Turning Point

Turning Point is the second studio album by American recording artist Mario, released by J Records on December 7, 2004 in the United States. A R&B record with heavy elements of soul and hip hop music, it involves a diverse roster of collaborators including Scott Storch, Lil Jon, The Underdogs, Carvin & Ivan, and Sean Garrett. The album guests include Cassidy, Juvenile, Jadakiss, T.I. and Baby Cham. The first single from the album was "Let Me Love You", which was written by Ne-Yo was a number one hit in the United States and number two in the United Kingdom, becoming Mario's biggest hit to date. The second single was a split single. In the US, "How Could You", a song written by Bay Area singer-songwriter J. Valentine, was released (reaching number 52) but in the UK, "Here I Go Again" was released (reaching number 11). The fourth and final single from the album in the US was "Boom", featuring Juvenile. In support of the album, Mario supported R&B trio Destiny's Child in their tour, Destiny Fulfilled ... And Lovin' It, as an opening act for the American leg. The album received two nominations at the 48th Grammy Awards including Best Contemporary R&B Album. Concept and themes In an interview with MTV, Mario explained, "One of the biggest reasons I wanted to do it is that I did want to stand out from everybody. I get to share it with the world [...] It's good for me. I been blessed to be in this situation. Everything's been going great. I just been pacing myself, working real hard on this album. That's what my life is about right now: my transition into manhood." When asked about his decision to work his producer Scott Storch on material for the album, he elaborated: "He did a lot of stuff back in the day, you'd be surprised. He played me some stuff he did for Erykah Badu, for Lauryn Hill, for Eminem and 50 Cent. When I went to Scott, we went in the studio and freestyled and came up with some great records." Singles Turning Point was preceded by lead single "Let Me Love You", released on October 4, 2004. Produced by Scott Storch, it became a worldwide success, reaching number one in Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United States, where it peaked at number on the Billboard Hot 100 for nine consecutive weeks. The song also reamined at number one on Billboards Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs for eleven consecutive weeks.