1992 -- Part II

The summer of 1992 was a historic one for R&B – it was the first time that it would be celebrated largely without the support of suburban audiences since the late 1980s. Hammer’s World Tour featured opening acts TLC, Jodeci, and Boyz II Men; for concert goers lucky enough to have attended that show, they’d witnessed one of the best artist lineups urban music would ever witness that decade.

At the movies, Eddie Murphy returned with the hilariously classic “Boomerang”, directed by Reginald Hudlin (1990’s “House Party”), while Damon and Marlon Wayans emerged with “Mo’ Money”. Producers LA & Babyface produced the “Boomerang” soundtrack, while Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis produced “Mo’ Money” in what became the musical showdown of the summer. In the end however, it was fans of R&B who’d won out. With unforgettable classics such as: “I’d Die Without You” (PM Dawn), “The Best Things In Life Are Free” (Janet Jackson & Luther Vandross), “Love Shoulda Brought You Home” (Toni Braxton), and most notably, Boyz II Men’s “End of The Road”, the summer of 1992 was a magical one in Black music.

En Vogue’s remake of “Giving Him Something He Can Feel” received heavy rotation on MTV, just like their previous hit “Never Gonna Get It (My Lovin)” had in late ’91, making their sophomore LP ‘Funky Divas’ their biggest album yet. Bobby Brown finally made his return with the ‘Bobby’ album, featuring “Humpin Around” as the first single. R. Kelly was fast becoming a major force in R&B – his hits “She’s Got That Vibe”, “Honey Love”, and “Slow Dance” were all huge hits with urban audiences, and the best part about it for him was not only could he sing, but he was also a gifted producer.

By the fall of 1992, musical tastes between suburban and urban audiences had become hopelessly separated – in stark contrast to the way things were back in 1990. The sprawling success of country acts like Garth Brooks and Billy Ray Cyrus in addition to the thriving grunge movement drove an even deeper wedge into the musical divide. In response, a new form of R&B emerged, one that no longer had the crossover appeal that New Jack Swing did. That new form of R&B was called Hip-Hop/Soul, and it shared the same birthplace that New Jack Swing did – MCA’s Uptown Records.

At Uptown, it was Sean “Puffy” Combs who in large part molded the look and sound of Hip-Hop/Soul acts Jodeci and Mary J. Blige, who would come to define what post-New Jack Swing R&B was going to be all about. When Mary J. Blige arrived on the scene with “You Remind Me” and “Real Love”, it was official: this new style of R&B wasn’t being made to necessarily cross over – rather, this was urban music being made for urban audiences, period.

A flurry of Hip-Hop/Soul R&B groups emerged during the end of 1992, including Shai (“If I Ever Fall In Love”), SWV (“I’m So Into You”), Portrait (“Here We Go”), and returning for their second outing, Hi-Five (“She’s Playing Hard To Get”). The trend would continue on into 1993, the last year of the post New Jack Swing era – the year that the last vestiges of New Jack Swing would finally peter out.

On December 15th 1992, ex-NWA member Dr. Dre would finally release his solo debut, ‘The Chronic’, which struck a perfect balance between undeniable musical genius, and gun-toting, weed-smoking, vulgar social rebellion. ‘The Chronic’ album presented the most demeaning caricatures of Black people that America had seen since minstrelsy; and suburban fans (in particular) ate it up, making room in their mainly rock/alternative CD collections for Gangsta Rap. The suburban audience’s embrace of Gangsta Rap would send Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg, and the rest of the Death Row records brood soaring atop the charts over the next three years…

Editors Note:

Perhaps it was the negative images of the L.A. riots that fueled America’s 1990s obsession with Gangsta Rap. Before the riots, some "Gangsta" Rap actually contained socially redeeming elements:

***Ice-T had several pro-social hits: the anti-drug song “I’m Your Pusher” (1989), the cautionary “High Rollers” (1989), and “You Played Yourself” (1990).

***N.W.A denounced drug use on “Dopeman” (1989), weed on “Express Yourself” (1989), and drunk-driving “Don’t Drink That Wine” (1991).

***The Stop The Violence Movement recorded “Self Destruction” (1989), and the West Coast Rap All Stars (featuring N.W.A., and others) got together to record “We’re All In The Same Gang” (1990).

***KRS-One’s “Criminal Minded” (1987) has been hailed by scholars as the first Gangsta Rap album, yet KRS-One (a.k.a. "The Teacher") has always been recognized for his pro-social lyrics. One of his most popular New Jack Era “conscious” recordings is “Love’s Gonna Get Cha (Material Love)” (1990).

In short, the “Golden Age of Hip-Hop” was in actuality, the rap foundation of the New Jack Swing Era. When New Jack Swing ended, the “Conscious Hip-Hop” era diminished along with it.


1993


Back