Mr. New Jack Swing

I know lately my blog has been mainly about Hip-Hop and I haven't been giving the time and energy into R&B like I should.  So with this post I'm going to write about a era of music not too many people dwell on, and I think they should.

Sometimes when I'm in the midst of other people and the topic music comes up, people go into talking about the latest artists and how their music is great. After awhile, we go into the older music from other musicians and how that music is timeless. It seems every time I bring up the New Jack Swing Era I get these confused, dumb reactions from people. "Wasn't that a dance?" "That wasn't no damn music! That was Nino Brown's club name in the movie New Jack City!" Sighs it kills me that people are not knowledgeable on a era of music dominated urban music for several years in the late 80's and early 90's. This era I'm talking is The New Jack Swing Era.

In 1985, two rappers by the name of Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick brought this idea to a young producer by the name of Teddy Riley. The idea was to make a Hip-Hop record about getting ready to performed at a concert. The record was a smash and played in every night club. Doug E. Fresh, and Slick Rick found new success but who gain a lot of notoriety was Teddy Riley. Up and coming artist like Kool Moe Dee to Heavy D came knocking Riley's door down to contribute to their albums. With this over night success for Riley, it was only going to get bigger.

Teddy went on to meet a vocalist by the name of Aaron Hall, Timmy Gatling, and  forming the group Guy. Their first album self-entitled "Guy" had smash hits like "I Like", "Piece of My Love", and "Teddy Jam's". With Teddy being known as a Hip-Hop producer, this R&B album set the tone for the "New Jack Swing". Before it was named the New Jack Swing, Teddy called his sound Sophicated Bumble Gum Music. Teddy called it that it  because it was young. Journal Berry Micheal Cooper described the sound a musical hybrid that combined R&B and Hip-Hop inspired by the urban youth.

Teddy went on to produced for the likes of Keith Sweat, Al B. Sure, and the legendary Bobby Brown. This sound was like none other. Around the time this sound was introduced, you had a lot of ballad singers, and it wasn't any music you could really dance to, and that's what Teddy brought to the fore front. I can remember myself as a kid seeing Guy's "Teddy's Jam" and getting up in the living room and dancing with no rhythm. When I talk to people older than me that was really in the midst of that era, all I hear is good stories about them embracing his music, and running to the dance floor whenever one of his records came on.

With countless hits under his belt, he stepped into another realm producing for the likes of Boy George and the legendary Michael Jackson. His brought his signature sound to the King of Pop as it went to another level with the album "Dangerous"

Teddy went on to have success with groups such as Wreckx-n-Effect and the legendary group BlackStreet. With all his other success in music, he will always be know for the New Jack Swing and what it brought to music and also the urban culture.

Here's some of his hits below:

















Enjoy Peace!!!

My Ipod Shuffle

Hey what's up everyone, this is another edition of "My Ipod Shuffle" and as you seen from prior post, it's been very random. This week my Ipod doesn't let me down. Check out the post and I hope you enjoy PEACE!









For a bonus, here's Johnny Gill performing "Lady Dujour" live on the Arsenio Hall Show

D.I.T.C. Jean Grae and 9th Wonder "Love Thirst" x Syreeta & G.C. Camron "Station Break For Love"

"Love Thrist" comes off the very underrated album Jean Grae "Jeanius". This song has nice summer night feel where you want to roll the all the windows down, or drop the top and let the song stay on repeat the whole night.
I hope you enjoy!

Peace

This Is What Crack Must Feel Like....

I've had this song in my collection for some time, and their just putting a visual out which is dope. The song is by Curren$y called "Flying Irons" which features Fiend. Whenever I hear this song, it gives me this effect.

Curren$y ft. Fiend - Flying Iron from Creative Control on Vimeo.

ENJOY!!

LA Reid "The Ted McGinley of Def Jam Records"

Remember this guy? Take a close look; this guy graced your television screen on two classic T.V. shows. Ted McGinley played Roger Philips on Happy Days and Jefferson D'Arcy on Married With Children. Ted came along at the tail end of the sitcom runs while on T.V.  For some odd reason when they introduced his character on the shows, the ratings plummet. The roles Ted played on the show was never good. On Happy Days, the role Roger Philips was a Mrs. C's nephew that was the coach and gym teacher at Jefferson High. This role didn't do well because they used his role to fill the void of Richie since he left the show. After so long, Happy Days got cancelled because the ratings dropped.

The other show he played on was the popular Fox classic "Married With Children". Ted played as Jefferson D'Arcy, the husband of Marcy D'Arcy which was played by Amanda Bearse. Ted cane along on the show to give a little more thrill to the show. He played a freeloading playboy that assisted Al Bundy in their feminist views about women, and always on the hunt for new "puppies" at the Nudie Bar. The show was on the decline when he arrived. We all know about family T.V. sitcoms, once the children start to grow up, it's not much you can do with the roles,  but find a way to close the show without taking away from the legacy of it. So once again when Ted came apart of the show, it declined and eventually went off the air.

I know y'all are probably wondering where I am going with this, and how does LA. Reid fits this equation? It's pretty simple, both of these guys are always called in for help to improve something and it only gets worst.

Now let me explain why Mr. Reid is being given this title:

Back in 1984, two young guys by the name of Rick Rubin, and Russell started a Hip-Hop record company in a NYU Dorm called Def Jam Records. They went on to create stars from LL Cool J to Redman. Def Jam became a staple of Hip-Hop knowing that when you see that logo on a back of a CD case, or even a magazine ad, you were going to get the best music possible. As time went on Rick Rubin went on to other music endeavors and Russell went on creating Phat Farm Clothing. To sum it up Lyor Cohen and Kevin Lies took it over, and took Def Jam to another level by creating some of the Hip-Hop's biggest stars. With stars like Jay-Z,  DMX, and Ja-Rule, Def Jam was on a roll. As they say, all things come to an end and Lyor and Kevin left to run Warner Bros. Music. To run the biggest Hip-Hop recording company, who do you call? LA Reid.!!

Let me give you a brief history about LA. Reid. He was apart of 80's R&B group, The Deel along with the legendary Babyface. As time went on, Babyface and LA left the group and went on writing and producing for some of the biggest artist of this time. They later on created a record company called LaFace Records. They created stars like TLC, Toni Braxton, Usher, and a Hip-Hop group he didn't want to give a chance but became a one of the biggest groups and that's Outkast. After his success with LaFace, he was given the CEO position at Arista Records. The home that Clive Davis built for timeless R&B, LA took that position. His stint with Arista had some good moments but a lot of bad moves like passing on T.I., never letting Q-Tip's album see the day of light, and most importantly spending large amounts of money on albums and in return the albums didn't do so well. As time went on and Arista wasn't holding the same prestige as they once did, they fired him.

So now let's get to his run at Def Jam records. LA was suppose to carry the torch that Rick and Russell ignite, but totally the opposite. LA gave Def Jam a face lift no Hip-Hop fans wanted to see. He turned a Hip-Hop Trinity into a ran down flea market where you can find knock off brands and that's what LA did to Def Jam. Instead of taking the same routes as other successors at Def Jam and make classic album, he went for making hit records. Now don't get me wrong, you're in the music business to make money but at the same time, you want to keep integrity in the music and make timeless classics. As time went on you didn't see the hardcore groups Def Jam was know for, instead, you see pop acts like Rhianna, and so called R&B star "The Nightmare" of my fault "The Dream". Reid went on going along with what was hot on radio and grabbing acts that could barely rap but had a hip dance to go with it.

Reid didn't show any respect to staple artists on the label. Artists like Redman, Method Man has to throw a rant on a radio station or in a magazine interview to get some attention about their projects. Reid goes on to sign big Hip-Hop acts like Nas, The Roots, Ghostface and doesn't give them push they deserved. For example Nas recently sent out a email to LA Reid expressing his frustrations with the label and how their keeping the music away from the people and how he isn't Hip-Hop.

As time went on, the sales have dropped and he's made desperate moves like signing artist like Shyne, that just got released from Prison without seeing if he still had the same spunk that Shyne once showed 9 years ago. Speaking of Shyne, he's came out publicly and wrote a letter to LA. Reid stating his frustration as well and telling him to go back to R&B because Hip-Hop doesn't live in him.

As you see, LA Reid has a lot in common with Ted. They've both came in on prestigious things and with their roles, things took a turn for the worse which brought those staples to an end. In conclusion,  people that's over LA needs to take him out of that position because things are not getting better and people don't look at the Def Jam brand and it once was. Well atleast Ted has some classic moments on "Married With Children.

Here's one!!

D.I.T.C. Notorious B.I.G. "Niggas Bleed"

One of Biggie's classics, and personally one of the best Hip-Hop Storytelling records that was ever made. I use to play this song over and over again, and close my eyes and be able to imagine what he was saying in the song. Be able to do that shows how powerful words and if used in the right way, can do some incredible things, and Biggie proved that in this song. Enjoy!

Notorious B.I.G. "Niggas Bleed"


Whispers "Hey, Who Really Cares?"

My Ipod Shuffle

Hey what's up everyone, here's another post on my Ipod Shuffle. I don't know but my Ipod was playing a lot of stuff I haven't heard in awhile which was great. Check out my the line-up and I hope you enjoy PEACE!

MF Doom "Deep Fried Frenz"


2pac "Ain't Hard 2 Find"


Michael Jackson "We Almost There"


David Oliver Ms.