The year was 1995, and I was a braces-wearing pimply-faced fourteen-year-old. The premiere R&B groups were Boyz II Men and Jodeci, basking in their third album’s success. The Thanksgiving movie season was getting ready to kick off with Toy Story and Goldeneye on track to do huge numbers. Around the same Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson would reunite for their third film, Money Train.
Growing up as a film connoisseur in the nineties, one of my favorite things about movies was the soundtrack. Sometimes an introduction to a new artist would come through a soundtrack appearance. In particular, the Hip Hop and R&B ones. My pick for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday is an R&B group whose music I first discovered on a soundtrack.
Most people think 112’s debut song was the classic “Only You” the group’s first recording was actually “Making Love” from the Money Train soundtrack. Up-and-coming producers Tim & Bob produced the song in addition to co-writing it with the members of 112. Q, Mike, Slim, and Daron were in their late teens when recording the track, and the group’s signature harmony comes across effortlessly. Q handles the first verse, with Slim coming in on the second verse. However, each member gets a chance to shine on the song. Concurrently the group’s church roots come across in the bridge.
While “Cupid,” the group’s signature ballad, would start a great run of hit slow jams for them, “Making Love” is a personal favorite. Along with “Why Didn’t You Love Me,” the song is one of the 112 rare ballads from the group’s early days that deserves more recognition.
Final Grade: A
“Making Love” from the Money Train soundtrack is available on YouTube.
Thirty years ago, in 1995, Bad Boy Records was a top-notch record label, but over a decade later, it had begun to lose its luster. While the “Bad Boys II” soundtrack and the debut album from Da Band did numbers, no real superstars were left on the label.
Whether it’s the loss of a celebrity you grew up with or a daily dumb remark from our current commander-in-chief, three months in 2025 are already getting crazy. So, for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I decided to change it up and offer something inspirational like Mariah Carey and her 2006 hit “Fly Like A Bird.”
Music video director David Yarovesky brings together Bill Skarsgård and two-time Academy winner Anthony Hopkins for his third feature film, “Locked” from the Avenue. Horror icon Sam Raimi produces the film, while Michael Arlen Ross pens the film’s screenplay.