Album: Another Level
Release Date: September 1996
The wonderful thing about having a massive CD collection is that I can resurrect artists at any time, and transport myself back to some of the best times in life. Today for some reason I woke up with Blackstreet on the brain. Let me clarify: this would be the 2nd incarnation of Blackstreet, post-Dave Hollister. See, most of us know Blacksreet as a quartet, but they’ve endured enough roster changes to make 2 quartets and still have an odd man out – a total of 9 members. But enough with the history lesson; let’s jump back about 12 years or so… it’s Friday night and I’m vacuuming the living room listening to my Sony Walkman – yes, remember those little boxes that were clever enough to play cassette tapes? Anyway, the Live Squad (WKYS… DMV folks) introduces this song that’s so hot I had to turn off the vacuum and get lost for a second. When it starts, I’m thinking “Damn, someone is jockin’ Tupac’s beat (I Ain't Mad Atcha).” But the hook was so crazy, I couldn’t stop listening.
The song was Don’t Leave, from Blackstreet’s multiplatinum sophomore joint, Another Level. This album was the breakthrough for the new-jack swing brothers and included the #1 single No Diggity (featuring Queen Pen and Dr. Dre), as well as Fix, and the soulful Beatles cover (Money Can’t) Buy Me Love. Another Level was released in 1996, at the close of the New Jack Swing era and infused elements of jazz, hip-hop, and R&B to create a classic sound. Other notable songs on the album are Good Lovin’, I Can’t (Get You Out of My Mind), and the Debarge-sampled The Lord Is Real (Time Will Reveal). Rumor has it there’s a new BlackStreet album on the way for this summer. Considering their last effort (Level II, 2004) was less than stellar, I hope Teddy Riley and whichever incarnation is featured on this project can bring the magic of the R&B quartet back to the scene.
Edit: By request, here's the video:-MackN2U-
1 Comment
Oh, you've brought it back aight...this was a mainstay in my car in high school....or did this come out right before...anywho...I still have the cd but it is toooooo tore up...I guess I'm just too sentimental to let it go and tooooooo cheap to buy it again! lol
Posted on May 28, 2008 at 2:48 PM
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