-
- Jaheim - Daddy Thing 2006 Time 2008-05-29 18:42
- from Jaheim's Thrid Album Ghetto Classics____AlbumReview by John BushJaheim's viewpoints on music haven't changed a bit since he debuted in 2000, and fans of intelligent R&B should be praising that fact. With a raft of excellent productions from KayGee (Naughty by Nature) and others, plus a focus on celebrating love and family with well-written songs, he's remained free to craft albums full of rich harmonies and his excellent vocals (he's one of the few modern vocalists who knows exactly how far he should go with melisma). Ghetto Classics may boast nothing as ambitious as 2002's "Fabulous" (a Top 20 hit and an artistic breakthrough, all in one), and it may amp up the rapper collaborations in search of hits (Jadakiss and Styles P have appearances), but overall very little distracts from the qualities that have made him the most durable talent in commercial yet traditional R&B music. Opener "The Chosen One" is an immediate standout, a bumping love song that finds Jaheim floating serenely over one of KayGee's best productions (based on Willie Hutch's "I Choose You"). He and Jadakiss trade off on the single "Everytime I Think About Her," and the combination of smooth and rough sounds perfect. The final three songs ditch the samples for straight R&B, and while the absence is missed, it represents an intriguing direction for Jaheim in the future. Classic R&B may seem like just a memory to some, but with artists like Heather Headley and Jaheim in action, it doesn't have to be about the past. ____________Biography by Andrew HamiltonA multi-talented artist, Jaheim is most famous for his R&B vocals, although he has also rapped, modeled, and acted, and he has appeared in Source and other hip-hop publications. Hip-hop balladeer Jaheim Hoagland hails from New Brunswick, NJ, where he grew up in the 176 Memorial Parkway Homes public housing project. Misfortune hit early: his father died in 1981, when he was only two years old. Coming from a musical family helped him overcome the tragedy and the many pitfalls of his environment. His grandfather, Victor Hoagland, sang with many top groups, including the Drifters, and their family reunions were big songfests. Singing at family reunions and local talent shows preceded a successful tryout at the Apollo Theater's notoriously tough talent show. The smooth crooner who sounded like a hybrid of Teddy Pendergrass and Luther Vandross won the contest three times when he was 15.Two years later, he experienced more tragedy when his mom died. But Hoagland kept the faith and became a sensation in New Jersey at talent shows. Four years after his mom's death, he recorded a tape that led to a deal with Divine Mill Records (a division of Warner Bros.). Hoagland received good reactions from two singles -- "Could It Be" and "Lil' Nigga Ain't Mine" -- on BET video shows. Appearing with Hoagland on his first album was an all-star crew: RL (from Next), Blackstreet, and Darren and Cliff Lighty. His second album, Still Ghetto, was released at the tail end of 2002. Another Top Ten hit, it placed two singles in the Top 40, "Fabulous" and "Anything." Ghetto Classics followed in early 2006 (Valentine's Day, to be exact) and became his first number one album. _______source allmusicguide
- Tag: »Fabulous »Ghetto »GhettoClassics »JAHEIM
- play:
- :
Related Videos
- Jaheim - Daddy Thing 2006
- from Jaheim's Thrid Album Ghetto Classics____Albu
