Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Evening Standard
The Guardian
NME	7/10
The Observer	Favorable
Pitchfork	7.3/10
Stylus Magazine	B
Time Out
The Times
Vibe	favorable

Because I Love It is the third studio album by American singer Amerie, released on May 11, 2007 by Columbia Records. In the United States, the album was released exclusively through retailers such as Walmart and f.y.e., before its physical release was officially made available on September 30, 2008, by which point all future singles and promotion had been scrapped due to Amerie's departure from Columbia Records. As a result, the album failed to chart on the US Billboard 200, being Amerie's only studio album to do so. Nevertheless, the album was a moderate success in Europe and Japan, and has been certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

The recording sessions for Because I Love It started in 2005. It was originally titled None of the Above and scheduled for late 2006; however, plans were changed. The album was finished in early 2007. Amerie's first mixtape Because I Love It, Vol. 1 was also released. However, the album was not released in the United States until 2008, and Amerie was dropped from Columbia Records and Sony Urban Music due to low sales of Because I Love It and the low performance of its singles "Take Control", "Gotta Work" and "That's What U R".

Because I Love It is primarily a R&B album, also comprising funk, soul and hip hop. Tracks like "Some Like It" and "Crazy Wonderful" also contain elements from 1980s music. The album was executively produced by Amerie and her husband-manager Lenny Nicholson and produced by Bryan-Michael Cox, The Buchanans, Cee-Lo Green, Quran Goodman, Destro, One Up, Chris & Drop, Mike Caren, Curtis "C Note" Richardson, Bink!, Kore & Bellek and Rich Harrison. Harrison didn't produce the new tracks on the album, however, he produced the international edition bonus track and a huge hit "1 Thing" (2005). Also, Amerie co-wrote all of the tracks on the album.

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