Mark Middleton broke into the music industry as a member of Blackstreet, joining the group in 1996 for their sophomore album, Another Level. Middleton’s vocals were prevalent on the massive single “Don’t Leave” and a personal favorite, “Never Gonna Let You Go.”
Middleton would exit the group after this album to try his hand at a solo career. Singing with Quincy Jones Qwest Records, Middleton had plans to release his album My Turn – My Time in the spring of 2001.
Sadly the album was shelved, but one of the songs, “I Do,” appeared in the 2001 film, The Brothers. The song plays during the climactic wedding scene of Clifton Powell and Jennifer Lewis’s characters. Through lush production, Middleton conveys his appreciation for his lover in “I Do.”
In the song, Middleton asserts that his love for him is unconditional and expresses his appreciation for the love he has been given. There is no limit to where his passion can take him, and he promises never to leave the other person behind. The way they fell in love is something that Middleton cannot explain. Nevertheless, it is a love that was always meant to be.
Undoubtedly, he shares their love for each other, is committed to them, and assures them that he will always be there for them. At the song’s end, as a way to affirm his love and commitment to his rib, he concludes by saying, “I do… I love you.”.
Sadly “I Do” is unavailable on streaming platforms. However, you can find the song on YouTube.
Final Grade: A
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I want to revisit 2004 and highlight Romeo’s debut solo album, formerly of Immature. Titled “Food for Thought” and released on June 22nd, this project marked the singer’s change of name to Young Rome in an effort to distance himself from the youthful sound of his group, much like his bandmate Marques Houston had done a year earlier.
In the nineties, Hip-Hop reigned supreme, and every label CEO wanted a share of the lucrative R&B market. One strategy was to keep singers on their roster who could deliver catchy hooks, keeping everything in-house and saving money. Bad Boy had Carl Thomas, Death Row had Danny Boy, and Roc-A-Fella had Rell, our featured artist for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday
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