John Legend has a golden voice. He is also a great musician, lyricist and producer. I knew of him before his debut cd dropped via Kanye West. "Get Lifted" was and still is a very dope cd. I played it on repeat for months on end. His singles were great such as "Ordinary People." My absolute favorite track is "Stay With You." The lyrics are so wonderful and the song is so calming. I can listen to it daily. I was watching John Legend on Oprah's show the other night and it reminded me how much I love his voice. It inspired me to pull out this cd and give it a listen. Hearing it brought me right back to the very first time I heard it. I've seen John in concert a few times and he just gets better. His voice makes me so happy. So, choosing him for this was easy. Take a short walk down memory with me and John Legend. Vibe with us!
Jay Z is my favorite rapper. Ever. If you've been here more than once, that becomes abundantly clear. I am a fan. "Reasonable Doubt" is a cd that I can clearly remember the first time I heard it. I was a freshman in college. My friend's roommate had the cd. It was unlike anything I had ever heard before. There was something about his voice that drew me in. I was sold. I've written about the cd before here. It changed my view of rappers and Hip Hop. Before then I was a R&B and Bounce girl. A clear product of my environment. Music has always played a special place in my life. This cd is definitely in my top ten of favorite albums.
I can still listen to it and vibe with it today...17 years later. Jay's music has become a regular part of my life. My favorites on RD haven't changed. They are still "Feelin It," "Can I Live," and "Politics As Usual." Timeless tracks in my book. Jay's delivery has changed some but his heart hasn't. He can still drop a song that I will love, still spin a story in a set of 16's. He is that good still. Even in his 40's, he's doper and more lyrical than most current rappers. That is a fact so don't debate me on it. "Reasonable Doubt"is a classic for all of those reasons and more. I love to hear him before them even more. Get into this Hip-Hop classic.
The bad boys of R&B. Jodeci burst on the scene in leather, gritty vocals and sexual lyrics. And, the girls ate it up. While the boys dug Jodeci because of how cool they were. I do not know anyone who didn't love Jodeci. I remember seeing them in concert at City Park on year. They were amazing. Jodeci will always hold a special place in my heart. Their music was often the soundtrack of my high school life. but cd was e-very-thing. I really did not think they could improve on it. But, I was wrong. Their sophomore cd "Diary of a Mad Band" was even better. The vocals of K-ci and Jo-Jo carried the group to great heights. They only released 3 cd's but the music just kept getting better.
My absolute favorite trck on DOAMB has to be the unreleased gem "Alone." Everytime I hear it, it
reminds me of being in a teen club called "The Grind" with my friends. It was the place where I first heard it. I still love this song. The singles were amazing. "My Heart Belongs To You," "Feenin," and "Cry For You" are all R&B classic tracks. They are timeless tracks. Jodeci was that group. I missed the edge that they brought to R&B. Below are my favorite tracks. Enjoy the musical walk down memory lane.
TLC will always be one of favorite girl groups ever. When they came out, they were young, different and had a vibe of their own. My cousins (Ty & Reese) and I were all about TLC. We were them for Halloween one year. I was Chili! Their debut release was played non-stop in my room. I knew every word to every song. I didn't think that they could top it. I was wrong. Their sophomore release "CrazySexyCool" exceeded any and all expectations I had of this group that I loved. This cd spawned 4 top 5 hit singles. The cd has been certified diamond in sales. Going diamond is virtual unheard of. Diamond means an album has surpassed 10 million in sales. TLC is the only girl group to do this. "CrazySexyCool" has sold, to date, over 23 million copies worldwide. The cd won two Grammys. Everything about this project was special.
The women in TLC were sexier and edgier in their look, lyrics and sound this time around. There was something about the music that just pulled you in. Every single was a hit. "Creep" was the first single. Followed by "Red Light Special." Both songs were massive hits. The videos def showed the sexier, more adult side of T-Boz, Left Eye and Chili. But, neither of those songs would do what the third single did. "Waterfalls" was an instant hit, blazing to the number one spot. It was the biggest song of 1995. The video was amazing and visually appealing. I think they will forever be known for this song by everyone. This cd made people really notice TLC. This cd solidified their spot in musical history. What makes this project classic to me is the music still stands almost 20 years later. And, as always, the best songs weren't always the singles. Check out my favorites tracks below. Enjoy!
Amerie was a breath of fresh air. Her debut single "Why Don't We Fall In Love?" was infectious and played constantly on the air. I was a super fan of it. I loved the playfulness of it. Loved Amerie's voice. Her single was the soundtrack of my summer. My girls and I loved it. I think the only song of hers that compared to her debut was "1 Thing" which was another infectious track. Amerie's debut was "All I Have." It did not do as well as it should have. And, they were other songs that should have been released as singles. But, the project was awesome. I can still play it all the way through. There is not one song that I dislike. The lyrics, her voice and the music were all perfectly married on this project. I was a happy consumer then and now.
Her second single "Talkin To Me" was important to me because I had the hugest crush on a co-worker. So, that song became sort of my theme song. When her debut cd premiered, I had to have it. I was not disappointed. The chemistry and sound that Amerie and Rich Harrison created is timeless. "All I Have" is classic for that reason to me. I still play this cd. It will never get old to me. I really wish that her and Harrison would collabo again because her sound hasn't been the same since she stopped working with him. Their chemistry reminds me of what Aaliyah had with Tim and Missy. It was unique to them and no one else could touch it. Her single choices were very good. But, her album was full of single worthy tracks. Below are my favorites. Get into these throwbacks. Enjoy.
Toni Braxton's debut cd is a classic. It is soulful, beautiful R&B music. She was dubbed the "new Anita Baker." She has the same throaty, deep voice. I was a fan from the very beginning. I love Toni. She is a fave of mine. I always buy her music. Her debut cd has sold 10 million copies since its release. That's major numbers in an industry that's struggling. She was something new. A welcomed songbird in the industry. I loved her haircut, her style and her voice. Toni was just awesome. The fact that the material matched the packaging was a huge plus. The girl could sannnnggg. And, that's all I needed to know about her. I was all in.
Every single was gold. The cd contain 12 tracks. Of those 12, 6 of them were singles. Her first single was "Love Shoulda Brought You Home" and it was included on the "Boomerang" soundtrack. It is still one of my favorite tracks by Braxton. She followed with "Seven Whole Days," "How Many Ways," "Breathe Again," "Another Sad Love song," and "I Belong To You." I loved every one of them. I remember being in the 9th grade on a field trip. My friends and I played her tape all day. It stayed in constant rotation with us. I literally never got tired of it. Her voice is so unique and I love unique voices in music. She never lets me down with her material. So, it was easy for me to pick this project as a classic. It has been for me since 1993. Take a trip down memory lane. Enjoy it.
Michael Jackson will always be classic to me. I've been a fan of his since as far back as I can remember. I've also lightly touched on his greatness here. I loved all the music that came from the Jackson 5. I have a lot of favorite songs by Michael. But, my favorite album by him has always been "Off The Wall." Everything about it is greatness. It is just a seamless project. It's music I can dance to and sing along with. Music I just feel deep inside of me. Still. Decades later, it still feels the same.
After the huge success of "Thriller," Michael was up against his own track record. "Thriller" will always be the pinnacle of his musical catalog. "Off The Wall" reminds me of my childhood. Of riding in the car with my parents in uptown New Orleans. Of carefree days that never seemed to end. The music has that affect on me. To me, that is the true judge of classic music. It can touch multiple generations of people. And, still sound as fresh and as relevant as it did when it premiered. From "Rock With You" to "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough," I cannot pick a favorite track. It's all great. Below are my faves. Enjoy and reminisce with me for a moment.
This pick for "Classic Music" was fairly easy. I chose Tweet's debut "Southern Hummingbird." It is still arguably one of my favorite albums ever. I can admit that I wasn't that impressed with Tweet's first single "Oops...Oh My." Yes it was catchy and controversial. But, it really did nothing for me. I simply wasn't feeling it. I wasn't in a rush to buy her debut album either. I was in a record store (seems so long ago since they hardly exist anymore) to pick up Ashanti's debut album because "Foolish" was my anthem. While there, I saw Tweet's album right next to Ashanti. I copped both. I put "Southern Hummingbird" first. I was sold from the first song. I fell in love with material. The lyrics moved me and the music made me feel something. "Southern Hummingbird" became a staple for over a year.
Music has the ability to make you recall a very specific moment in your life.
This one always takes me back to my last semester of undergrad. The house parties, the nights we just hung out in my apartment discussing life, love and everything in between. Tweet was the background soundtrack. It was that important to me and my krewe. As usual, I was more impressed with the tracks that never received any radio play. Tracks like "Complain," "Always Will," "Beautiful," and "Smoking Cigarettes" became the soundtrack of my early 20's. Tweet was singing my romantic life through her songs. And, I was loving it. I turned so many of my friends onto her cd. We all loved her. When an artist has such a completely thorough debut, it's hard to top. This is true for her as well. Nothing she has put out since then has been as great. The truth is Tweet can saaannnggg. Her voice is serious. I would love to hear more greatness from her. Until then, I will continue to rock this album. Enjoy my favorites below.
Destiny's Child is one of my favorite groups of all time. I loved them from their first single "No, No, No (Part 1)." I was sold. I was sad to hear that "Destiny Fulfilled" would be their last group effort. But, what wasn't sad was the music. The music was some of their best. The singles were great. "Lose My Breath" was a club hit. The beat was insane and made me dance every single time it was played. Truth be told, it still does. I just heard it and it inspired a dance break and this entire post. "Soldier" is still tied as one of my favorite singles. It was very street but still sexy. Loved the fact that all three ladies sang a verse. I also loved the T.I. & Wayne features. Just a really great choice for a single. "Girl" was my least favorite single. I just wasn't feeling it and I'm still not here for it. "Cater 2 U" was also one of my favorites. This song is still very sexy. The lyrics play to that submissive, traditional side of me. I also love to hear this song performed live. Beyonce' killed this song live. Her vocals were everything @ Essence that year.
As great as the singles were, the rest of the tracks are just as great. "T-Shirt" is the song that will always be on any playlist I make. Sleeping in your man's t-shirt is a woman's mo. We all do it. This song is love and sex personified. "If" & "Is She The Reason" are the epitome of a relationship being on its last leg. They bring back some memories I'd clearly avoid. But, the lyrics are great. I think every woman can relate to them. "Through With Love " and "Bad Habit" also follow the bad relationship vibe. Great beats, great lyrics will always make a great song even better in my books. "Love" is the song every woman sings loudly, especially when they are in love. "Free" is the song I play when I'm feeling great. There is nothing like truly being free within yourself. This song has nothing to do with a man. It's about fostering the most important relationship in life: the one with yourself. Well said and sung, Destiny's Child. This cd gets constant play in my spot. It's that classic, timeless music that I love. Enjoy DC3!!
No Doubt has been my group from the moment I first heard "Just A Girl." I really dug the fact that the band was fronted by a woman. Gwen was awesome even back then. I just knew that I had to have "Tragic Kingdom" when it came out. The singles were perfect. No Doubt was just a little rock group from California but I connected with them. I have been referred to as a "valley girl" before so this should be no real surprise. The group has gone on to release more cds. Gwen even had a very successful solo career. They are getting ready to release new music soon. I'm excited that my group is getting back together. The fact that I can still listen to their debut cd in 2012 means a lot. It is classic in every sense of the word to me. Enjoy my favorite tracks below!
The brilliance that was Floetry is missed. This duo was simply amazing to me. The mix of spoken word and melodic sounds was genius. Their debut was everything to me. I loved it. But, their sophomore cd was their best to me. Sadly, it was also the swan song of the group. I have been missing them since. "Flo'ology" will always remind me of Bmore and the winter of 2005. It was the soundtrack to my life after Hurricane Katrina (along with Trey Songz debut cd, Young Jeezy's "TM101," and Alicia Keys "Unplugged" cd). I cannot remember a day during that time that I did not listen to it. I hated that the cd didn't get the push it needed. There was only one real single "Supastar" featuring Common. The cd was full of single worthy songs. So, of course, I have to share my favorites with you. "Flo'ology" was just about perfect.
New Edition is my FAVORITE group of all time. They are the boy band I grew up with. "Candy Girl" is also the first album I ever owned. I played in relentlessly. I drove my mother insane with my love for this group. I was sold from the first time I heard them. They were so cute and brown and had these squeaky little voices. I was in love especially with Ralph Tresvant. My Dad gave me "Candy Girl" and a record player as a gift. Best gift ever as a kid.
Every song on that album was a favorite of mine. But, I was always partial to "Jealous Girl" and "Candy Girl." Every time I hear any of these songs, I am instantly transported back to my childhood. Back to my purple room, me laying on my stomach on the floor listening to this album with my window open as the breeze blew in. New Edition were an essential part of my childhood. Every song they released, every video all stand out to me. That is why "Candy Girl" is a classic album to me. I am still as much of a fan today that I was then. It's been 29 years since it was released. It still holds up. Below are my favorites from New Edition's "Candy Girl."
I remember the first time I heard of Alicia Keys. I heard her song "Fallin" and I was sold. The song was infectious. It was something about the melody. Her debut cd was released in June 2001. I was in summer school and I was obsessed with it. It had the feeling of a young person with an old soul. I think that was the appeal for me. I have always been that way. One of my favorite tracks on the cd was her remake of Brian McKnight's "Never Felt This Way" made me love her more. It's still one of my favorite songs by both artists.
She was something new and different. She was a singer, song writer, pianist and producer. She relied on her talent alone. She wasn't dancing all over the stage. She was purely an artist. This cd will always hold a special place in my heart. It got me through summer school. I played it exclusively and continuously. Eleven years later, I still feel the same way. A classic cd never loses it luster. Enjoy.
I remember the night Drake dropped "So Far Gone." He literally broke the Internet. His mixtape was widely anticipated. I had been a fan since I discovered "Replacement Girl" & "Closer" from his two less popular mixtapes. I knew that this will be would not disappoint. I was more than right. There isn't one track that I didn't like. It's classic to me because it's timeless music. It's still relevant to me right now & the cd is 3 years old.
Drake straddles that line between rapping and singing without being corny. I love his approach, delivery, and lyrics. I'm clearly a fan. If I had to pick a favorite from this mixtape, I'd have to give the edge to "Successful." That edge is only slightly over "Best I Ever Had" since it still makes me feel the same way it did the first time. "So Far Gone" is just good music. It came out during a down time in music for me, specifically in Hip-Hop. I've enjoyed everything Drake has released since then. But, I just feel a deeper connection to SFG. It's my classic music pick of the month. Enjoy the below tracks!
I remember vividly when I first heard Erykah Badu. I was at practice and Q93 played "On & On." From the first listen, I was a fan. Erykah didn't sound like anyone else on the radio. When I first saw her, she didn't look like anyone else either. She had a sound, tone, message that was all her own. You could tell this after one listen to her debut cd "Baduizm." I remember pressing play and never skipping a song. It was musically perfection. Every song made me feel something different and new. I was hooked. I listened to it over and over. It was my favorite things to play. My friend's were as excited about it as I was. We were digging this new sound called "neo-soul." It felt like us. We claimed it as our own. That meant that Erykah was ours.
"Baduizm" was released the middle of my senior year of high school. So, her music was the soundtrack to the best year of my high school career. The singles were perfect. The unreleased tracks were just as great. The reason I have deemed this cd classic is that 15 years later it's still relevant. I can and do still play it. I am sure 15 years from now when I'm playing it for my kids, it will still be timeless. And, that they will love it like I do. "Baduizm" signifies a new era in soul music. Erykah changed so many things. Classic music does that.
I have been a Kanye fan since he was a virtual unknown. I heard an underground cd of his when he was working with Jay. There was just something about his voice. His words and his delivery caught and held my attention. I wanted more. Kanye would give me just that when he dropped his debut cd "College Dropout." This cd would become my soundtrack for many moons. I played it so much. His singles were awesome but even more so were the rest of the tracks on the cd. Kanye was hungry and I could feel it.
Kanye was amazing to me for one major reason. He released a rap song called "Jesús Walks" that was deep and lyrical and it got major play on radio and in the clubs. That was unheard of. "All Falls Down," "Through The Wire," "Slow Jamz," & "The New Workout Plan" were also singles that did great on the charts. Kanye just seemed to have the golden touch. This cd was executed perfectly. Sonically, it was different. It's been 8 years since it was released. It still sounds relevant and timeless. I still love it. Below are my favorite unreleased tracks from the cd. Enjoy the greatness that is Kanye West.
The very first time I heard Ne-yo's debut single "Stay" I was a fan. His voice made me happy. I wanted to know more about him. So I read up on the newcomer. Found out all about the singer/songwriter who's debut cd "In My Own Words" would be out the following February. "Stay" didn't get a lot of radio play but it was a hit to me. It wouldn't be until his second single that the world would sit up & take notice. "So Sick" was a smash hit. Everyone could relate to being heartsick over a past love. The song was in constant rotation on the radio & video shows. This was the beginning of Ne-yo's journey.
IMOW is classic to me because I loved every song. Every track was a potential single. Almost 6 years later, I'm still playing it. I have a feeling that 60 years from now, it will still get played. The record label picked the perfect singles. The videos were just right for the songs. Ne-yo's voice and lyrics were everything on this cd. I am a uber fan. This cd will always reminds me of living in Cali. It was the first cd I purchased when I moved. I played it all the time. It's amazing to see his growth as an artist. Ne-yo also gives a great concert. I just really love his voice and his lyrics. Enjoy my favorite tracks below.
If you know me, you know I'm a Beyonce fan. But strangely enough, this was not always the case. I loved Destiny's Child but wasn't fond of Bey. I knew she could sing. I just wasn't feeling her. All of this changed the summer of 2003. Her first solo single "Crazy In Love" drops featuring my favorite rapper Jay-Z. I hear it on the radio and thought it was too busy on first listen. Then, I heard it for the second time at the House of Blues. There was something about her vocals and those horns. I was hooked. Of course, Jay's verse only helped.
By the time DIL debuted, I was a full fledged fan. I loved every song on the cd. It was just good R&B music to me. I still believe that this is her best work. She released 5 singles, which all charted in the top 5. "Crazy In Love" is my favorite release from this cd. But, as usual, my favorite track on the cd are the ones that weren't singles. "Yes," "Gift From Virgo," "Be With You," and "Signs" are amazing. Every televised performance from this cd was just great. Beyonce definitely gives a great stage show. I've seen her twice in concert. She is amazing. This is why DIL will always be classic to me. Years later and I'm still listening to it. It still makes me happy when I hear it. It's just good music.
Dru Hill's sophomore cd "Enter The Dru" is a classic in my mind. They came on the scene with a great debut cd. And, it's not often that a person or group's second offering is better than the first. This is exactly what happened with Dru Hill. From the Intro to the last song, I am still in love with this music. This was a group of men where every member could sing and hold their own vocally. The group and the label did a great job of picking singles as well. "How Deep Is your Love," "These Are The Times," and "You Are Everything" all charted well. I think that they could've squeezed at least three more singles out of this cd. Namely "Beauty" which received lots of unofficial radio play as well as "Angel" and "What Are We Gonna Do?"
Thirteen years later amd I can still listen to this cd straight through. It's just good music. It takes me back to the day I first heard this cd. I was a fan before this but something about this cd made me a true believer. The one thing I regret is never seeing the group live in concert to perform some of my favorite cuts. There is a strange thing going on in R&B today. It's not as soulful as it once was. Lyrics aren't as deep and meaningful as they used to be. Hearing this cd reminds me of when R&B was really good.I did read that the guys released a cd last year. Apparently, I missed it. I don't recall hearing any singles from them. That makes me sad. Artists with real talent are being overlooked for artists with gimmicks and little to no talent. That's why I miss 90's R&B. Classic music is timeless. So, below are some of my favorite unreleased tracks from Dru Hill's "Enter The Dru."
From the moment I heard his voice, I was a fan. Donell Jones won me over with his rendition of the classic Stevie Wonder track "Knocks Me Off My Feet." His debut was ok but lacking chartable singles. Donell rectified that on his sophomore outing "Where I Wanna Be." It was released October 12, 1999. It was filled with ballads worthy of his amazing voice. This cd is classic to me in so many ways. I still love every track. I can put it on and let it play all the way through. He had great singles such as "Where I Wanna Be," "U Know What's Up," which featured the late Left Eye of TLC fame, "Shorty Got Her Eyes On Me," and "This Luv."
I cannot deny that the title track was a breakout hit. Everyone knew the words to this song. I remembering in clubs and dj's would play this and the club would lose it. The lyrics, in hindsight, were majorly messed up. dude basically told his girl that he wanted to mess around and that's why he had to go. But, that he still loved her. Crazy lyrics. My favorite track was an unreleased gem titled "I Wanna Luv U." This song is just, to me, the best thing Donell has ever sung. It's sweet and melodic and it just works. I always wished that it had been released as a single. I would have loved to see him perform this live. Twelve years later, it's still like the first time I heard it. It's still just really good R&B music. That makes it a classic. Here are some of my favorite tracks from WIWB. Enjoy!
