When we reminisce about the potential of lead singers who could have been iconic solo acts, the name Sisqó immediately springs to mind. The front man for R&B quartet Dru Hill, Sisqó, stormed onto the scene in 1999 with his solo debut ‘Unleash the Dragon.’ The success of the singles ‘Incomplete’ and ‘Thong Song’ propelled Sisqó’s solo debut to sell a staggering five million copies in the US alone, leaving an indelible mark on the music industry.
While Sisqó continues to tour with Dru Hill for this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I wanted to reflect on the singer’s most recent solo, 2019’s “Genesis” EP. Hitting stores on November 29, the project was timed to coincide with the two-decade anniversary of his solo debut. Don Trunk writes and produces the album’s “Drag/On” opening track. Now, I get the motif in the title as a play about Sisqó’s love for mystical creatures. Still, the production overshadows his vocals, and his attempt to possibly bring Baltimore club music to the mainstream doesn’t transition.
Moving on to the next track, “Bend Down,” the vibe from the previous song continues. Sisqó targets the pop crowd with heavy bass and simplistic lyrics. “Bend Down seems like the kind of song that he could have sold to a pop singer and then lived off the royalties from the streams, as it has the potential to attract a broad audience. However, his voice deserves better than the final product.
Sadly, the final two tracks don’t quite measure up. On a positive note, “Round & Round” has a nice Motown vibe and has that foot-tapping quality. However, the closing track, “Baby Girl” (featuring Bossman), produced by Rod Lee, gives off mediocre trap R&B vibes.
There’s no question that Sisqó had one of the most vital voices in her generation. While I respect that this album gave his fellow Baltimore producers a chance to shine, I wish Sisqó had taken a route where he reunited with Nokio The N-Tity, Warryn Campbell, and Tim & Bob, who provided A1 ballads on his debut. It would have been great to hear him re-record those tracks with the wisdom he’s gained since then. Furthermore, there isn’t a ballad or slow jam on this album, which is in my eye.
Sadly, the crooner falls into the same pitfalls that hindered many promising vocalists of the nineties who chased trends when releasing a modern-day project.
Final Grade: D+
“Genesis” is available on all streaming platforms.
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