While R&B quintet Troop had yet to release an album since the late nineties, the group stayed active with touring and solo offerings from some members. In 2014, the group surprised fans by releasing a new song, “Santa Can You Help Me.”
Lead singer Steven Russell had already validated his legacy by writing numerous R&B hits for nearly two decades. With this song, though, he gets help from group mate Jon Jon. R&B fans will notice the music has a sample of the group’s cover of The Jacksons’ “All I Do Is Think of You.”
Featuring the classic Troop sound and harmonies, “Santa Can You Help Me” could’ve easily set the stage for Troop’s first R&B Christmas album. While Allen McNeil sadly wasn’t a part of the record, remaining members Steven Russell Harts, Jon Harreld, Rodney Benford, and the late Reggie Warren sounded great on the song. It doesn’t try to appeal to a modern demographic.
“Santa Can You Help Me” brings R&B soul to Christmas this holiday season with an expression of love. The song is about affection, accepting responsibility, and the sincerity many of us long for, especially at this time of year. While the song is eight years old, it still sounds better than some Christmas R&B tracks that have hit the streaming market this year.
Final Grade: B +
“Santa Can You Help Me?” is available on all streaming platforms.
As fans prepare for his upcoming co-headlining tour, Ne-Yo isn’t just revisiting his past; he’s expanding his horizons. “Up Out & Gone” continues his recent shift towards country-influenced sounds, but it’s important to note that this isn’t a genre switch—it’s a blend.
If you had told me ten years ago that I would fall behind on music, I would have laughed it off. But as they say, we are all adulting now. Thankfully, friends like Edward Bowser from SoulInStereo.com and Brandon Sullivan from Shatter The Standards keep my musical interests alive.
Kicking off my first interview is DMV based rapper K-Quick