With Next scheduled to bring that late-’90s and early-2000s R&B energy to Bethesda Theater on Aug. 13, this felt like the right Slow Jam Saturday to revisit “Beauty Queen.” Everybody knows “Wifey” is the signature record from the group’s second album, the one that still gets instant recognition from the grown-folks crowd.
“Beauty Queen,” though, was an interesting follow-up because it showed the group trying to stay in that romantic lane while adding a little more tension, attitude, and grown-man mess in the DMV this week.
Part of what makes the record work is how Next understood its strengths. They were not trying to be Boyz II Men with four-part church precision, and that was fine. Their lane was more street-corner smooth than vocal Olympics. “Beauty Queen” carries that identity well, using a sleek groove and direct songwriting to create a mood that feels seductive but not completely innocent.
T-Low handles the first verse with the right touch, setting the tone without over singing or crowding the track. RL comes in on the second verse and gives the record the recognizable voice that helped define Next’s biggest moments. His delivery has always had that conversational bite, the kind where even a simple line feels like it carries history, ego, and a little trouble. That contrast helps “Beauty Queen” avoid feeling like a leftover from the “Wifey” wave.
Lyrically, the song is smoother than it is spotless. The male perspective is complicated and revisiting it now makes some of the judgment in the writing stand out more than it may have back then. But that is also part of what makes this era of R&B worth discussing. These records were romantic, petty, sensual, insecure, and brutally honest, sometimes all before the second hook.
Production does not overpower the group, which is important. It lets the vocals carry the personality while the groove keeps everything moving. “Beauty Queen” may not be the classic that “Wifey” became, but it is a strong reminder that Next had more in the tank than one wedding-reception anthem.
For Slow Jam Saturday, this one deserves another spin. It captures Next in a confident pocket: polished enough for radio, messy enough for conversation, and smooth enough to still play before they hit the Bethesda Theater stage.
Final Grade: B
“Beauty Queen” is available on all streaming platforms.
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