R&B duo Christión burst onto the scene in late 1996 with their debut single “Full of Smoke”, which led to the group earning the honor as the first R&B group signed to Roc-A-Fella records. In fact, most Hip-Hop heads know that Christión’s debut was the only Roc-A-Fella release between Jay-Z’s first two albums. While I enjoyed “Full of Smoke”, it was the group’s second single that made me a fan.
Christión followed up their lead single with a cover of the Rose Royce classic “I Wanna Get Next To You”. Written by musical guru, Norman Whitfield, and first appearing on the Car Wash: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, the song talks about how a narrator pleads his love for a beautiful woman, except that the young woman is unkind, and does not understand his affection for her. As he continually wastes his own money calling her, yet she does not respond, he still wants to “get next” to her regardless.
Kenni Ski and Allen Anthony, who made up the group, brought a delicate nineties vibe while keeping the timeless message of the original. I am sure everyone could relate to the lyrics “Money is low, and I know I can’t take you to the fancy places, but still, I wanna get next to you.”
Unfortunately, Christión couldn’t find a place in the crowded nineties R&B field, but their debut is impressive and the group’s cover of “I Wanna Get Next To You” is one of the best covers from Norman Whitfield’s catalog.
Final Grade: A
Christion’s debut Ghetto Cyrano is available on all streaming platforms.
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.
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