The first I heard from Ms. Chaka Khan was back when I was a little tyke, and I had that infectious intro "Chaka Khan, Chaka Khan...Chaka Khan, Chaka Khan" planted into my brain. Of course, that song turned out to be "I Feel For You", which was recorded in a somewhat ok version by its writer, Prince (back when he was still known as that). But Chaka's version totally blew his out of the water, showing that she had mastered yet another genre that was seemingly out of her league. Funk, jazz, soul, and now the distinctly Prince-like funk that helped define 1980s pop. However, it would be another 15 years or so before the Purple One and Chaka officially collaborated together (Prince had written a few more songs for Chaka's other projects, but COME 2 MY HOUSE is the first major collaboration for the two). That dream has finally come true with COME 2 MY HOUSE.

Many people have considered this album a comeback for Chaka, when in fact she never really left us. She was still a well-respected artist even when she wasn't conquering the charts. So COME 2 MY HOUSE is more like a reaffirmation of Chaka's considerable talents. And who better to help her out than that other fellow genius, Prince.

Naturally, his stamp is all over the album, helping write 9 of the 13 songs on here, even 2 of them solo. Those solo contributions fit into Chaka's personality very well, though. "Journey 2 The Center Of Your Heart" and "Don't Talk 2 Strangers" are still very Prince-ly while perfect for Chaka's voice, and are the standards by which all break-up songs and lullabies, respectively, should be judged. Other surprisingly successful ballads on here include "This Crazy Life Of Mine", "I Remember U", and "The Drama", which cut straight to the heart with their easily danceable (slow dance, that is) melodies and unique lyricism that puts them above the usual standards of typical love songs.

However, this HOUSE isn't one of total meditation. The funk quotient is unbelievably high with such smile-worthy numbers like "Spoon", "Pop My Clutch" (sounds like a double-entendre and it certainly is a wonderful one), "Betcha I" (gotta dig that hats-off to Bob Dylan), and a cover of Larry Graham's (who also makes a considerable contribution to the album) classic "Hair".

In the liner notes, Chaka says HOUSE is a different album for her because she helped write most of the songs on here. And like Emmylou Harris' recent RED DIRT GIRL album, songwriting is something Chaka may want to dabble in more often. She alternates between sensual welcoming on the title track, feminist rage with "I'll Never B Another Fool", social wisdom with "Democrazy", and apologizing for her mistakes with "Reconsider [U Betta]".

Chaka Khan has been one of soul music's (and pop in general) most talented artists for over 25 years. And although she's in her late 40s now, Chaka still hasn't changed much from when she kindly asked her lover to "tell her something good". COME 2 MY HOUSE shows that Chaka deserves to still be told many good things about her. And further kudos to his Purpleness, Prince, for giving Chaka a considerable say in the album, considering his past history of often making the artist a guest performer on their own album.