Music Reviews

While The Temptations miniseries is a classic, one of my most significant issues with the film was the lack of attention given to Dennis Edwards, who was the voice of one of the group’s biggest hits in the seventies. That said, I decided to give Mr. Edwards his flowers this week.

R&B duo Ruff Endz burst onto the scene in the summer of 2000 with back-to-back hits in the form of “No More” and “Where Does Love Go.” from their debut album, Love Crimes. The group followed those singles up with the smash hit “Someone To Love You,” which made an appearance on the soundtrack to Chris Rock’s film Down To Earth.

In the year 2023, if you were to count the number of singing competitions that emerged after the success of American Idol in 2002, you might run out of fingers. One constant from all of the shows is that they rarely produce a male R&B singer who becomes a force in the genre.

R&B singer Tank has been in the music industry for over two decades. He is currently on the road with R&B legends Guy and Keith Sweat as one of the opening acts for New Edition’s Legacy Tour. Despite Tank’s pen game and impressive catalog, some eighties babies weren’t keen on Tank as part of the tour.

The production teams of McFadden & Whitehead and Gamble & Huff of Philadelphia International Records stand out for me because they have always brought something unique to the table. So for this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I decided to give flowers to the self-titled debut album from McFadden & Whitehead.

If you reside in the DMV area, the My 2000’s Playlist Tour will be a hip-hop event later this month. Acts like T.I., Mase, Fabolous, Mike Jones, Ying Yang Twin, and Ja Rule will perform. The line-up also includes R&B vocalist Ashanti.

R&B talent Kevin Ross continues to bless fans with exemplary music as he prepares to release his upcoming project Midnight Microdose. Last month he dropped the lead single “Look My Way.” That soulful, melodic track blended R&B and hip-hop elements and showcased Ross’s extraordinary vocal range and songwriting ability.

R&B superstar Usher was on top of the world in 2005 following the release of his diamond-selling fourth album, Confessions. One of the highlights of the Confessions era was the album leaks.

R&B superstar Usher was on top of the world in 2005 following the release of his diamond-selling fourth album, Confessions. One of the highlights of the Confessions era was the album leaks.

Formerly a DJ and beatmaker, Mayer Hawthorne crafted a comfortable niche for himself when he began his singing career. Hawthorne quickly built a solid resume with his blue-eyed soul vibes. For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I wanted to highlight his 2016 EP Party Of One. Featuring only three songs (the last three are instrumentals), it’s a joyous listen.