“CTRL” (pronounced like control) is SZA’s (pronounced like sizza) debut studio album. Released in June 2017 by Top Dawg Entertainment (like Kendrick Lamar, see “Yah” annotation) and RCA Records. After independently releasing music in 2014, SZA went on to write for many other artists, including Beyoncé and Rihanna. Finally, she began recording her own music again in 2016, after writing more than 200 songs for herself. Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, Isaiah Rashad, and James Fauntleroy are all featured on the album. SZA’s soulful, slow, R&B style, coupled with cutting lyrics, which focalize on a theme of heartbreak, characterize CTRL. I chose to connect this album to Issa Rae’s “Hella Open,” because Issa Rae has included SZA’s music on a number of episodes, and even told interviewers that SZA’s CTRL inspired her chosen soundtrack throughout Insecure’s entire second season. I also chose to include this text within my Intertext Concept Tree because CTRL is truly beautiful, and is almost tied for my favorite album.
