixteen” are amazing records. That’s six records ON TOP OF the singles “Say My Name,” “Bills, Bills, Bills,” “Bug-A-Boo,” and “Jumpin’, Jumpin’.” That is 10 great records on one album. When I think about this album, I tend to think about producers Kevin “She’kspere” Briggs and Rodney Jerkins, but there were a bunch of folks involved in making this album the jam-heavy album it is, including Kandi Burrus and Missy Elliott, among others. Point is, this album is great. It even made Rolling Stone’s list as one of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
As it gets closer to the actual anniversary of this album, I’m sure there will be retrospectives and discussions and maybe even a panel or two. Who knows, maybe Destiny’s Child will reunite with this album’s lineup for a show or two to commemorate the occasion. I have no idea, but for now, I just want you to know and realize that Destiny’s Child, a group that featured one of the world’s best and most famous musical acts released their seminal album … 25 years ago this year, and if you were around when it came out and actively purchased it, jammed to it and discussed it, you are, like me, old.
You’re welcome. I’m here all 2024 (inshallah).
Panama Jackson is a columnist at theGrio. He writes very Black things, drinks very brown liquors, and is pretty fly for a light guy. His biggest accomplishment to date coincides with his Blackest accomplishment to date in that he received a phone call from Oprah Winfrey after she read one of his pieces (biggest), but he didn’t answer the phone because the caller ID said: “Unknown” (Blackest).
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