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best 90s r&b groups

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90s/00s | Missing the Days of Pure R&B

Posted by Jasmine McGee ⋅ April 9, 2012 ⋅ 1 Comment

Whenever I’m in a relationship I tend to find myself listening to more R&B and Neo-Soul. My love for those genres goes beyond having someone or not, but it’s often hard to listen to that music when I’m single. I begin feeling down because I’m a) reflecting on my past or b) daydreaming of what it would feel like to fall in love again. So in order to avoid the affliction, I avoid listening to R&B when I’m single.

But, I’m not single right now, so listening to my collection of 90s and early 2000s music doesn’t bring forth tears. It just makes me reflect on my current relationship and the possibilities of what could be. It’s amazing when you can notice yourself becoming intertwined in someone’s life, and you take time out of your day to remember those little things that make them who they are.

There is such a purity that accompanies getting to know someone, and that purity is something you used to hear in R&B.

A few days ago I tried listening to some of the R&B that has come out in the past few weeks, and nothing really caught my attention. It just all kind of sounds the same. Sex. Swag. Pleasure. Forgiveness. Moving on. I can do better. Pretty little body. Those are just a few of the things that instantly come to mind when I listen to a lot of the songs that hit the radio and the Web. There is nothing original. That purity that I love & cherish, is just continuously fading away.

I honestly can’t even think of any artists on the scene right now that just bring forth such a purity that is reminiscent of the 90s music I’ve come to love so much. Okay, I take that back. Usher is still doing his thing on the scene, and his song “Climax” is such an emotionally driven track that sort of infuses that 90s style with a new school approach (i.e. the slight electronic beat.) But he isn’t a new artist, he’s been around since the 90s and he’s one of those 90s R&B artists that I love. So when it comes to new cats on the scene, yeah, nobody comes to mind at the moment. I mean, I do adore Romeo Santos, but half the time he sings in Spanish and I honestly just love him because a) he’s a cutie and b) his voice is pretty nice, even though I don’t know Spanish.

Perhaps I’m just stubborn, because I’m just going to keep being nostalgic and craving my 90s/2000s R&B. It’s just so pure to me, and it’s the music I grew up on. Some songs will never die for me, and I’ll keep listening to them over & over again. The music from the 90s and early 2000s are truly timeless tracks that can be remixed with some dubstep beat or covered by a new artist using autotune.

You’ve just got to let the 90s R&B remain pure. Don’t touch it, just embrace it. Like folks always say, if it ain’t broken then don’t fix it. 90s R&B isn’t broken, so don’t fix it….just let it speak to your soul. Teach the next generation the true meaning of R&B. It’s more than just laying a girl down and getting the business, it’s about the beauty of emotion infused with remnants of making love, not just sexing to be sexing. SMH, that right there is totally another blog post in itself.

Below are my favorite tracks I been listening to as of late. Mainly 90s/2000s songs that I’ve been in love with for over a decade. Good music!

Ruff Endz- “Someone To Love” (my favorite!)

Janet Jackson- “Anytime, Anyplace” (Janet surely knows how to sing about sex, and it doesn’t feel trashy like some of the stuff out today)

Jagged Edge- “I Gotta Be”

Aaliyah- “One In A Million” (missing her so much. Her music was so pure, so real, so beautiful!)

Maxwell- “This Woman’s Work”

Tyrese- “Lately”

Monica- “Angel of Mine”

Blackstreet- “Before I Let You Go”

Usher- “U Got It Bad”

Ginuwine- “Differences”

D’Angelo- “Untitled” (He sings about sex, but he still makes it oh so pure. Damn….such a good song!)

©Jasmine McGee.ThinkSoul25. http://thinksoul25.com

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Throwback Jams | Friday R&B Session

Posted by Jasmine McGee ⋅ December 16, 2011 ⋅ Leave a Comment

Lately I’ve found myself listening to a lot of 90s R&B. For quite some time I was on this hiatus with R&B and love songs, but I can’t just stop listening to good music (especially if it’s from the 90s.) The 90s had some of the best R&B songs and on Friday’s I like to just listening to nothing else but 90s music. Well, I still listen to house but I mainly have nostalgic Fridays.

The sounds of the 80s and 90s propel forward throughout my day, and today I’m enjoying a nice selection of R&B songs from the early 90s. So here are a few of the songs I’ve been listening to today.

I used to sing the lyrics to this song when I was about 9 years old, and my mom would always tell me to stop singing it because it was a song for “adults.” Haha, well now I’m an adult and hell yeah I’m gonna recite the lyrics!

Next – “Too Close”

R. Kelly – “She’s Got That Vibe”

I love this song! I’m a huge fan of Jagged Edge, but “Gotta Be” was always a song I really was feeling. I’ve got a lot of good memories rushing to my head when I think about this song. I been in love once, and I would listen to this song all the time. Of course we weren’t going to get married or anything, but I felt so madly in love.

Blackstreet – “Before I Let You Go”

Aw man! This used to be the joint! So many great passionate goodbye kisses on this song….

People always talk about “Poison” but Bell Biv Devoe had some other great songs too, even though Poison is my favorite.

Will Smith ft. DJ Jazzy Jeff – “I’m Looking For the One”

Tony Toni Tone – “Lets Get Down”

Guy – “Wanna Get With You”

Aaron Hall – “Don’t Be Afraid”

Janet – “Together Again”

Omg, my friends and I used to do all the dance steps to this video! We’d have slumber parties and would perform a choreographed dance to this song just for fun. Ah, those were the days.

Man, you’ve got to admit thought that Aaliyah was one of the best singers during the 90s and early 2000. I used to think that she was the most beautiful woman in the world. She was everything I wanted to be. As a little girl (age 12) my friends and I used to always gossip about how much we loved her and when we were 21 we wanted to look like Aaliyah. It’s so tragic that she died at such a young age. Even though she is no longer here, she will always be the most beautiful woman and talented singer in my opinion.

One In a Million

Are You That Somebody

©Jasmine McGee.ThinkSoul25. http://thinksoul25.com

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The Return of Boyz II Men

Posted by Jasmine McGee ⋅ October 20, 2011 ⋅ 1 Comment

Why didn’t someone tell me that one of the best R&B groups in history was returning to the music scene? I mean I know I haven’t been following a lot of the hip-hop out, but I’ve been reading blogs everyday and making sure I’m on top of it with the best in dance music, soul, house, R&B, and even rock. But somehow this delicate information regarding the return of Boyz II Men has slipped my keen music radar.

Ladies and gentlemen, apparently Boy II Men is returning back to the scene with their new album Twenty. It’s not like the group has disappeared or anything; they have been on tours for years now wooing the crowd with their timeless voices. But it is hard to believe that they have been on the music scene for 20 years now, which is why their new album is called Twenty.

The group will always be known for exuding such a sexy class that defines R&B. When I think of great R&B, I think of classic groups like Boyz II Men, Jagged Edge, Ruff Endz, Jodeci, Silk, and H-Town. Groups like Pretty Ricky surely don’t ever cross my mind when it comes to talk about that grown and sexy R&B. It’s one thing to just have a bunch of lyrics about sex and how you’re going to tear that ass up, but a true R&B musician knows how to make topics such as sex, love, and dating a melodic experience that can truly touch the heart and make the body shiver.

Boyz II Men are one of those male groups that know how to create songs that can change your life; some of there songs such as “I’ll Make Love To You” are even the song of choices at most African-American weddings (trust me, I’ve seen it used as a wedding song.) I love a lot of songs by Boyz II Men, but my two favorite songs are “I’ll Make Love To You” and “End of the Road.” The guys have such an eloquent way of expressing emotions that many people can relate to. When you think of Boyz II Men, you immediately think of grown men that know how to be classy but still fueled by raw passion.

I hope to see that same passion and class on their new album Twenty, which will be released next week on the 25th. The album is sort of a celebration for debuting their first album Cooleyhighharmony twenty years ago. In anticipation of their new album, the guys of Boyz II Men have released a new video for their latest single “One Up For Love.” The title is pretty self explanatory and the visuals are sort of an homage to love. The guys still look good for their age and their voices are still the same as ever. You just can’t go wrong with Boyz II Men when it comes to classy R&B for the grown and sexy.

Boyz II Men New Video: One Up For Love

End of the Road

I’ll Make Love To You

Meant to be Mint

Posted by Jasmine McGee ⋅ March 20, 2011 ⋅ Leave a Comment

I’ve been on this old school kick lately with hip-hop, but I’ve also been jamming to 90s r&b. My playlist wouldn’t be complete with Jagged Edge, Jodeci, H-Town, Guy,Dru Hill, New Edition,Boyz II Men, Silk, and so many other artist that make up the 800 r&b songs on my Ipod. If I keep finding good music every day, I’m going to end up investing in a 32gb Ipod and giving my 16gb to my sister in law.

I’m not obsessed with music, but I love good music! For those of you who read my post the other day, you read about how I’m sick of this commercial radio crap. Everything sounds the same and it actually pisses me off. I can only listen to "Like a G6" so many times until I want to jump off the second floor balcony. It wouldn’t do too much damage, but it sends a message. The message simply is, I’m sick of all this mainstream popular music that damages the electronic beat with pop-ish lyrics or auto tune hip-hop rhymes.

Don’t get me wrong, I do like some of the r&b artist that are sometimes pop-ish, like Marques Houston and Mario (well not his latest stuff within the past 2 years) but I mainly still jam to artist from the boy band era. I used to love seeing those fine brotha’s singing and harmonizing in ways that could make a married woman question her relationship. It was nice to see black men coming together to create good music for the men and women, music that celebrated our love, shed light on breakups, and made soundtracks for sex.

The 90s r&b had such a pure and funky sound, and one group was able to perfect that sound with the infusion of jazz. Mint Condition is a musically diverse band of musicians that are able to blend jazz, funk, latin grooves, and traditional r&b into a beautiful collective of noteworthy music. I grew up listening to Mint Condition and their sound helped introduced me to the world of jazz. I absolutely love all their music, whether it’s new or old Mint Condition never fails!

But I must say that there 91′ debut album Meant to be Mint has some of the best tracks on it. There song "Sensous Appeal" has that New Jack Swing vibe, while "Breaking My Heart", also known as "Pretty Brown Eyes" is a song that rings true to the Mint Condition brand.

I’ve never been able to see them live in concert, but from what I’ve heard it’s one of the best live performances to see. They will have you laughing, crying, dancing, grinding, and in music euphoria. I hope to engage in that euphoria and see them in concert one day, but until then I will enjoy the old and the new Mint Condition. There latest album Caught My Eye is coming out in April 2011 and the single was released last month.I still have to pick it up or download it from Itunes (no more limewire for me and frostwire is eh…) From what I’ve heard so far on
http://www.mintconditionmusic.com/
, I’m loving it! It’s good to see the these r&b veterans making such a bold comeback and it’s always nice to see Stokley doing his thing (Stokley is awesome!) on TvOne’s "Way Black When" as the groups drummer, along with the other awesome guys.