Mint Condition "Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)"

Album: Meant To Be Mint (Perspective; 1991)
Songwriters: Jeff Allen, Stokley and Lawrence Waddell
R&B Peak Position: #3

"Listen to love/ Your heart is pounding with desire/ Waiting to be unleashed..."


Few R&B bands were able to stay afloat by the time the '90's came around. Part of the reason was a heavier reliance on studio-crafted hip hop beats (why pay a whole horn section when you could just sample a James Brown record or employ a trumpet-sounding synthesizer); Reason #2: vocal groups were back in a major way; and reason #3: the whole post-disco/ funk thing most of these acts stuck to just sounded dated by the turn of the decade. Minneapolis' Mint Condition were one of the few who managed to find success in the new decade.

Attracting a regional buzz through their live shows and noted musical versatility (each of their six members were well-studied in the fields of jazz, blues, R&B and funk), MC eventually scored a record deal with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis' Perspective label. Things might not have started off well (the New Jack Swing-based debut, "Are You Free?" was largely ignored by the masses), but second single, "Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)" would definitely cast them on folks' radar.

Launching with the kind of exciting intro usually left for the stage, Mint Condition make it known from the start that you're in for a lively performance. The song's seductive Quiet Storm funk groove crackles with the energy of true showmen, erupting alive with spontaneous instrumental bursts and frontman Stokley's elastic tenor faultlessly rising into glass-shattering falsetto notes.

What's got him in such an emotional frenzy that his vocals are venturing up and down like some loopy roller-coaster ride? A girl so burned by previous dead-end romances, that she's fearful of fully opening her heart up to him. Focusing in on her "pretty brown eyes", he tries his best to convince her that she should stop fighting the pangs of what her heart and soul is telling her. "Please don't deny the truth", he pleads, "You can't disguise the pounding of your heart/ I see your eyes and you can't hide".

The harmony-enhanced hook takes his efforts to a dramatic apex: "Quit breakin' my heart!!"; from there we are lead through an electric final act that attaches sultry sax and sparkling piano solos to Stokley's histrionic wails that find him basically forcing his way past her protective guard: "Here comes romance, here comes my love".

Hitting both the Pop and R&B Top Ten and selling over half a million copies, "Breakin' My Heart" served as winning assurance that real-life bands still had a place in the 1990's R&B scene.

Mint Condition - Breaking my heart
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DL: "Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)" (YFH)

Lil' Kim featuring Lil' Cease "Crush On You"

Album: Hard Core (Undeas/ Big Beat/ Atlantic; 1996)
Songwriters: Andreao Heard, James Lloyd and Jeff Lorber
R&B Peak Position: #9 (Airplay Only)

"I'm not the one you sleep with, to eat quick/ Want a cheap trick?/ Better go down to Freaknik"

The last track recorded for her solo debut album, Hard Core, "Crush On You" screamed single with it's cuddly Candyland bounce (sampled from jazz musician Jeff Lorber's 1979 "Rain Dance") and a slick Biggie chorus. Unfortunately, an out-on-vacation Kim never made it to the studio in time to place her vocals on the track before it was turned in to the label. "Crush On You" still made it onto the album, but it was oddly presented as a solo feature from Kim's Junior MAFIA mate Lil' Cease. By the time it was dropped as the second single from the album, all wrongs were righted and Kim was spliced in; living up to it's promise, the newly realized duet would emerge as one of the biggest rap hits of the year.

One of the tamer moments from the album, "Crush On You", like most of MAFIA's material, was heavily influenced by the floss-and-sex-focused raps charismatically brought to life by Notorious BIG. The two "Lil'"'s tag-team rhyme about lavish lifestyles filled with high-priced possessions and porno shenanigans, showing us how fun dating can be when you've got an endless amount of dough to play with. Cease gleefully wines and dines the bevy of beauties that surround him, while Kim teases the filthy rich with visuals of being "undressed in a bra all see-through". While their interchange is entertaining, neither are able to really overshadow the cut's dual main attractions: that cutesy beat and Biggie's effortless hook (Reason #67 why Mr. B.I.G. remains one of the best rappers ever).

Best Moment: It's vibrant video.



DL: "Crush On You" (YFH)

The Roots featuring Erykah Badu "You Got Me"

Album: Things Fall Apart (MCA; 1999)
Songwriters: The Roots, Jill Scott and Scott Storch
R&B Peak Position: #11

"If you were worried 'bout where/ I been or who I saw or/ What club I went to with my homies/ Baby don't worry you know that you got me..."

Critical praise and a devoted fanbase within the college-age bracket and alt-rap clubs was always a sure thing for The Roots, but from most they were only really granted passing nods of respect for being an actual hip hop band, barely making a blip on the major rap artist radar. All that began to change with '99's Things Fall Apart and it's jewel of a single, "You Got Me".

An engaging love story framed by a haunting rhythm and assisted by a couple big names, "You Got Me" felt destined to be The Roots' breakout hit. With great detail, the always pensive Black Thought dictates the beginnings of a Philly romance launched abroad. Unaware of their previous State-side connection (they used to live "in the same building on the same floor"), Black falls head-over-heels in love with a striking "Ethiopian queen" while overseas on tour.

The strength of his romance with the film student arises from both members' understanding that their relationship shouldn't be expected to be eternal ("We knew from the start that things fall apart/ Intentions shatter/ She like 'That shit doesn't matter'"); later, he divulges other elements to a union's success: like the importance of trust, and a cautionary warning against letting the poisonous words of friends eat away at an otherwise solid foundation ("I've seen people caught in love like whirlwinds/ Listening to they squads and listening to girlfriends/ That's exactly the point where they whole world ends/ Lies come in, that's where that drama begins...").

A then-unknown Eve appears on the second verse in the role of Thought's lover, penning a letter to her once-again, on-the-road beau. Her message starts off concerning, with it's mentioning of "lonely nights" and announcement that she's flirting with the idea of dating some ball player that fancies her; thankfully she's just kidding, capping off the note with a re-affirmation of her devotion ("Psyche/ I'm playin' boo/ You know it's just with you I'm stayin' boo"). Meanwhile, Erykah Badu delivers a hook (written, and initially performed, by a pre-famous Jill Scott) that's truly mesmerizing, mostly due to the fact that you can barely understand the words coming from her mumbled vocalizing.

With it's captivating production and intelligent lyricism (plus the added boost of some attention-grabbing A-list support), "You Got Me" saw The Roots break their radio barrier in a huge way, expanding their fanbase greatly. But that wouldn't be the only reward the record would grant them; by the time "You Got Me"'s snowballing appeal had finally dwindled, The Roots would have their first Gold album and only (to date) Grammy Award (for Best Rap Performance By A Duo or Group) in their grasp as well.

Best Moment: ?uestlove's amazing drum-n-bass additive in the final act (3:28)

The Roots & Erykah Badu - YOU GOT ME
Uploaded by Utaka21

DL: "You Got Me" (YFH)

Robin S. "Show Me Love"

Album: Show Me Love (Big Beat; 1993)
Songwriters: Allen George and Fred McFarlane
R&B Peak Position: #7

"So baby if you want me/ You got to show me love..."

The early '90's saw many faceless, Hi-NRG/ house acts achieve mainstream success but few impacted as instantaneously (and loudly) as Queens, New York-born Robin S. who filled up a mega-share of nightclubs with the unstoppable R&B/ dance classic "Show Me Love".

More than just some anonymous vocalist or poor excuse for a rapper repeating hooks or hype-man chants over a fully-charged groove, "Show Me Love" was noteworthy for bearing a more traditional song structure and a larger-than-life performance that squeezed sweat-drenched soul from the lyrics. When Robin S. busted through the crushing, percolating beat with that full-bodied intro wail, house music lovers quickly crowned her as the new dance diva to worship, her impressive lung power bringing out the necessary drama in the song's depiction of a woman highly anxious for the real deal to finally enter her love life.

"I'm tired of getting caught up in these one-night affairs/ What I really need is somebody who will always be there", she preached, as the masses of women who were equally sick of waiting for that "knight in shining armor" to come rescue them cheered her on. To any man daring to approach her, Robin stops them dead in their tracks: "If you're looking for devotion, talk to me"; otherwise, keep on steppin'. Meanwhile, a delirious synth loop and kinetic rhythm marches relentlessly behind her, forming this impenetrable force field of sound that's something like the guard she now holds over her heart.

A cross-format smash that earned heavy airplay around the globe, "Show Me Love" seemed to mark the beginnings of a huge superstar; but while successive releases kept her in the higher reaches of the club charts, she never amassed another record that was embraced as largely in US mainstream outlets.

Best Moment: That explosive opening vocal run (0:17)

Robin S. - Show Me Love
Uploaded by Hakunamatata67

DL: "Show Me Love" (YFH)

Kid N Play "Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody"

Album: Face The Nation (Select; 1991)
Songwriters: Regi Hargis, Eric Johnson and Christopher "Kid" Reid
R&B Peak Position: #26

"Look in the closet and pull out the hype gear/ Pull up the hightop fade and I'm outta here..."

An accomplished Atlanta band that merged the worlds of funk and jazz for some of the most feel-good R&B/ disco jams of the late-seventies through early-eighties, Brick kept bodies moving with the driving, dance floor grooves of, amongst others, "Dazz", "Dusic" and "Push Push". One of their biggest hits emerged with "Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody", a #7 R&B charter from their 1977 self-titled peak set.

Draped in playful guitar licks that teased the listener with brief moments of rest in the groove, "Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody" urged anyone and everyone to dance their hearts away through the early morn. "Someone said that it was ten to four/ It's not too late to throw some more," the lyrics encouraged, while the sprawling arrangement's dazzling utilization of strings and horns aided in making you forget that you actually had to be at work in a couple of hours time.



DL: "Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody (Brick)" (YFH)

The song was revisited in 1991 by pop-rap act Kid N Play, a teen-friendly NY duo whose far-from-gangsta sound and image helped in crossing them over into the big screen (with "Class Act" and a trio of "House Party" films) and even amongst the Saturday morning cartoon field.

In the context of the rap scene at the time, KNP stuck out as hopeless squares, aligning themselves with harmless uptempo raps that embraced the fun-loving innocence of the old-school hip hop world. Their last Billboard chart hurrah arrived with "Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody", a solid exercise in their signature dance-rap style that coupled a vibrant New Jack swing with youthful hype concerning weekend good-times ("Call up the homies and hope they might/ Say they down to paint the town red tonight") and the requisite after-party hook-ups. Sprinkled with energetic R&B hooks, the record successfully translated the celebratory mood of the Brick original for a younger generation to embrace.

It was also the lone hit to come from KNP's third album, Face The Nation, a critically panned release trashed for it's awkward attempts at more serious lyrical content. While their musical career had definitely plateaued, the duo's shelf-life enjoyed an extension through their movies, which saw them dabbling in a more appealing "Porky's"-like raunchiness.

By the mid-nineties', Kid N Play were no more, but they have since remained cult phenoms thanks to the "House Party" flicks (always good for a repeat viewing). Plus, you can't help but crack a smile when fondly recalling Kid's unforgettable high-top fade or their own two-man, "hokey-pokey-meets-the-streets" dance we nearly sprained ankles trying to emulate.

Best Moment: That hot female-sung bit (3:12)



DL: "Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody (Kid N Play)" (YFH)

Janet Jackson featuring Q Tip and Joni Mitchell "Got Til It's Gone"

Album: The Velvet Rope (Virgin; 1997)
Songwriters: Rene Elizondo, Kamaal Fareed, James Harris, Janet Jackson, Terry Lewis and Joni Mitchell
R&B Peak Position: #3 (Airplay Only)

"Joni Mitchell never lies..."

Back in 1993, Janet threw everyone a pleasant curveball with "That's The Way Love Goes", a sublime, Sade-like ride through jazzy-R&B territory that began the entertainer's still-ripe fascination with anything and everything sensual and seemed worlds apart from the brittle dance-funk we had grown accustomed to from her. Four years later, Miss Jackson kicked off her sixth studio album, the uncharacteristically dark The Velvet Rope, with another left-field creative detour that was equally shocking, albeit less commercially prominent.

Majorly influenced by the sounds of neo-soul and Bohemian rap, two sub-genres that had garnered plenty of attention in the years prior to Rope's release, "Got Til It's Gone" was Janet's most un-mainstream lead single ever, yet it had a rich quality to it that ushered in heaps of critical praise. The song was uber-casual, Jackson's featherweight vocal barely audible against the thick bass grooves and calming jazz-rap foundation. Sounding overmedicated, she musters up the strength to drowsily obsess over the one she foolishly let get away ("If I could turn back/ The hands of time I'd make you/ Fall in love/ In love with me again"), praying that she'll get a second shot to "to love you the right way, no games").

Laid out on the floor in a dimly-lit room, the sounds of Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi" cryptically backs up her feelings from the record player beside her: "Don't it always seem to go/ That you don't know what you got til' it's gone"; as if the old vinyl is scratching on purpose just to taunt her, the line is repeated over and over, gently morphing itself into a brand new hook.

Co-producer Q Tip expands on the track's Tribe-esque allure, settling into the role as her much-missed ex. Unfortunately, from his angle, a reunion doesn't seem to be in the works. Still bitter that she would dump him over some silly gossip ("I was workin' round the clock but your girls wanna meddle/ Talkin' bout' 'I heard he swims with this chick on the beach'/ That was out with the tide but my love you impeached"), he cruelly mocks her pitiful current situation ("Now you lookin' at the walls/ Head in hand/ cold Jonesin'").

While "Got Til It's Gone" wasn't an outright pop smash, it did find heavy support from urban markets, and laid the groundwork for arguably her best video: a Mark Romanek-directed clip set in a '60's/ '70's-era South African lounge that was filled with tons of beautiful Afro-centric imagery. The video would win the Grammy for Best Short-Form Music Video the following year.

Best Moment: Q-Tip's illustrious sixteen (2:23)

Janet Jackson - Got Til It's Gone
Uploaded by Hakunamatata67

DL: "Got Til It's Gone" (YFH)

Master P featuring Fiend, Silkk The Shocker, Mia X and Mystikal "Make Em Say Uhh!"

Album: Ghetto D (No Limit; 1997)
Songwriters: Master P, Fiend, Silkk The Shocker, Mia X and Mystikal
R&B Peak Position: #18

"They heard we scary/ No Limit mercenary/ No tellin' how bad it get/ Because the worst'll vary..."

While the Bad Boy camp was busy taking rap to bigger and poppier places, those feening for hip hop cut from a more gangsta cloth turned their attention Southward to rising rap empire, No Limit Records. Headed by future mega-millionaire Master P, the New Orleans-based indie label reigned during the late '90's, pushing out nearly an album a week by a seemingly endless array of "Soldiers". Few would survive beyond a single release (especially since many were, at best, amateur emcees), but for audiences raised on NWA and Death Row Records, No Limit's embracing of an unadulterated street mentality mixed in with an extremely anti-pop, underground rap sound made the Dirty South giants the team to stand behind (no matter how cheap or haphazard the music actually sounded).

"Make Em Say Uhh", from P's 1997 Ghetto D album, emerged as the label's finest moment. Based around a ridiculously popular P ad-lib, which was nothing more than a strained groaning noise followed by the equally silly "na na na na", the loud and brassy anthem found the hottest rap posse of the moment celebrating their sudden, and very surprising, impact on pop culture.

With an abundance of ferocious, violence-riddled rhymes, the rousing cut showcased No Limit's best: Master P ("the colonel of the motherfuckin' tank"), the gruff-voiced Fiend, frantic Silkk The Shocker (rocking his signature on-and-off beat flow pattern), take-no-prisoners First Lady Mia X and Mystikal, a maniacal personality who was as frightening as he was irresistible.

Even if their unapologetically garish brand of hip hop wasn't your cup of tea, it was hard not to get swept up in the rugged festivities and chant along.

Best Moment: Mystikal's verse (4:12)



DL: "Make Em Say Uhh!" (YFH)