R&B duo K-Ci & Jo Jo achieved runaway success when they broke away from their parent group Jodeci in the summer of 1997. The third single from the album “All My Life” was the number-one song on the Hot 100 for three weeks, a feat that K-Ci & JoJo had never achieved with Jodeci. K-Ci & Jo Jo showcased their unique sound and style as a duo, resonating with pop audiences.
The group’s label didn’t rush out a second album, though. Instead, they kept the duo on the road and dabbled in other projects. During the fall of 1997, they took part in the R&B supergroup Milestone along with After 7 to contribute vocals to the lush ballad “I Care ‘Bout You” for the soundtrack of the movie Soul Food. And a soundtrack contribution from the duo brings us to this week’s Slow Jam Saturday pick.
Iconic author Terry McMillian saw another one of her books adapted to the big screen in 1998 with How Stella Got Her Groove Back. Legendary production duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis oversaw the soundtrack providing Kci & Jo Jo with “Never Say Never Again.”
The song speaks about a change of heart when it comes to love. At the beginning of the track, K-CI talks about not wanting to fall in love and avoiding emotional attachment. However, he meets a woman who changes his perspective and teaches him a valuable lesson about love. He acknowledges that the love he has for this woman has deepened, and she has become a significant part of his life.
The lyrics suggest that the K-CI apologizes for not listening to his mother’s advice about treating women as precious gifts. Ultimately, the song talks about the joys of falling in love and the lessons one learns while experiencing it. Outside of performing the track on Motown Live and appearing on The Jamie Foxx show, the song gained little traction. It’s a shame because it’s one of their strongest songs.
Final Grade: B+
“Never Say Never Again” can be found on the soundtrack to How Stella Got Her Groove Back and All My Life: Their Greatest Hits, both on streaming platforms.
There are some albums you revisit because of nostalgia, and then there are albums you return to because they remind you just how high the standard used to be. Anita Baker’s Rapture falls into that second category. Released in 1986, the album did more than make Baker a star. It helped define what sophisticated, grown R&B could sound like without losing any soul, sensuality, or personality.
Gwen Stefani had already established herself as a significant force with No Doubt when she released her debut solo album, *Love. Angel. Music. Baby* in 2004. This week, while my iPod was on shuffle, one of my favorite songs from that project, “The Real Thing,” came on. Although the original version has an upbeat new-wave feel, the Slow Jam Mix takes it to another level and is the perfect choice for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday.
Unless you’re a music purist, mentioning Randy Jackson from the famous family is likely to elicit a joke. However, any serious Jackson fan knows that Randy had musical achievements long before the punchlines. Before he was old enough to buy a drink, he had already co-written “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)” and “Lovely One” with Michael Jackson.