Gary Jenkins, better known as “Lil G” of legendary R&B group Silk, released his solo debut, The Other Side, in July of 2005. During time I served my county as a member of the United States Air Force while stationed in the United Kingdom. I had no idea that “Lil G” released a solo album, but I made sure to track the album down and pay the extra costs to have it shipped to me once I found out.
The singer opens up the album with the confessional “The Interview,” where he goes into why he departed the group Silk. Jenkins never takes shots at his other group members but instead wants the world to know he can do more than sing about sex. Jenkins than Segway’s into the southern juke joint flavored “The Other Side” and “Friday Night,” both of which re surefire steppers anthems. Jenkins also dabbles in jazz on “Everybody Dreams,” which I could see flipped into a gospel song.
Fans of the slow jam will be pleased with “The Sound,” “So Sexy,” and “Loving You,” which G sings with ease and avoids trying to repeat the signature Silk sound. My favorite song on the project would have to be Jenkins’s cover of Sam Cooke’s “Change Gone Come,” where he takes us to church and does the legendary Cooke justice.
Gary Jenkins is multi-talented in numerous entertainment avenues. The Other Side eloquently showcases the facets of Lil G. If you are expecting a rehash of Silk, then you may be disappointed. However, if you want some grown man R&B, I highly recommend The Other Side.
Final Grade: B
Top Tracks: “Change Gone Come,” “The Sound,” “So Sexy,” and “Loving You”
The Other Side is available on all streaming platforms.
I’ve always been a fan of Eric Bellinger. My admiration stems not only from the records he has released under his own name but also from the impressive career he built behind the scenes. Long before casual R&B listeners recognized his face, they were already familiar with his songwriting through tracks he penned for artists like Chris Brown, Usher, Justin Bieber, and Wale.
As many of you know, I had the opportunity to visit Paisley Park earlier this week while vacationing in Minnesota. During the tour, our guide shared that an expanded edition of Prince’s album “Parade” is expected to be released to celebrate its 40th anniversary. After spending the day exploring the Twin Cities, it felt like the perfect excuse to revisit one of the most fascinating and underrated albums in Prince’s legendary catalog.
One of the reasons I’ve always considered Prince to have the edge over Michael Jackson is his remarkable collection of ballads and
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