" Out the Neo-Soul Basement of... "

Sorry I haven't been on here for a bit. Been trying to keep them darn balls motion in the air. But life is GREAT and I'm LOVING being in it.

Straight into today's business; as an offering unto the altar of Soul music, we pay a visit to the Neo-Soul basement to see what who's jam session we're able to witness. I'm a BIG soul music fan and all its variations - this happens to include neo-Soul as well. I know alot of people we're reluctant to jump on this new bandwagon driven by proponents like Raphael Saadiq, Angie Stone, Erykah Badu, Maxwell, D'angelo, but it eventually cut on and birthed other artists like Jill Scott, Dwele, Raheem Devaughn, Musiq... just to name a few.  It still has not crossed mainstream, except maybe with Lauryn Hill's breakthorugh MONSTER hit album; The MisEducation of Lauryn Hill. 

In this post, I'm going steer away from the big guns in this genre... except maybe D'angelo. D' deserves honorary mention, just for being the GENIUS that he is. Alternatively, Im highlighting the new boys making waves underground in the independent circuit. You might have come across a couple of names, some might be fresh hits for you, however ALL should make your iPOD. 

I'm going to start of with the gentleman called Raheem Devaughn. This gentleman BLEW my mind the first time I heard his underground hit single, "Guess who loves you more". Raheem had the uncanny ability to convey to ladies in a song EXACTLY what they want to hear from their men... "Lady, Lady Lady, My darling darling baby, I wanna restore your hope, forget about your past, this thing's gonna last.."  On hearing this, as a lady, you might start of 'hard to get'. I mean we ladies have heard this bull a million times before, but Rah goes on, "My love for you can never be measured, Girl I treasure your Love, and each day my love multiplies for you, Girl as long as father time is on my side, I'll always be by your side, Girl you're perfect in  my eyes, Your My joy and pride... " AND ITS A WRAAAAPPP!!! *sigh*

But we're not messing with "Guess Who Loves You More" today. That was freebie for you guys. Make sure it makes the iPod... It'll come in handy when you're girl's mad at you. SERIOUSLY!!

Rah's post for today is the song "BELIEVE"... GEntlemen... Ladies.... This song is FIIIRRREEEEE. I'm going to put my reputation on the line with this one (like its worth anything ;-0 ), and dare any guy to send this to the girl of his dreams. The one he's been trying to get... She is GOT by the final riffs, GURANTEED!!  Raheem once again breaks into the insecurities and fears in every girl's mind and puts it to ease with such prowess...

             "...with patience and understanding 

               like a teacher with a student, vice versa
               promise not to hurt you, not to leave
               not to lie, not to cheat, not to fuss
               not to stress, like the rest in your past

               Believe me I ain't like most men
               I ain't like them others
              you done dealt with in your past
              just have some FAITH
             that is ALL I ask, BELIEVE in me.."

I think what makes his pleading even more compelling is his breathless rasps as he sings over the sensual groove. Not content to just sweep you off your feet, Rah wants to knock you the f*ck out!!

  

                              "Lately I have been thinking 

                               about this crazy world,
                               being one step away from war
                               So tonight baby,
                               I want to make love to you
                               Like this world is coming to an end
                               and if we should die tonight,
                               In the next life
                               I'm gonna love you the same
                               Ain't nothin gonna change

WHERE THE HECK DOES HE GET THAT FROM? I just want MORE and MORE... I BELIEVE!! I BELIEVE!! *Kemi Screams* Anyway, RESPECT the man, listen to the song and download or buy the entire CD. You WONT regret it.. I PROMISE!!

Our second Man to look out for is your boy, Eric Roberson. This New Jersey native is an accomplished song writer who broke out on his own preaching the Neo-Soul gospel ever since 1994 with his first single "Moon". He's got AMAZING collaborations with Jill Scott, Musiq and even with Raheem Devaughn (GET THIS SONG - Love of da GAME), just to name a few. His 'live' game is amazing. I got the opportunity to watch him perform and meet him afterwards sometime last years at the New York 'Mecca' for fabulous indie/alternative music, SOBs on Houston and Varick. He has a charm that exudes even when he is not singing. In the audience to support him was his fiance, his parents, even his pastor, and he trully brought the spirit down into the house. I'm gonna post up his beautiful ballad "Pretty Girl". Its such a touching, mellow, sunshine morning kind of song. It puts you in a mental state you want to be in, with lyrics that actually speak to you. 'Pretty Girl" talks about a girl who has probably been hurt before by Love in the past and puts up walls in relationships, hiding behind her beauty. It's a beautifully executed song... Eric pleads.. "I wanna know who you REALLY are..."

Another Eric Roberson song worth of honorary mention is another gorgeous ballad called, "Too Soon".. " So girl when I say 

                          say girl lets take our time
                         Understand girl that I'm
                         I'm not offering game
                         Hopefully girl in time
                         how u and i deal with change
                         Its Too Soon to say I LOVE YOU

And FINALLY, for me the BABA of the new wave Neo-Soul game. Par alone to Raphael Saadiq, its my 'baby-daddy' D'angelo. Its really a shame with all thats gone on with him stretching from legal to health problems. Like all GENIUSes, D'angelo is missing a couple of marbles short of a complete set that should aid him in dealing with real life. I believe all geniuses of any kind have these marbles missing. Thats what makes them eccentric, 'left', it stretches to the unbelievable things they do. From Einstein to Wole Soyinka, to R. Kelly, to Van Gogh, to a friend of mine's father... Its some sort of behavioural license that handed out when they Immaculately created. Sometimes, their gift must feel like a burden to thses special class of people. 

D'angelo after shooting the "Untitled, How Does It Feel" video was hounded by women for his body and sex appeal... WHO COULD BLAME THEM? Apparently at shows, the focus turned from his music to screams for his shirt to be taken off... and what does a purist like D'angelo do when he thinks the attention is taken from his music - his gift to the world? He gains weight.. (check pic above) and goes underground.

He leaked a single sometime last year called "Really Love". Some critics proclaimed this as evidence that D'angelo was DONE as you couldnt really make his slurry words on the track. Others (like me) thought the song was CLASSIC D' and didnt care if you couldnt make out his words. The melody was AMAZING, the vocal arrangement, like 'pure honey on your tongue'. Apparently, he has gotten his act together and a new D'angelo album is 'supposedly' scheduled to be released late this year. CANT WAIT FOR IT.. lets pray for him. 

I'm posting one of my favorite songs off his sophomore album, "Send It On". D'angelo broke the 'Sophomore Curse' (not an easy feat) and delivered ANOTHER classic with the VOODOO album and this is an offering off it.. ENJOY

Raheem Devaughn - BELIEVE

Eric Roberson - PRETTY GIRL

D'Angelo - SEND IT ON