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MY TOP 5 PICKS
Blackstreet: ‘No Diggity’
1996 wasagoodyearforR&B–especiallyforBlackstreet. Teddy Riley had initially offered ‘No Diggity’ to the group Guy, but they rejected it. Blackstreet balked at first (they apparently thought the title was corny) but Riley convinced them of its brilliance and the group ultimately embraced the song. Wise choice: they had one of the best 90s R&B songs on their hands. The single which famously samples the piano chords from Bill Withers’ ‘Grandma’s Hands’, features a verse by Dr Dre, who ultimately producedthetrack,turningout aNo.1hitthatbecame the group’s defining anthem.
Mary J Blige: ‘Real Love’
Taken from her debut album, What’s The 411?, Mary J Blige’s very first Top 10 hit is an example of using a sample to create something original. Plucking sonic inspiration from Audio Two’s ‘Top Billin’, the opening bars of ‘Real Love’ have become synonymous with Blige and are among the most identifiable in the history of R&B. With this track alone, the soon-to-be queen of hip-hop soul and 90s R&B had already earned her crown.
En Vogue: ‘My Lovin’
(You’re Never Gonna Get It)’
As with most arts, sampling is inexpertly done more often than not. But the sample on En Vogue’s most iconic track isanotherexampleof howtodoitright.Poppy,funkyand soulful, En Vogue belt the song out over a few bars from James Brown’s ‘The Payback’. The sample’s source neither overpowers the track nor gets buried under too many instrumentals. Factor in the unforgettable dancefloor-filling breakdown and it’s no wonder that ‘My Lovin’ stayed in the US Top 10 for 13 weeks.
These are my top 90s R&B songs of the year so far. The songs from the 90s are very nostalgic and have a way of making you feel all is wellwiththeworld.Downloadthesongs,pluginyourearphones,listen,andthankmelater.
Contributed by
Lota Anadu
PAGE 13 INSIDE ACCESS | AUGUST 2020 1ST EDITION