A magical time in R’n'B. A time called: The Early 90’s.

So earlier today I had Shanice’s “I love your smile” stuck in my head, and in the little section with similiar selections on the YouTube, was this video–S.W.V.’s “Right Here”. Man, this song is awesome. Dope “Human Nature” sample. S.W.V. lookin’ boinkable. Sweet lyrics.

Plus a killer tie-in with Free Willy. (pause?)

Anyway, in this day and age of uber-saturation of Chris “No Vocal Talent” Brown and Rhi “Also No Vocal Talent, Plus I’m Not Really That Hot Even Tho’ For Some Reason NahRight’s Regs Think I’m Hotter Than Beyonce Which Just Proves How Deranged Some Of Those Fuckers Really Are” Anna, it’s hard to remember when r’n'b had good music, well-written music…music that didn’t make me want to shove anchovies in my ears.

Remember ballads? They were those slow, awesome, sensual songs that you could put on and boink to, or belt out in the car. Now? Now all we have is that doubletime shit ala Usher’s “Confessions” or “Burn“, or Mariah Carey’s knock-offs of Usher’s doubletime shit. (Mimi was basically Mariah’s Confessions, thanks to the Shang Tsung of Production (c) Meka Soul, Jermain Dupris). Orrrr even worse, we have an awesome song that SHOULD’VE been a ballad like Ne-Yo’s “Do You” but instead has a completely jarring, grating “hip-hop” beat behind it. (Ne-Yo’s in my cool book tho’)

*breathes, stretches, shakes, lets it go*

Sooo It is in the spirit of that that I present Sisters With Voices’ 1992 hit, “Right Here”. Enjoy the song, enjoy the video, and then help me plan out my eventual Nation Stomping of Chris Brown.

Thanks for checking in,

–Rey.I.Is

Michael Jackson = Awesome.

I know, I know. Jesus Juice. Little boys. Vertiligo. Lisa Marie. Blanket. Bubbles. Surgery.

Blah Blah Blah Blah.

Fact is, MJ has always made dope music, even in the post-Dangerous era when he made giant inflatable statues of himself, made a $7,000,000 video with his sister, and accepted a fake “Artist of the Millennium Award” from the folks at MTV, he still made dope ass music, and more importantly, music with a message.

I strive to break through the walls of disaffected cool, annoying posturing and posing, and the insipid, tiresome bravado that seems to fester and grow throughout the internet, especially in our little corner of the Hip-Hop Influenced Lifestyle Magazine Blog world.

Soooo, that being said, I’ve been talking to my hot friend Peggy and listening to music courtesy of some new website called “YouTube” where you can post videos and junk. I eventually made my way from Janet Jackson songs to Michael Jackson songs, and I just dug the heck outta the above track. I’m not sure what album it’s from, but it doesn’t matter–the issues MJ is singing about are still, unfortunately, just as prevalent today as they were when MiJac was in the booth doin’ his vocal thaaaang.

Anyway, watch the video, and try to enjoy it from the perspective of someone who, despite their boasting, “ether” skillzez, and omnipresence online, is just as anonymous and insignificant as those of us who actually do give a shit.

–Rey.I.Is