Case’s classic R&B record Open Letter is getting a new vinyl variant. The third studio album from Case will be released in a 2LP format, with one version in classic black vinyl and another in a limited edition color variant. Both versions of the LP are available for preorder now.
Released 25 years ago, Open Letter is presented as if Case is speaking directly to his partner through letters. The album is noted for its mix of 2000s R&B, soul, and hip-hop influences, and was bolstered by singles “Missing You” and “Not Your Friend.” “Missing You” ultimately peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the outlet’s Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart upon its release. The track earned Case a nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 2002 Grammy Awards, and also had a memorable placement in the Eddie Murphy movie, Nutty Professor II: The Klumps.
After its release, Open Letter reached number five on the Billboard 200—Case’s highest position ever—and has since been certified gold. The album remains a standout in Case’s discography; after the debut of Open Letter, the star didn’t release another album for eight years. “Right after that, I moved to Atlanta in October and I just stopped doing it. I mean, it was me doing what my heart told me to do,” Case reflected later to YouKnowIGotSoul.com. The pull to music was too hard to resist, however, and he returned to recording with 2009’s The Rose Experience.
“Every time I write a song, it’s either about something I am going through, have gone through or somebody really close to me has gone through. For me, inspiration is everywhere. I just try to draw from real life and put some substance into the music,” Case said of his creative process in a 2015 interview with Vibe. “Those are things that you need to address and sing about.”
