By medusa9e (66.73.1.184) on Wednesday, April 23, 2003 - 05:27 pm:

I like the sound that Jaheim has as a vocalist.
I hope he stays around. Then again, he's playin' it smart, he's swimming N both waters (Rap & R&B)... keepin' everyone happy, so maybe he'll hang N there!. (He'd B a heck of a Balladeer). Check out his website - Jaheim.com. tell me what U think !

By Eli (151.197.124.23) on Wednesday, April 23, 2003 - 05:51 pm:

I like his song "I forgot to be your lover"
Sounds a bit like LV.
Dont care for his image, although I understand the reasoning.

By stephanie (66.54.1.38) on Wednesday, April 23, 2003 - 11:55 pm:

The best thing about him is that his grandfather was the late great Hoagy Lands a giant in Northern Soul who did "The Next In Line" with the Chiffons on background..he was also one of the background singers on Under the Boardwalk..would any British person here like to chime in and give us more information on the late great Hoagy Lands..
Stephanie

By Julio (152.163.188.68) on Thursday, April 24, 2003 - 02:26 am:

I really liked "Could It Be," but don't like the profane words, even if used sparingly it's still too much to me (and I understand the reasoning, too.)

Who produced that song, and his other stuff?

By medusa9e (66.73.5.225) on Thursday, April 24, 2003 - 10:11 am:

yessss, I agree with everyone here, now that it's already said(didn't want 2 offend anyones' opinion)but now that it's already said, YESSS, it would B good if he could change that (ghetto) image.put some real clothes on(without the head wrap) and sing his little heart out. I don't know who writes his songs etc, but I also agree, some of the language needs 2 B left out. His Grandad passed away recently, he did have a website(Grandad did), not sure if it's still there...(If only Kenny Edmunds (Babyface) had gotten 2 Jaheim first...), I believe he would've been a much cleaner act.(I really like that little bit of Thom Bell he put in his new song), remember Thom Bells' "I forgot To Be Your Lover"?

By Scratcher (65.132.77.27) on Thursday, April 24, 2003 - 10:22 am:

Medusa, I think you're refering to William Bell who recorded "I Forgot To Be Your Lover."

By medusa9e (66.73.5.225) on Thursday, April 24, 2003 - 10:39 am:

Sorry, Yep, U R Very Correct, It was William Bell. (NOT Thom Bell)-
Thanx 4 the correction!

By Eli (151.197.125.160) on Thursday, April 24, 2003 - 11:15 am:

Jaheim and some of his contempories nead to bag that tired "ghetto" thing and return to class, if they are capable of it.

When I went to the SITSOM premiere in NYC, Musiq Soulchild was an absolute embarassment and a disgrace to the Motown name, with his pants hanging down and the crack of his butt exposed. He looked as though he had a load of crap in his trousers and he was nowhere close to being in tune.

In my opinion, one of the few singers today with any degree of class is Brian Mc Knight and to some degree India. Arie.
Come on y'all, get with the program and give yourselves some shelf life instead of some flash in the pan disposable has been.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Thursday, April 24, 2003 - 11:26 am:

...and buy some clothes that fit yo' ass....
Kevin Goins - KevGo

(PS - I was there at the SITOM premiere at the Apollo - poor Maxine Powell & Cholly Atkins would've grilled these young'uns if they had the chance!

By Julian (152.163.188.68) on Thursday, April 24, 2003 - 02:10 pm:

Eli - I thought Musiq's is supposed to be "neo-soul," the antithesis to "ghetto"?

Also I am now wondering who has been selling more lately, McKnight or Jahiem? I take no sides, though.

By Julian (152.163.188.68) on Thursday, April 24, 2003 - 02:12 pm:

For some reason Jahiem's "Put That Woman First (aka I Forgot To Be Your Lover) reminds me of a Sam Cooke song.

By Sly fan (67.115.75.22) on Thursday, April 24, 2003 - 03:03 pm:

Jaheim is doing his thing and that cat can really sing..he just needs new production (in my opinion)...plus he doesnt fall in with the singers who "whine"..he has a really strong voice..Babyface would be pretty cool for Jaheim, the great Teddy Riley also..


Please dont sleep on DONNIE (who just got signed to Motown..Kedar The Savior" strikes again!!)..Brian Mckight is cool but too corny for me...Gerald Levert, Johhny Gill and Keith Sweat (or LSG) those guys can really get down..Musiq cannot sing..he can just hold a note really well..

D'Angelo...is my favorite out of them all...if you've never seen him live...please,please get the live album...Lets put it this way...Prince doesnt just go to anybody's shows...

By francis t. (195.92.168.171) on Thursday, April 24, 2003 - 03:33 pm:

You might be interested to know that a passing comment to journalist David Yates that he had musical pedigree the connection between Jaheem and Hoagy Lands was made.Ady Croasdale soon had him (Hoagy) back on stage in London and CLeethorpes Weekender.He wasn,t that good with his stage/mike technique but there were some good moments including a duet with Sydney Barnes.He was a real nice guy too.As is often the case surprised by the UK fans knowledge.It was a shame he died shortly after returning to the States.

REGARDS FRANCIS T.

By stephanie (66.54.1.38) on Thursday, April 24, 2003 - 05:17 pm:

Thank you Francis!!!
I miss Hoagy Lands and I have seen that In the Basement Interview he did. Sidney Barnes can still sing and hopefully I will be meeting him in a few months..
Stephanie

By Julian (152.163.188.68) on Thursday, April 24, 2003 - 10:13 pm:

Sly,

LSG were dope! Don't they have something new out, or coming out?

By medusa (66.73.2.40) on Friday, April 25, 2003 - 01:04 am:

Kem Kimistry is also pretty good (he's a new artist-vocalist).
D'Angelo is a pretty good vocalist, but he need 2 keep his clothes "ON". It's bad enough they R letting their pants sag, but D'Angelo just took his off completely. What was that all about? Did the Artist (Prince) need 2 see him naked? Check out his (D'Angelo) interview explaining Y he wanted 2 get naked. Wasn't neccessary at all!!!
his interview I watched on Yahoo (Launch.com)

By medusa9e (66.73.11.65) on Tuesday, April 29, 2003 - 03:13 pm:

D'Angelo has always said the Prince was like an Idle 2 him. I guess Prince really left a great impressions on D'Angelo...THAT'S Y Prince was there, plus I'm sure he like D'Angelos style also.(That's Y D'Angelo undressed)...just check out his (D'Angelos) interview~~~~~~~~~~~
I do, even the little part he has with Raphael Saadiq (Be Here).
By the way what has D'Angelo been up 2 lately???
Anyone knows????

By Kdubya (206.126.224.7) on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 05:57 pm:

Jaheim is one of the best young vocalists out there. A recent article in a very popular magazine had him playing third fiddle to The throne of R Kelly right behind Ginuwine(I think not !) I have both of his CD's & you guys are on point about his street language but in some cases its hilarious when taken in context to the entire album, the song he made about "Ginuwines" baby was just too funny, R rated but well composed and produced. He has to be his own man to some extent and I simply love his song "Fabulous", which celebrated part of our culture in a very positive way. I dont think that Babyface would have been the right producer for Jahiem, but what do I know, I'm a consumer. Jaheim is closest in voice characteristics to Teddy, but the brother has got something going on and unlike a certain Mr.Kelly who seems to make and remake the same dross with every album, Ja is original and refreshing in this world of mundane, ordinary, repetitive, pap, that urban radio continues to force on an unsuspecting public...........OK ? I hope he's around for a while. The Street Thug image is being mined for gold right now and sooner or later(preferably sooner) it'll play itself out.

By DF (208.27.111.121) on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 06:54 pm:

I have his first album, and I will tell you. I love Jaheim's voice.

The image, which I do NOT believe is too over the top, fits his voice. And I think his vocal style has never been heard before. Hear me out before you bash:

I have a name for it: Ghetto Tenor. Name me one tenor in the history of the business who sounded/sounds like Jaheim. I'm not saying he is actually better than the guys who came before him (Cooke, Ruffin, Womack, Teddy, Luther, etc). But his voice is just so unique.

All of tenors since the 60s sounded, phrased or have been influenced by either Sam Cooke or David Ruffin. But Jaheim's voice is so unique, you can't link it to anyone. It doesn't even sound like Teddy (many people are claiming that it does).

Put the ultra-rough, unique voice with the street image (like I said, I don't believe it's too over the top compared to a lot of others), and you get what I call "Ghetto Tenor".

Let me inform you that I am as old school, 60s, 70s soul fan as it gets. But I got to give this brotha his props. Babyface is NOT the producer for him.

I hope all the folks on this board take a listen to Jaheim's voice and seriously give it a thought of how unique (and maybe even revolutionary) his voice is. Peace.

By Eli (141.151.78.96) on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 07:49 pm:

Maybe a bit like Christoper Williams.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 07:54 pm:

Babyface's productions are too smooth and mellow for Jaheim's vocal talents. I think Jaheim's production skills will grow with time. As for the street image - it works for him now. Over time, I'm sure he'll move out of the street look to the "suit & shirt" thang - just give him a few years.
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By medusa9e (66.73.6.124) on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 08:18 pm:

..and that's another 4gotten singer, Christopher
Williams.
U know, when I first heard Jaheim, the "Fabulous" song, I almost thought it was Teddy Pendergrass.
Ok, KevGo, I'll give Jaheim a few years, whatever U say.

By imtk (172.198.207.101) on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 09:43 pm:

jaheim was produced by a former member of naughty by nature, kaygee.

By DF (24.90.11.4) on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 10:17 pm:

Good points, y'all. But I don't think Jaheim's even linked to "Kareem Akbar" (Williams). Williams has a strong voice, but I don't consider him "Ghetto Tenor". Williams did do a good remake of Teddy's "Come Go With Me". Peace.

By Kdubya (206.126.224.7) on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 01:50 pm:

Ja, certainly has vocal sounds similiar 2 C. Williams, but he posesses a smooth earthiness to his sound that is not easily categorized. He is often compared to Teddy because of his samples from Teddy's old songs. Fabulous uses part of Wake Up Everybody. I would never suggest that Ja would be a ghetto tenor, but he has an obvious link to Marvin Jr, Teddy & LJ Reynolds. Their softer side if you will. On his first album I thought his used the "N" word a bit much and his latest cd has a song titled Me & My Bitch which I think is over the top because he could have easily changed the lyric and had the same impact. I am confident that he will grow out of it but theres no mistaking his talent and his appeal to young and old folk alike. I find his work refreshing and quite contrary to the same old things I hear on urban radio. My personal favorites of his are "As Long As I live" and his pairing with the vocal group Next on the tune "Anything" including that Killer Video. I am also fond of his song with Mary J/Beauty & The Thug..........Folks this man can sang !!!!!

By DF (208.27.111.121) on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 02:28 pm:

Kdubya:

I only used the term Ghetto Tenor because of his ultra-rough voice, which is different from the great tenors of pop/soul music. Add to that the song subjects plus the image.

I did not use the term as derogatory. I think, as I said previously, that he is a unique act in the history of soul music.

I still don't think he has any links. But I love this debate. Peace.

By medusa9e (66.73.8.234) on Friday, May 02, 2003 - 08:36 pm:

Yesssssss, he can sing or as they used 2 say, he can "BLOW", all he need 2 do is clean up his act and put on some conservative clothes, drop the street language and hey that would B something very, very special...don't U think?

By Julian (152.163.188.68) on Saturday, May 03, 2003 - 02:52 am:

He needs R. Kelly production, or Gerald Levert's.