When The-Dream released Love/Hate in December 2007, it did not merely introduce a new voice in R&B. It rewired the genre's circuitry. Tracks like "Shawty Is Da Sh*t," "I Luv Your Girl" and "Fast Car" set a template that songwriters across pop and hip hop would follow for the next decade and a half. Now, after nearly two decades of anticipation, the sequel arrives. Love/Hate II drops July 10 via RadioKilla Records and Republic Records, and it is already shaping up to be the R&B event of the summer.
The-Dream, born Terius Youngdell Nash, has never truly been away. The New York Times recently named him among the 30 greatest living American songwriters, citing a resume that includes Rihanna's "Umbrella," Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body" and Justin Bieber's "Baby." He won the Grammy for Album of the Year for his contributions to Beyonce's Cowboy Carter. But his solo catalogue has been quiet on the major label front since 2013's IV Play. Three independent releases followed, but none carried the weight of a proper studio return.
Two singles have already previewed what is coming. "Bring That Body," released in May, marked his first official solo single in over a decade: a steamy, self-assured track that finds The-Dream offering to relieve a woman from a no-good lover, over production that nods to his late-2000s peak without sounding retro. "Tampa," which arrived in late June, pairs him with Usher for a bedroom-ready banger. "This is where your man should be instead of worrying about me," they sing, a line that doubles as a mission statement for two artists who have defined the sound of modern R&B between them.
The guest list on Love/Hate II reads like a who's who of the genre's architects. Pusha T, Swizz Beatz, T.I., Kelly Rowland and Rick Ross all feature. In a Variety interview, The-Dream called the project "the first taste of what's shaping up to be a sonic progenitor of its predecessor," with contributions from Pharrell Williams and Mike Dean layered into the production. The ambition is clear: this is not a nostalgia exercise. It is a continuation of a legacy.
"I want to make a record about where love is now," The-Dream has said of the album. "Relationships became cheapened. People used to fight for their love." That conviction runs through both singles. Love/Hate II arrives at a moment when R&B is enjoying a creative resurgence, but few of its current stars can match The-Dream's track record as both songwriter and performer. Exclusive signed CD and vinyl editions are available for pre-order, along with official merchandise. Whether it tops charts or simply reasserts its creator's dominance, July 10 will be a date circled in bold on the R&B calendar.
