Al B. Sure!
Al B. Sure! was a pioneer, dropping his first album near the beginning in 1988. Signed to Warner Bros, and quickly earning the respect of industry heavyweights such as Quincy Jones, Al B. Sure! held both the pop and R&B charts in a trance with his first single, “Night and Day”. He continued to shake things up in the R&B world with “If I’m Not Your Lover”, and “Off On Your Own, Girl”. In 1989, he toured with fellow New Jack Swingers, New Edition and Bobby Brown. In 1990 he released his second album, featuring “Misunderstanding” and “My Love”, while finding time to contribute to Quincy Jones’ classic “Secret Garden” alongside Barry White, James Ingram and El DeBarge. During this period, Al B. also worked on Jodeci’s ‘Forever My Lady’, and Tevin Campbell’s ‘T.E.V.I.N.’. In 1993, Al B. Sure! released his final album, ‘Sexy Verses’ featuring the singles called “Right Now”, and “Natalie”. In 1994, he did some production on Usher’s debut album. After 1995, we would never heard from Al B. Sure again until he popped up in 2002 on Kiss 98.1 FM in San Francisco.
After 7
Emerging on the scene in the spring of 1989 with “Ready Or Not”, the three gentlemen of After 7 struck the perfect balance between New Jack Swing coolness, and 80s contemporary soul. Two members were brothers of Babyface (Melvin and Kevon Edmonds), while one was a cousin of L.A. Reid (Keith Mitchell). After 7’s debut album contained two more hits: “Can’t Stop” and “Heat Of The Moment”. What made After 7 so special was their plush harmonies – they also laid down vocals on work by Bobby Brown (Rock Witcha/remix) and Johnny Gill. (Although I don’t have a confirmation of this fact, I remember hearing that Boyz II Men’s “End Of The Road” was originally penned for After 7!) ~ A.K. In 1992, After 7 returned with ‘Takin My Time’ featuring the hits “Baby I’m For Real” and “Truly Something Special”. In 1995 After 7 released their last project ‘Reflections’ one last hit, “Till You Do Me Right.” But more than anything, it was After 7’s “Ready Or Not” that captured the R&B soulpower of the New Jack Era.
Another Bad Creation
‘Discovered’ in 1990 by New Edition and BBD member Michael Bivins, Another Bad Creation (or ABC) released their debut album ‘Coolin’ At The Playground, Ya Know!’ at the start of 1991. Their hit song “Iesha” was a major hit, and they followed up that song with “Playground”. Produced largely by budding superproducer Dallas Austin, ABC was part of Michael Bivins’ East Coast Family, a musical collective being formed on Bivins’ Biv Ten Label, distributed by Motown Records.
ABC would release a second album in 1993 to little fanfare, and by the time 1994 rolled around, ABC was never heard from again.
A Tribe Called Quest
The premier act from the Native Tongues collective (De La Soul, Jungle Brothers, etc) is probably this group. Formed in 1988, A Tribe Called Quest consisted of MCs Q-Tip and Phife, along with DJ Ali-Shaheed Muhammad. Named by the Jungle Brothers (who attended the same high school as Q-Tip & Phife), ATCQ were among the first rappers to depart from the James Brown/R&B sound. ATCQ (along with De La Soul and the Jungle Brothers) leaned towards incorporating the older sounds of jazz – a formula that would become increasingly popular with suburban hip-hop fans throughout the 90s.
Q-Tip was featured on 1990’s dance classic “Groove Is In The Heart” around the same time singles like “I Left My Wallet In El Segundo” and “Bonita Applebum” were impressing urban and suburban hip-hop fans alike. After ATCQ’s debut album in 1990 (‘People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths Of Rhythm’, the group returned in late 1991 with the widely hailed ‘Low End Theory’; that album featured the hits “Scenario”, and “Check The Rhyme”.
By 1993, the New Jack Era was over, but ATCQ seemed to fit right in the post New Jack landscape, acquiring a harder sound on ‘Midnight Marauders’. Then in 1996 the group returned with ‘Beats, Rhymes & Life’ and followed that up with 1998’s ‘The Love Movement’ before splitting up.
ATCQ were probably the most influential “alternative” or jazz-rap group of the 1990s – their hit “Bonita Applebum” played a crucial role in the crossover success of the Fugees’ “Killing Me Softly” remake. DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad went on to join Raphael Saadiq and Dawn Robinson (who has since left) to form Lucy Pearl, while Q-Tip is enjoying a decent solo career.