The late great Aaliyah Haughton easily avoided the sophomore slump in late summer 1996 when her album One in a Millon hit record stores. Aaliyah’s label lined her up with some of the hottest producers of the time, including Daryl Simmons, Kay-Gee, Jermaine Dupri, and Rashad Smith. However, her tracks with a then up-and-coming Timbaland truly helped Aliyah find a different sound.
Timbaland produced nine of the album’s seventeen tracks. The time spent working on One in a Millon led to a successful working between the two. A year later, Timbaland and his partner were preparing to release their debut, Welcome to Our World, featuring two appearances from Aaliyah. The first was “Up Jumps da Boogie,” and the second was
“Man Undercover this week’s pick for Slow Jam Saturday.
Toward the end of Welcome to Our World, Timbaland & Magoo provided the listeners with two slow cuts. “Joy” (featuring Ginuwine and Playa) and Aaliyah’s contribution. The track begins with Timbo’s signature drum sound, with Baby Girl and Missy Elliot’s voices lushly blending before Aaliyah croons the first verse.
“I, I, like the way, way, you get down, down
(that’s the way I like it)
You’re the kinda guy
That makes mom feel proud
Don’t have to show you’re the boy, oh
I, I, like you the way that you are
I like my man undercover
Smooth dark brotha
Fly to the bone
You don’t need no fly jeep
To come and scoop me
You can drive what you own
(thats the way I like it)
A man undercover
Smooth black brotha
Fly to the bone
Don’t need no Gucci sweater
To make you look better
You can wear what you own.”
What I’ve always liked about the song is how Aaliyah eludes admiration for her man while avoiding crass lyrics. Toward the end of the track, Timbaland drops back in to drop a few bars. A fan favorite for years, “Man Undercover” is worth a listen if you’ve never heard the song.
“Man Undercover” is available on Timbaland & Magoo’s Welcome To Our World and Ultimate Aaliyah on all streaming platforms
For the first Second Listen Sunday of 2025, I wanted to return to 2005 and highlight “Gemini,” the eighth album from iconic singer & balladeer Brian McKnight. The album hit stores on February 8th, 2005, and would serve as the singer’s last release on the legendary Motown label. The album’s title pays homage to the singer’s astrological sign.
When discussing families in R&B music, three names are usually at the top: Jackson, Debarge, and Isley. For the first Slow Jam Saturday of 2025, I wanted to show love to Isley Jasper Isley and their hit “Insatiable Woman” from their 1985 album “Caravan of Love.”
For their second single, the group presented a ballad entitled “Feels Like The First Time.” Once again, Greene handles the lyrics, while Neville Hodge is responsible for production duties. Greene begins the song with robust energy, proclaiming his love for the lady. Greene’s group members provide stellar work on the background vocals, and the songs eschew nineties R&B without going into crass vulgarity.