New jack swing
Encyclopedia
New jack swing or swingbeat is a fusion genre spearheaded by Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle which became extremely popular from the late-1980s into the mid-1990s. Its influence, along with hip-hop, seeped into pop culture and was the definitive sound of the inventive Black New York club scene. It fuses the rhythm
s, samples
and production techniques of hip-hop and dance-pop
with the urban contemporary
sound of R&B. The new jack swing style developed as many previous music styles did, by combining elements of older styles with newer sensibilities. It used R&B style vocals sung over hip hop and dance-pop style influenced instrumentation. The sound of new jack swing comes from the hip hop "swing" beats created by drum machine
, and hardware samplers, which was popular during the golden age of hip hop, with contemporary R&B
style singing.
Merriam-Webster's online dictionary defines new jack swing as "pop music usually performed by black musicians that combines elements of traditional jazz, electronica, smooth jazz, funk, rap, and rhythm and blues Encyclopædia Britannica
calls it the "most pop-oriented rhythm-and-blues music since 1960s Motown", since its "performers were unabashed entertainers, free of artistic pretensions; its songwriters and producers were commercial professionals." New jack swing did not take up the trend of using sampled beats, and instead created beats using the then-new SP-1200
and Roland 808 drum machines to lay an "insistent beat under light melody lines and clearly enunciated vocals." Encyclopædia Britannica states that the "key producers" were Babyface and Teddy Riley.
, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
, originated the style that came to be known as new jack swing with Janet Jackson
's third album, the groundbreaking multi-platinum Control
. Jam and Lewis used similar influences with hip-hop influenced drums with smoother R&B stylings in the production. Though Jackson had previously been popular in R&B music, Control established her crossover appeal in the popular music
market. Musicologist Richard J. Ripani Ph.D., author of The New Blue Music: Changes in Rhythm & Blues, 1950–1999 (2006), observed that the album was one of the first successful records to influence the rise of new jack swing by creating a fusion of R&B, rap, funk, disco and synthesized percussion. The success of Control, according to Ripani, bridged the gap between R&B and rap music. The term "new jack swing" describes the sound produced and engineered
by R&B/Hip hop artist and producer
Teddy Riley
. Riley, a noted musical genius, is an American
R&B
and hip hop
singer-songwriter
, musician
and record producer
. He led the band Guy
in the 1980s and Blackstreet
in the 1990s. Riley said, "I define the term [new jack swing] as a new kid on the block who's swinging it."
Music website VH1.com notes that while in the 2000s, "hip-hop and R&B are kissing cousins," in the early 1980s, "the two genres were seldom mentioned in the same breath." However, in the late 1980s, "during the era of high-top fades, and parachute pants, producer Teddy Riley and label boss Andre Harrell
successfully fused and marketed the two sounds in a sexy, exclamatory music that critics termed new jack swing. It sparked a revolution." Riley stated that before new jack swing, "Rappers and singers didn't want anything to do with one another," because "Singers were soft, rappers were street." Riley's new style blended "sweet melody and big beats". The sensibilities of Riley's fusion of the styles would forever change pop music/hip-hop music pairing and was further popularized with Bad Boy's dominance of the late 90's through much of the same techniques. Riley, a 19 year old kid from Harlem, quickly became an A-list producer and commanded big fees to add his sound to major artist projects. The aesthetic of the culture also spread to mainstream white audiences through popular groups such as New Kids on the Block
.
New jack swing is mellifluously soulful solo
or harmonizing vocals addressing romantic themes and lyrics, sung over rhythms and "street" beats derived from urban musical influences. This style of music melded with hip hop, which also gave it elements of aggression of swaggering on some songs. Some songs consisted of rhythmic beats with music, while others had singing alternating with rap sections over this same type of music.
According to the 2004 New Rolling Stone Album Guide, when Michael Jackson
recorded his album Dangerous in 1991, he wanted to update his sound, so he replaced his previous producer Quincy Jones
with Teddy Riley.
. The songs appear on fictional radio station CSR 103.9 and the soundtrack (released in December, 2004). Bell Biv Devoe
member Michael Bivins
portrays a self-absorbed DJ named Phillip "P.M." Michaels, who is aspiring to become an actor. New jack swing staged a revival of sorts in the mid-2000s, fueled by the 2006 New Jack Reunion Tour
. On October 8, 2007 VH-1's 4th Annual Hip-Hop Honors paid tribute to new jack swing with their nationally televised ceremony.
film franchise helped spread new jack swing songs by Ray Parker, Jr.
and Bobby Brown
, who was nicknamed The King of New Jack Swing. The NBC
sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel Air also boosted the spread of this culture, as the star of the show, Will Smith
, was known initially for his hip-hop duo with DJ Jazzy Jeff
. During the first episode of the series, Will Smith dances to the Soul II Soul
new jack swing single "Back To Life". A Different World and In Living Color
are other television programs of the era which exhibit influences from the new jack swing style. Video Soul
, Soul Train
, Showtime at the Apollo
as well as the late night talk show The Arsenio Hall Show
also helped to promote these acts.
House Party
with Kid 'n Play
, Boyz n the Hood
, Juice
, New Jack City
, Boomerang, Above the Rim
, Poetic Justice, Blankman
and Bebe's Kids
used New Jack Swing songs in their soundtracks. Dance-oriented pop artists such as Sheena Easton
, Deborah Gibson
, Jane Child
, Joey Lawrence
, and New Kids on the Block
also have new jack swing elements in their early 1990s output. To date the most successful new jack swing album is Dangerous, released in 1991 by Michael Jackson
, which has sold 32 million copies worldwide.
In 1987, Keith Sweat
's song "I Want Her
" was number 5 in the US charts and number 1 in the R&B charts. One of Sweat's singles, "(There You Go) Tellin' Me No Again" was on the soundtrack for the film New Jack City
. The musician and record producer
Teddy Riley
's group Guy
, a group which was one of the early pioneers of hip-hop
and R&B
had a hit with the song "Groove Me
", which went to number 4 in the US R&B charts, and the 1988 song "Teddy's Jam
", which ranked number 5 in the US R&B charts. Al B. Sure!
had success with "Night & Day", "Off On Your Own", and Rescue Me", all 3 records went to the Top 5 of the R&B chart in 1988.
Northern California's Club Nouveau
had a Billboard
number one single with their cover of Bill Withers
's song "Lean on Me
" in 1987. The song won a Grammy award later that year. The song was included on the group's debut album Life, Love & Pain
, which was released in 1986. The backing track uses a sequenced swing beat, characteristic of the "New Jack Swing" style. Club Nouveau was a later incarnation of the San Francisco Bay area
group Timex Social Club
who helped to lay the foundation for new jack swing.
In 1988, Bobby Brown
began his string of Top 10 Billboard
hits with a cut from his second album, "Don't Be Cruel
", which ranked number 8 in the US top 100 and number 1 in the US R&B charts. In that same year, former NBA cheerleader Paula Abdul
had a number 10 US R&B hit with "(It's Just) the Way That You Love Me
" and Ready for the World
, a danceable, funk-infused Michigan group founded by Melvin Riley and Gordon Strozier, had a number 6 R&B hit with "My Girly". Tony! Toni! Toné!
had three songs in the top ten of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks, including "Little Walter" which made it to #1. Johnny Kemp's
"Just Got Paid" also cracked the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100
in 1988 and went to #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play.
In 1989, Wreckx-n-Effect
, a Teddy Riley
-produced group which garnered press attention regarding their use of bikini-clad women in their videos, released "New Jack Swing", which lent its name to the emerging style. That same year, Fenderella
garnered a hit with "Mr. DJ
", a song with featured Doug E. Fresh
, who was known as the "human beatbox" for his realistic imitations of drum machines and other hip hop sounds. Also, Janet Jackson
released her fourth studio album, Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814. The album included a number of very successful new jack swing tracks, such as the number one Billboard Hot 100 hits "Miss You Much
" and "Love Will Never Do (Without You)
" as well as Alright and Rhythm Nation, both of which made the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. Also in 1989, Neneh Cherry
's "Buffalo Stance
" peaked at number 3 on the US top 100, and key new jack swing producer Babyface had a hit with his song "It's No Crime
", which ranked number 7 in the US charts and number 1 on the US R&B charts. Another Teddy Riley-produced group, Today, had a hit with "Girl I Got My Eyes On You
", which garnered a number 1 spot on the US R&B charts.
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis had their share of contributions to new jack swing. Janet Jackson had 7 top 5 singles off her 1989 Rhythm Nation album, which merged the Minneapolis sound with new jack swing. Karyn White
, also produced by the Flyte Time team also had hits in the late '80s and early '90s. Sheena Easton
also had a few hits from her 1991 album What Comes Naturally
produced by hitmakers Vassel Benford, Wolf and Epic, Nick Mundy. The single What Comes Naturally
went to US#19 on the Billboard 100 singles chart.
After the band New Edition
broke up, its former members formed several splinter groups or acts, including Bell Biv Devoe
, Johnny Gill
, Ralph Tresvant
, and Bobby Brown
. In 1990, several ex-New Edition members had hit songs. Bell Biv Devoe
's songs "Poison
" and "Do Me!
", as well as Johnny Gill
's single "Rub You the Right Way
", all made it to number 3 in the US top 100. Ralph Tresvant
had a number 4 hit (US top 100 charts) and number 1 hit (US R&B) with his song "Sensitivity
", with another on the House Party 2
soundtrack "Yo Baby Yo". Also in 1990 pop singer Whitney Houston
recorded "I'm Your Baby Tonight
", produced by Babyface and his new jack swing producing partner Antonio Reid. The single topped the US Hot 100, giving Babyface his first produced #1 song while further helping to bring the genre to the mainstream.
That same year, Samuelle
, a former member of the disco
-infused dance
-urban
group Club Nouveau
had a number 1 R&B hit with "So You Like What You See
". Troop also had a number 1 hit with a single from their second album, Attitude, entitled "Spread My Wings
". "Feels Good
" by the Oakland, California group Tony! Toni! Toné!
reached number 1 on the R&B charts in 1990, and it also placed on the US top 100 (number 9) and on the dance charts (number 3). Today charted again in 1990 with "Why You Gettin' Funky On Me?", which reached number 2 on the R&B charts. "Let's Chill" by Guy
garnered a number 3 spot on the US R&B charts.
Color Me Badd
had a number 1 hit with "I Wanna Sex You Up
". That same year, Christopher Williams
released a single "I'm Dreamin'
" from the New Jack City
soundtrack, which became a #1 single on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart. Boyz II Men
's song "Motownphilly
" was a #1 R&B hit and top five U.S. pop hits. "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)
" by Hi-Five
garnered the US #1 and R&B #1 spots.
Jodeci's debut album Forever My Lady garnered 3 #1 R&B Hits in the fall of 1991. (Forever My Lady, Stay, and Come and Talk To Me).
"Exclusivity
" by Damian Dame
charted as number-one R&B single, spending two weeks at the top position, a position also achieved by The Rude Boys
with their song "Are You Lonely For Me
". In 1992, Michael Jackson
's single "Remember The Time
" placed at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 2 on the Hot Dance Music/Club, and number 1 in the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop category. Joe Public
's single "Live and Learn
" hit #4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, #3 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart and becoming the group's most successful single. Chuckii Booker
scored a #1 R&B hit with his song "Games
". That same year, "She's Got That Vibe" by R.Kelly and Public Announcement
reached the number 7 position on the R&B charts. "Weak
" by SWV
(Sisters With Voices) hit the number one spot on both the US top 100 and the R&B charts. In 1993: "Don't Walk Away" by Jade
made it to number 7 and number 3 in the US top 100 and R&B charts, respectively. The New Jack R&B group II D Extreme
scored a hit in 1993 with their New Jack ballad "Cry No More
". TLC
's debut album, "Ooooooohhh.... On the TLC Tip
" (1992) had several hits, including "What About Your Friends
" and "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg
". In 1995, Montell Jordan
had a number one new jack swing hit, in "This is How We Do It
".
Young artists were given the spotlight during this era. They included Tracie Spencer
with her hit album Make the Difference (1990) and groups like The Boys
with The Boys (Motown, 1990), Redhead Kingpin and the F.B.I.
, whose Teddy Riley-produced debut album A Shade of Red contained the hit single "Pump It Hottie", which reached #2 on the US Hot Rap Singles Chart in 1990, and Another Bad Creation
with Coolin' at the Playground Ya Know! (1991).
Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue
incorporated a strong new jack swing sound into her 1991 album Let's Get to It
, most notably the lead single "Word Is Out". Although the album and single releases did not chart in the US, they did achieve success in the UK, Australia and throughout Europe. This exemplified the growing international popularity of the new jack swing genre.
Mexican pop singer Paulina Rubio
also incorporated a strong new jack swing system into her debut 1992 album La Chica Dorada
and second album 24 Kilates
and most notably her hit lead single Mío
which is one of the best songs in the '90s in Spain, third single Amor de Mujer
which it also entered the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks, peaking at # 8.
Madonna
's 1992 album Erotica featured new jack swing sounds on several tracks including the singles "Erotica
", "Fever" and "Bye Bye Baby
", as well as combining the genre with house music.
), who felt that Brown and the NJS scene had sold them out, capitalizing on the early popularity of rap but watering down its core message. In his song "Wrong Nigga To Fuck Wit," Ice Cube
criticized NJS with the line: "It ain't no pop cause that sucks/And you can new jack swing on my nuts." This line was later sampled for NJS group Tony! Toni! Toné!
's 1993 single "If I Had No Loot."
Rhythm
Rhythm may be generally defined as a "movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions." This general meaning of regular recurrence or pattern in time may be applied to a wide variety of cyclical natural phenomena having a periodicity or...
s, samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
and production techniques of hip-hop and dance-pop
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
with the urban contemporary
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
sound of R&B. The new jack swing style developed as many previous music styles did, by combining elements of older styles with newer sensibilities. It used R&B style vocals sung over hip hop and dance-pop style influenced instrumentation. The sound of new jack swing comes from the hip hop "swing" beats created by drum machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
, and hardware samplers, which was popular during the golden age of hip hop, with contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
style singing.
Merriam-Webster's online dictionary defines new jack swing as "pop music usually performed by black musicians that combines elements of traditional jazz, electronica, smooth jazz, funk, rap, and rhythm and blues Encyclopædia Britannica
Encyclopædia Britannica
The Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
calls it the "most pop-oriented rhythm-and-blues music since 1960s Motown", since its "performers were unabashed entertainers, free of artistic pretensions; its songwriters and producers were commercial professionals." New jack swing did not take up the trend of using sampled beats, and instead created beats using the then-new SP-1200
E-mu SP-1200
E-mu SP-1200 is a classic drum machine and sampler released in August 1987 by E-mu Systems, Inc. as an update of the SP-12, which was originally created for dance music producers...
and Roland 808 drum machines to lay an "insistent beat under light melody lines and clearly enunciated vocals." Encyclopædia Britannica states that the "key producers" were Babyface and Teddy Riley.
History
Former members of Minneapolis music group The TimeThe Time (band)
The Time is a funk and dance-pop ensemble formed in 1981. They are close Prince associates and arguably the most successful artists who have worked with him.-Prince, Formation and Success:...
, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team...
, originated the style that came to be known as new jack swing with Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
's third album, the groundbreaking multi-platinum Control
Control (Janet Jackson album)
Control is the third studio album by American recording artist Janet Jackson, released on February 6, 1986 by A&M Records. Her collaborations with songwriters and record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis resulted in an unconventional sound: a fusion of rhythm and blues, funk, disco, rap vocals,...
. Jam and Lewis used similar influences with hip-hop influenced drums with smoother R&B stylings in the production. Though Jackson had previously been popular in R&B music, Control established her crossover appeal in the popular music
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
market. Musicologist Richard J. Ripani Ph.D., author of The New Blue Music: Changes in Rhythm & Blues, 1950–1999 (2006), observed that the album was one of the first successful records to influence the rise of new jack swing by creating a fusion of R&B, rap, funk, disco and synthesized percussion. The success of Control, according to Ripani, bridged the gap between R&B and rap music. The term "new jack swing" describes the sound produced and engineered
Audio engineering
An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
by R&B/Hip hop artist and producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Teddy Riley
Teddy Riley (new jack swing)
Edward Theodore Riley , professionally known as Teddy Riley, is an American singer-songwriter, musician, keyboardist, and record producer credited with the creation of New Jack Swing. Through his production work with Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown, Doug E. Fresh, Today, Keith Sweat, Heavy D., Jane...
. Riley, a noted musical genius, is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
and hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
. He led the band Guy
Guy (band)
Guy are a hip hop, R&B and soul band most closely associated with the new jack swing style of the 1980s and 1990s.-Origins :Guy was formed in Harlem, New York in 1987 by R&B singer-songwriters Aaron Hall, young musician/record producer Teddy Riley and Timmy Gatling...
in the 1980s and Blackstreet
Blackstreet
Blackstreet is an American R&B group founded in 1991 by Thomas Taliaferro and Teddy Riley, the inventor of New Jack Swing known for his work as a member of Guy. Chauncey Hannibal and Levi Little were signed under production and management contracts with Thomas Taliaferro and were merged into what...
in the 1990s. Riley said, "I define the term [new jack swing] as a new kid on the block who's swinging it."
Music website VH1.com notes that while in the 2000s, "hip-hop and R&B are kissing cousins," in the early 1980s, "the two genres were seldom mentioned in the same breath." However, in the late 1980s, "during the era of high-top fades, and parachute pants, producer Teddy Riley and label boss Andre Harrell
Andre Harrell
Andre Harrell is founder of the now defunct record label, Uptown Records. Harrell also served as president/CEO of Motown Records. He was also the first half of the hip hop duo Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde.-Biography:...
successfully fused and marketed the two sounds in a sexy, exclamatory music that critics termed new jack swing. It sparked a revolution." Riley stated that before new jack swing, "Rappers and singers didn't want anything to do with one another," because "Singers were soft, rappers were street." Riley's new style blended "sweet melody and big beats". The sensibilities of Riley's fusion of the styles would forever change pop music/hip-hop music pairing and was further popularized with Bad Boy's dominance of the late 90's through much of the same techniques. Riley, a 19 year old kid from Harlem, quickly became an A-list producer and commanded big fees to add his sound to major artist projects. The aesthetic of the culture also spread to mainstream white audiences through popular groups such as New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block are an American boy band from Boston, Massachusetts, assembled in 1984 by producer Maurice Starr. The band currently consists of brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood.New Kids on the Block enjoyed success in the late 1980s and...
.
New jack swing is mellifluously soulful solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
or harmonizing vocals addressing romantic themes and lyrics, sung over rhythms and "street" beats derived from urban musical influences. This style of music melded with hip hop, which also gave it elements of aggression of swaggering on some songs. Some songs consisted of rhythmic beats with music, while others had singing alternating with rap sections over this same type of music.
According to the 2004 New Rolling Stone Album Guide, when Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
recorded his album Dangerous in 1991, he wanted to update his sound, so he replaced his previous producer Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
with Teddy Riley.
Revival
In October 2004, a variety of classic new jack swing tracks are used in the popular videogame Grand Theft Auto: San AndreasGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
. The songs appear on fictional radio station CSR 103.9 and the soundtrack (released in December, 2004). Bell Biv Devoe
Bell Biv DeVoe
Bell Biv DeVoe is an American R&B musical group which branched off from New Edition. It consists of three of New Edition's previous members, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe...
member Michael Bivins
Michael Bivins
Michael Lamont Bivins, a.k.a. Biv , is the founder and member of the R&B group New Edition and the hip hop group Bell Biv DeVoe...
portrays a self-absorbed DJ named Phillip "P.M." Michaels, who is aspiring to become an actor. New jack swing staged a revival of sorts in the mid-2000s, fueled by the 2006 New Jack Reunion Tour
New Jack Reunion Tour
The New Jack Reunion Tour was a 2006 concert tour that featured members of the 1990s music genre new jack swing, which was created by Teddy Riley.The tour was organized by Riley and was intended as the springboard for a new jack swing revival...
. On October 8, 2007 VH-1's 4th Annual Hip-Hop Honors paid tribute to new jack swing with their nationally televised ceremony.
Influences
The GhostbustersGhostbusters
Ghostbusters is a 1984 American science fiction comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis and follows three eccentric parapsychologists in New York City, who start a...
film franchise helped spread new jack swing songs by Ray Parker, Jr.
Ray Parker, Jr.
Ray Erskine Parker, Jr. , is an American guitarist, songwriter, producer and recording artist. Parker is known for writing and performing the theme song to the motion picture Ghostbusters, for his solo hits, and performing with his band Raydio as well as the late Barry White.-Early life and...
and Bobby Brown
Bobby Brown
Robert Barisford "Bobby" Brown is an American R&B singer-songwriter, occasional rapper, and dancer. After success in pop group New Edition, Brown began his solo career in 1987 and had a string of Top 10 Billboard hits, culminating in a Grammy Award. He was a pioneer of New Jack Swing music, a...
, who was nicknamed The King of New Jack Swing. The NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel Air also boosted the spread of this culture, as the star of the show, Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
, was known initially for his hip-hop duo with DJ Jazzy Jeff
DJ Jazzy Jeff
Jeffrey Allen Townes , also known as DJ Jazzy Jeff or simply Jazz, is an American hip hop, R&B record producer, turntablist and actor. He is best known for his early career with Will Smith as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince...
. During the first episode of the series, Will Smith dances to the Soul II Soul
Soul II Soul
Soul II Soul are a British group that was created in London in 1988. They are best known for their 1989 UK chart-topper and U.S. Top 5 hit, "Back to Life ".-Career:...
new jack swing single "Back To Life". A Different World and In Living Color
In Living Color
In Living Color is an American sketch comedy television series, which originally ran on the Fox Network from April 15, 1990 to May 19, 1994. Brothers Keenen and Damon Wayans created, wrote, and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions in association with 20th Century...
are other television programs of the era which exhibit influences from the new jack swing style. Video Soul
Video Soul
Video Soul was a 2-hour long American music video program that aired on BET from 1981 to 1996.-History:Video Soul premiered in June 1981 and was originally a half hour show. It was devoted to helping showcase new R&B/soul recording artists and performers...
, Soul Train
Soul Train
Soul Train is an American musical variety show that aired in syndication from October 1971 to March 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists have also appeared.As a nod to Soul Trains...
, Showtime at the Apollo
Showtime at the Apollo
Showtime at the Apollo is a syndicated music television show, first broadcast on September 12, 1987 to May 24, 2008 with 1093 episodes, and is produced by the Apollo Theater...
as well as the late night talk show The Arsenio Hall Show
The Arsenio Hall Show
The Arsenio Hall Show is an American variety/talk show that aired late weeknights in syndication from January 3, 1989 to May 27, 1994. The show was created and hosted by comedian/actor Arsenio Hall.- Background :...
also helped to promote these acts.
House Party
House Party (film)
House Party is a 1990 American comedy film released by New Line Cinema. It stars Kid and Play of the popular hip hop duo Kid 'n Play, and also stars Paul Anthony, Bow-Legged Lou, and B-Fine from Full Force, and Robin Harris . The film also starred Martin Lawrence, Tisha Campbell, A.J...
with Kid 'n Play
Kid 'n Play
Kid 'n Play is an American hip-hop and comedy duo from New York City that was popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The duo was composed of Christopher "Kid" Reid and Christopher "Play" Martin working alongside their DJ, Mark "DJ Wiz" Eastmond...
, Boyz n the Hood
Boyz N the Hood
Boyz n the Hood is a 1991 American hood film written and directed by John Singleton. Starring Cuba Gooding, Jr., Ice Cube, Laurence Fishburne, Morris Chestnut, Nia Long, Angela Bassett and Regina King, the film depicts life in poor South Central Los Angeles, California and was filmed and released...
, Juice
Juice (film)
Juice is a 1992 American crime drama film that stars rapper Tupac Shakur and Omar Epps. Additional cast members include Jermaine "Huggy" Hopkins, Khalil Kain, Samuel L. Jackson, and features cameo appearances by Queen Latifah, EPMD, Special Ed, Ed Lover, Doctor Dré, Flex Alexander, Fab Five...
, New Jack City
New Jack City
New Jack City is a 1991 crime film starring Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, Mario Van Peebles, Judd Nelson, and Chris Rock. Snipes stars as Nino Brown, a rising drug dealer and crime lord in New York City during the crack epidemic...
, Boomerang, Above the Rim
Above the Rim
Above the Rim is a 1994 drama directed by Jeff Pollack. The screenplay was written by Pollack and journalist-turned-screenwriter Barry Michael Cooper , from a story by Pollack and Benny Medina....
, Poetic Justice, Blankman
Blankman
Blankman is a 1994 superhero parody film starring Damon Wayans and David Alan Grier, who are both of In Living Color fame. The film was directed by Mike Binder and written by Damon Wayans and J. F. Lawton, whose biggest success was writing Pretty Woman.-Plot:Darryl Walker is a clumsy nerdy...
and Bebe's Kids
Bebe's Kids
Bébé's Kids is a 1992 animated comedy film produced by the Reginald Hudlin and Hyperion Pictures, directed by Bruce W...
used New Jack Swing songs in their soundtracks. Dance-oriented pop artists such as Sheena Easton
Sheena Easton
Sheena Easton is a Scottish recording artist. Easton became famous for being the focus of an episode in the British television programme The Big Time, which recorded her attempts to gain a record contract and her eventual signing with EMI Records.Easton rose to fame in the early 1980s with the pop...
, Deborah Gibson
Deborah Gibson
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Gibson is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. In 1987 she was pronounced the youngest artist to write, produce, and perform a No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100, with her song "Foolish Beat" and she remains the youngest female to write, record, and...
, Jane Child
Jane Child
Jane Child is a Canadian dance-pop singer, producer and musician.-Career:The daughter of Ricky Hyslop, Child joined Canadian Opera Company's children's chorus in her youth....
, Joey Lawrence
Joey Lawrence
Joseph "Joey" Lawrence is an American actor, R&B-singer, and TV-host. He is known for his roles in the TV-series Gimme a Break!, Blossom, and Melissa & Joey.- Early life :...
, and New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block are an American boy band from Boston, Massachusetts, assembled in 1984 by producer Maurice Starr. The band currently consists of brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood.New Kids on the Block enjoyed success in the late 1980s and...
also have new jack swing elements in their early 1990s output. To date the most successful new jack swing album is Dangerous, released in 1991 by Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, which has sold 32 million copies worldwide.
Notable songs
Many songs with elements of new jack swing and similar R&B styles ranked in the top 10 of the US R&B Billboard charts or the top ten of the US "top 100" charts throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s.In 1987, Keith Sweat
Keith Sweat
Keith Sweat is an American R&B/soul, singer-songwriter, record producer, radio personality and a major contributor to the new jack swing era.-Music career:...
's song "I Want Her
I Want Her
"I Want Her" is a 1987 single from R&B singer Keith Sweat. As the first single from his debut album, Make It Last Forever, it reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart for three weeks. and became the most successful number one single...
" was number 5 in the US charts and number 1 in the R&B charts. One of Sweat's singles, "(There You Go) Tellin' Me No Again" was on the soundtrack for the film New Jack City
New Jack City
New Jack City is a 1991 crime film starring Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, Mario Van Peebles, Judd Nelson, and Chris Rock. Snipes stars as Nino Brown, a rising drug dealer and crime lord in New York City during the crack epidemic...
. The musician and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Teddy Riley
Teddy Riley (new jack swing)
Edward Theodore Riley , professionally known as Teddy Riley, is an American singer-songwriter, musician, keyboardist, and record producer credited with the creation of New Jack Swing. Through his production work with Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown, Doug E. Fresh, Today, Keith Sweat, Heavy D., Jane...
's group Guy
Guy (band)
Guy are a hip hop, R&B and soul band most closely associated with the new jack swing style of the 1980s and 1990s.-Origins :Guy was formed in Harlem, New York in 1987 by R&B singer-songwriters Aaron Hall, young musician/record producer Teddy Riley and Timmy Gatling...
, a group which was one of the early pioneers of hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
and R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
had a hit with the song "Groove Me
Groove Me
"Groove Me" is a song recorded by R&B singer King Floyd. Released from his eponymous album in late 1970, it was a crossover hit, spending four non-consecutive weeks at number-one on Billboard soul chart and peaking at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100....
", which went to number 4 in the US R&B charts, and the 1988 song "Teddy's Jam
Teddy's Jam
"Teddy's Jam" is a song by American R&B group Guy, recorded for their debut studio album Guy . The song was released as the album's third single in 1988.-Later samples:-Track listing:12", Vinyl #"Teddy's Jam"...
", which ranked number 5 in the US R&B charts. Al B. Sure!
Al B. Sure!
Albert Jason Brown III is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He grew up in Leonia, New Jersey and Mount Vernon, New York. During the late 1980s under the stage name Al B...
had success with "Night & Day", "Off On Your Own", and Rescue Me", all 3 records went to the Top 5 of the R&B chart in 1988.
Northern California's Club Nouveau
Club Nouveau
Club Nouveau is a contemporary R&B-pop band that was formed by record producer/performer Jay King in 1986 in Sacramento, California, subsequent to the breakup of the Timex Social Club. Other members of Club Nouveau included original members Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy, Samuelle Prater, and...
had a Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
number one single with their cover of Bill Withers
Bill Withers
William Harrison "Bill" Withers, Jr. is an American singer-songwriter and musician who performed and recorded from 1970 until 1985. Some of his best-known songs are "Lean on Me", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Use Me", "Just the Two of Us", "Lovely Day", and "Grandma's Hands"...
's song "Lean on Me
Lean on Me (song)
"Lean on Me" is a song written and released by Bill Withers in 1972.It was his first and only number one on both the soul singles and the Billboard Hot 100. It is ranked number 205 on the Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Numerous cover versions have been recorded, and it is one of...
" in 1987. The song won a Grammy award later that year. The song was included on the group's debut album Life, Love & Pain
Life, Love & Pain
-Reception:Released late 1986 with production by Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy and Jay King. This album would chart number one on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and number six on the Billboard Pop Albums charts. Lead by the hit single a cover of the Bill Withers classic, "Lean on Me" Number...
, which was released in 1986. The backing track uses a sequenced swing beat, characteristic of the "New Jack Swing" style. Club Nouveau was a later incarnation of the San Francisco Bay area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
group Timex Social Club
Timex Social Club
The Timex Social Club was an American R&B/Hip hop group, formed in 1982 by students of Berkeley High School in Berkeley, California. They are perhaps best known for their 1986 hit single, "Rumors" and for being major forerunners to the soon-incipient new jack swing movement.-History:Originally...
who helped to lay the foundation for new jack swing.
In 1988, Bobby Brown
Bobby Brown
Robert Barisford "Bobby" Brown is an American R&B singer-songwriter, occasional rapper, and dancer. After success in pop group New Edition, Brown began his solo career in 1987 and had a string of Top 10 Billboard hits, culminating in a Grammy Award. He was a pioneer of New Jack Swing music, a...
began his string of Top 10 Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
hits with a cut from his second album, "Don't Be Cruel
Don't Be Cruel (album)
Don't Be Cruel is the second album by American R&B singer Bobby Brown, released in 1988 on MCA Records. It includes four hit singles "Don't Be Cruel", "My Prerogative", "Roni" and "Every Little Step." All were #1 R&B singles except "Roni," which peaked at #2, while "My Prerogative" became Brown's...
", which ranked number 8 in the US top 100 and number 1 in the US R&B charts. In that same year, former NBA cheerleader Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul
Paula Julie Abdul is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality.In the 1980s, Abdul rose from cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers to highly sought-after choreographer at the height of the music video era before scoring a string of pop music-R&B hits...
had a number 10 US R&B hit with "(It's Just) the Way That You Love Me
(It's Just) The Way That You Love Me
" The Way That You Love Me" written by Oliver Leiber is Paula Abdul's second single, taken from the album Forever Your Girl.-Song information:...
" and Ready for the World
Ready for the World
Ready for the World is an American R&B band from Flint, Michigan who scored several moderate pop, soul, and dance hits in the mid to late 1980s...
, a danceable, funk-infused Michigan group founded by Melvin Riley and Gordon Strozier, had a number 6 R&B hit with "My Girly". Tony! Toni! Toné!
Tony! Toni! Toné!
Tony! Toni! Toné! is an American Soul/R&B group from Oakland, California, popular during the late 1980s and early to mid 1990s. During the band's heyday, it was composed of D'wayne Wiggins on lead vocals and guitar, his brother Raphael Saadiq on lead vocals and bass, and their cousin Timothy...
had three songs in the top ten of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks, including "Little Walter" which made it to #1. Johnny Kemp's
Johnny Kemp
Johnny Kemp is a Bahamian R&B singer and dancer. He began singing in nightclubs in the Bahamas at 13. He moved to New York in 1979 with the band "Kinky Fox." His self-titled debut album came out in 1986 and he scored a minor hit with "Just Another Lover." True success came the following year,...
"Just Got Paid" also cracked the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in 1988 and went to #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play.
In 1989, Wreckx-n-Effect
Wreckx-N-Effect
Wreckx-N-Effect was a New Jack Swing Hip-Hop group who had the multi-platinum hit "Rump Shaker" in 1992/1993, which was produced by Teddy Riley.-History:...
, a Teddy Riley
Teddy Riley (new jack swing)
Edward Theodore Riley , professionally known as Teddy Riley, is an American singer-songwriter, musician, keyboardist, and record producer credited with the creation of New Jack Swing. Through his production work with Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown, Doug E. Fresh, Today, Keith Sweat, Heavy D., Jane...
-produced group which garnered press attention regarding their use of bikini-clad women in their videos, released "New Jack Swing", which lent its name to the emerging style. That same year, Fenderella
Joyce Irby
Joyce Irby is best known as the bassist and co-lead vocalist of the 1980s all girl band Klymaxx. She originally signed on with George Clinton's P-Funk crew as "Fenderella"...
garnered a hit with "Mr. DJ
Mr. DJ
Mr. DJ, born David Sheats, is a Grammy Award-winning American hip-hop record producer and DJ from Atlanta, Georgia.-Biography:Raised on the southside of College Park, Georgia, Mr. DJ entered the music industry as a DJ for Atlanta-based hip-hop group OutKast. According to Sheats,After touring with...
", a song with featured Doug E. Fresh
Doug E. Fresh
Douglas E. Davis , better known by the stage name Doug E. Fresh, is an American rapper, record producer, and beat boxer, also known as the Human Beat Box...
, who was known as the "human beatbox" for his realistic imitations of drum machines and other hip hop sounds. Also, Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
released her fourth studio album, Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814. The album included a number of very successful new jack swing tracks, such as the number one Billboard Hot 100 hits "Miss You Much
Miss You Much
"Miss You Much" is the lead single from American R&B and pop singer Janet Jackson's fourth studio album, Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 . The song was written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.-Song information:...
" and "Love Will Never Do (Without You)
Love Will Never Do (Without You)
"Love Will Never Do " is the seventh single from American R&B and pop singer Janet Jackson's fourth studio album, Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814...
" as well as Alright and Rhythm Nation, both of which made the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. Also in 1989, Neneh Cherry
Neneh Cherry
Neneh Mariann Cherry is a Swedish singer-songwriter, rapper, and occasional DJ and broadcaster...
's "Buffalo Stance
Buffalo Stance
"Buffalo Stance" is a 1988 song that peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart recorded by Neneh Cherry from her album Raw Like Sushi, produced by Tim Simenon and Mark Saunders.-History:...
" peaked at number 3 on the US top 100, and key new jack swing producer Babyface had a hit with his song "It's No Crime
It's No Crime
"It's No Crime" by Babyface. The single was Babyface's first entry on the Hot 100 as a solo artist, peaking at number seven and reaching number one on the Hot Black Singles chart. The single was Babyface's only chart entry on the dance charts, where it peaked at number five.-References:...
", which ranked number 7 in the US charts and number 1 on the US R&B charts. Another Teddy Riley-produced group, Today, had a hit with "Girl I Got My Eyes On You
Girl I Got My Eyes On You
"Girl I Got My Eyes On You" is a 1989 single by R&B vocal group, Today. The single was their most successful of six chart releases on the Hot Black singles chart, peaking at number one for one week...
", which garnered a number 1 spot on the US R&B charts.
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis had their share of contributions to new jack swing. Janet Jackson had 7 top 5 singles off her 1989 Rhythm Nation album, which merged the Minneapolis sound with new jack swing. Karyn White
Karyn White
Karyn White was a new jack swing singer who became popular during the late 1980s.-Biography:White was born in Los Angeles,to the parentage of Vivian and Clarence White. She is the youngest of five children...
, also produced by the Flyte Time team also had hits in the late '80s and early '90s. Sheena Easton
Sheena Easton
Sheena Easton is a Scottish recording artist. Easton became famous for being the focus of an episode in the British television programme The Big Time, which recorded her attempts to gain a record contract and her eventual signing with EMI Records.Easton rose to fame in the early 1980s with the pop...
also had a few hits from her 1991 album What Comes Naturally
What Comes Naturally
-Production:*Producers: Vassal Benford, Denny Diante, David Frank, Oliver Leiber, Jeff Lorber, Nick Mundy, Ian Prince, Wolf & Epic*Engineers: Wolfgang Aichholz, Greg Barrett, Shawn Berman, Ted Blaisdell, Bob Cadway, John Chamberlin, David Dachinger, Daryll Dobson, Steve Egleman, Greg Grill, Steve...
produced by hitmakers Vassel Benford, Wolf and Epic, Nick Mundy. The single What Comes Naturally
What Comes Naturally
-Production:*Producers: Vassal Benford, Denny Diante, David Frank, Oliver Leiber, Jeff Lorber, Nick Mundy, Ian Prince, Wolf & Epic*Engineers: Wolfgang Aichholz, Greg Barrett, Shawn Berman, Ted Blaisdell, Bob Cadway, John Chamberlin, David Dachinger, Daryll Dobson, Steve Egleman, Greg Grill, Steve...
went to US#19 on the Billboard 100 singles chart.
After the band New Edition
New Edition
New Edition is an R&B group formed in Boston in 1978. The group reached its height of popularity during the 1980s. They were the progenitors of the boy band movement of the 1980s and 1990s and led the way for groups like New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync...
broke up, its former members formed several splinter groups or acts, including Bell Biv Devoe
Bell Biv DeVoe
Bell Biv DeVoe is an American R&B musical group which branched off from New Edition. It consists of three of New Edition's previous members, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe...
, Johnny Gill
Johnny Gill
Johnny Gill is an American R&B singer-songwriter. He is the sixth and final member of the R&B supergroup New Edition, and was also a member of another supergroup called LSG; with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat. His signature song "My, My, My" has been included on numerous romantic...
, Ralph Tresvant
Ralph Tresvant
Ralph Tresvant , aka Rizz, is an American tenor singer, best known as one of the lead singers in New Edition.-New Edition:Tresvant sang lead on many of the New Edition lead singles including "Candy Girl", "Cool It Now" and "If It Isn't Love"...
, and Bobby Brown
Bobby Brown
Robert Barisford "Bobby" Brown is an American R&B singer-songwriter, occasional rapper, and dancer. After success in pop group New Edition, Brown began his solo career in 1987 and had a string of Top 10 Billboard hits, culminating in a Grammy Award. He was a pioneer of New Jack Swing music, a...
. In 1990, several ex-New Edition members had hit songs. Bell Biv Devoe
Bell Biv DeVoe
Bell Biv DeVoe is an American R&B musical group which branched off from New Edition. It consists of three of New Edition's previous members, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe...
's songs "Poison
Poison (Bell Biv DeVoe song)
"Poison" is a 1990 single by the New Edition spinoff group, Bell Biv DeVoe. This song—in the style of New Jack Swing, a late-80s hybrid of R&B and hip hop—was the group's most successful, and sings of the dangers of falling in love. "Poison" was the first single taken from Bell Biv DeVoe's debut...
" and "Do Me!
Do Me!
"Do Me!" is a song by hip hop/R&B group Bell Biv DeVoe. The song was released in 1990 as the second single from the group's multi-platinum debut album, Poison. A remix is included on the group's WBBD-Bootcity!: The Remix Album, released in 1991....
", as well as Johnny Gill
Johnny Gill
Johnny Gill is an American R&B singer-songwriter. He is the sixth and final member of the R&B supergroup New Edition, and was also a member of another supergroup called LSG; with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat. His signature song "My, My, My" has been included on numerous romantic...
's single "Rub You the Right Way
Rub You the Right Way
"Rub You the Right Way" is the title of an R&B single by Johnny Gill. Taken as the first single from the artist's debut album under Motown, the hit song spent one week in May of 1990 at number-one on the US R&B chart, and made it to number three on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in August of that...
", all made it to number 3 in the US top 100. Ralph Tresvant
Ralph Tresvant
Ralph Tresvant , aka Rizz, is an American tenor singer, best known as one of the lead singers in New Edition.-New Edition:Tresvant sang lead on many of the New Edition lead singles including "Candy Girl", "Cool It Now" and "If It Isn't Love"...
had a number 4 hit (US top 100 charts) and number 1 hit (US R&B) with his song "Sensitivity
Sensitivity (song)
"Sensitivity" is the title of a number-one R&B single by Ralph Tresvant. It was the first single from the self-titled debut album of the New Edition frontman since the split of the group. The hit song spent one week at number one on the US R&B chart...
", with another on the House Party 2
House Party 2 (soundtrack)
House Party 2 is the soundtrack to the 1991 film, House Party 2. It was released on October 15, 1991 through MCA Records and consisted of a blend of hip hop and contemporary R&B with audio from the film...
soundtrack "Yo Baby Yo". Also in 1990 pop singer Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
recorded "I'm Your Baby Tonight
I'm Your Baby Tonight
I'm Your Baby Tonight is the third studio album by American pop/R&B singer Whitney Houston; released by Arista Records on November 6, 1990. Following the run of this album, Houston continued to achieve widespread commercial success throughout the 1990s, venturing heavily into films—while...
", produced by Babyface and his new jack swing producing partner Antonio Reid. The single topped the US Hot 100, giving Babyface his first produced #1 song while further helping to bring the genre to the mainstream.
That same year, Samuelle
Samuelle
Samuelle Pratter, known simply as Samuelle, is an American R&B singer who is a former member of the R&B group, Club Nouveau. He released his first and only solo album entitled, Living in Black Paradise on October 30, 1990 on Atlantic Records, which reached number 37 on the Billboard R&B Albums...
, a former member of the disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
-infused dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
-urban
Mainstream Urban
Mainstream Urban is a term used to describe a radio format similar to an Urban Contemporary format. The format differentiates itself due to two factors: playlist composition and target demographic...
group Club Nouveau
Club Nouveau
Club Nouveau is a contemporary R&B-pop band that was formed by record producer/performer Jay King in 1986 in Sacramento, California, subsequent to the breakup of the Timex Social Club. Other members of Club Nouveau included original members Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy, Samuelle Prater, and...
had a number 1 R&B hit with "So You Like What You See
So You Like What You See
"So You Like What You See" is the title of a number-one R&B single by Samuelle from his album Living in Black Paradise. The hit song spent two weeks at number-one on the US R&B chart, but did not place on the Hot 100....
". Troop also had a number 1 hit with a single from their second album, Attitude, entitled "Spread My Wings
Spread My Wings
"Spread My Wings" is the title of a number-one R&B single by Troop. As the second single taken from the album Attitude, the song spent two weeks at number one on the U.S. R&B chart....
". "Feels Good
Feels Good
"Feels Good" is the title of a number-one R&B single by Tony! Toni! Toné!. The hit song spent two weeks at number one on the US R&B chart. It was also their first top-ten hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number nine...
" by the Oakland, California group Tony! Toni! Toné!
Tony! Toni! Toné!
Tony! Toni! Toné! is an American Soul/R&B group from Oakland, California, popular during the late 1980s and early to mid 1990s. During the band's heyday, it was composed of D'wayne Wiggins on lead vocals and guitar, his brother Raphael Saadiq on lead vocals and bass, and their cousin Timothy...
reached number 1 on the R&B charts in 1990, and it also placed on the US top 100 (number 9) and on the dance charts (number 3). Today charted again in 1990 with "Why You Gettin' Funky On Me?", which reached number 2 on the R&B charts. "Let's Chill" by Guy
Guy (band)
Guy are a hip hop, R&B and soul band most closely associated with the new jack swing style of the 1980s and 1990s.-Origins :Guy was formed in Harlem, New York in 1987 by R&B singer-songwriters Aaron Hall, young musician/record producer Teddy Riley and Timmy Gatling...
garnered a number 3 spot on the US R&B charts.
Color Me Badd
Color Me Badd
Color Me Badd was an R&B vocal group that was formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S. The original members of the group were Bryan Abrams ; Mark Calderon ; Sam Watters and Kevin Thornton...
had a number 1 hit with "I Wanna Sex You Up
I Wanna Sex You Up
"I Wanna Sex You Up" is a hit single for R&B group Color Me Badd in 1991, released as the first single from their debut album C.M.B.. It achieved a huge success in the U.S., UK and New Zealand, where it reached #1 on the charts. It spent four weeks at No...
". That same year, Christopher Williams
Christopher Williams (singer)
Christopher Williams is an American R&B singer and actor.-Music career:...
released a single "I'm Dreamin'
I'm Dreamin'
"I'm Dreamin" is the title of a number-one R&B single by Christopher Williams. It appeared over the end credits the film New Jack City and featured on the soundtrack of the same...
" from the New Jack City
New Jack City
New Jack City is a 1991 crime film starring Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, Mario Van Peebles, Judd Nelson, and Chris Rock. Snipes stars as Nino Brown, a rising drug dealer and crime lord in New York City during the crack epidemic...
soundtrack, which became a #1 single on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart. Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are the most successful R&B group of all time, having sold more than albums worldwide. In the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet, but original member Michael McCary...
's song "Motownphilly
Motownphilly
"Motownphilly" is Boyz II Men's 1991 debut single for their debut album Cooleyhighharmony. The single was a success peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Michael Bivins, who co-wrote the song, provides a guest rap on the song...
" was a #1 R&B hit and top five U.S. pop hits. "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)
I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)
"I Like the Way " is the title of a number-one pop and R&B single by Hi-Five from the group's debut self-titled album, Hi-Five. The hit song spent two weeks at number-one on the US R&B chart and one week at number-one on the US Billboard Hot 100.-Charts:-Track listings:CD single# Radio Edit #...
" by Hi-Five
Hi-Five
Hi-Five is an American R&B quintet based out of Waco, Texas, who had a #1 hit on Billboard's Hot 100 in the early 1990s with "I Like the Way ". Hi-Five was formed in 1990, and consisted of the late Tony Thompson, Roderick "Pooh" Clark, Marcus Sanders, Russell Neal, and Toriano Easley...
garnered the US #1 and R&B #1 spots.
Jodeci's debut album Forever My Lady garnered 3 #1 R&B Hits in the fall of 1991. (Forever My Lady, Stay, and Come and Talk To Me).
"Exclusivity
Exclusivity
Exclusivity is the title of a number-one R&B single by the late duo Damian Dame. Taken from their self-titled album, the hit song spent two weeks at number-one on the US R&B chart and peaked at number forty-two on the Hot 100. The single also made it to number forty-five on dance charts....
" by Damian Dame
Damian Dame
Damian Dame was an R&B duo consisting of Debra Jean "Deah Dame" Hurd and Bruce Edward "Damian" Broadus .In 1991, Damian Dame became the first act signed to LaFace Records...
charted as number-one R&B single, spending two weeks at the top position, a position also achieved by The Rude Boys
The Rude Boys
-Group:Band members: Joe N Little III , Edward Lee Banks , Larry Marcus and Melvin Sephus-History:Beginnings...
with their song "Are You Lonely For Me
Are You Lonely for Me
"Are You Lonely for Me" is the title of a number-one R&B single by group The Rude Boys. The song spent one week at number one on the US R&B chart, despite not having a music video to back up its success. "Are You Lonely for Me" was the group's second number-one single....
". In 1992, Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's single "Remember The Time
Remember the Time
"Remember the Time" is a single by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson recorded in the Hit Factory Miami. The song was released by Epic Records on January 14, 1992, as the second single from Jackson's eighth studio album, Dangerous. Written and composed by Teddy Riley, Michael Jackson and...
" placed at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 2 on the Hot Dance Music/Club, and number 1 in the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop category. Joe Public
Joe Public (band)
Joe Public is a new jack swing group from Buffalo, New York. It consisted of lead singer and bass guitarist Kevin Scott, keyboardist and guitarist Jake Carter, percussionist and drummer Dwight "Mr. Dew" Wyatt and lead guitarist Joe "J.R." Sayles...
's single "Live and Learn
Live and Learn (Joe Public song)
"Live and Learn" is a song by American new jack swing group Joe Public, released as the second single from their self-titled debut album, Joe Public.It was a success, peaking at #4 on the U.S...
" hit #4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, #3 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart and becoming the group's most successful single. Chuckii Booker
Chuckii Booker
Chuckii Booker is an African American award-winning producer, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and bandleader.-Biography:...
scored a #1 R&B hit with his song "Games
Games (Chuckii Booker song)
"Games" is a song by American R&B singer Chuckii Booker, from his second studio album Niice 'n Wiild. The single spent one week at number-one on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and peaked at number sixty-eight on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100"Games" is a song by American R&B singer...
". That same year, "She's Got That Vibe" by R.Kelly and Public Announcement
Public Announcement
Public Announcement is an R&B and hip hop group, which was formed in 1990 in Chicago, Illinois, originally backing singer R. Kelly on his first album.-1990-1994: Born Into The 90's:...
reached the number 7 position on the R&B charts. "Weak
Weak (song)
"Weak" is an R&B ballad recorded by the girl group SWV for their debut album, It's About Time . It was written and produced by Brian Alexander Morgan, who composed the lyrics based upon his feelings towards R&B singer Chanté Moore....
" by SWV
SWV
Sisters with Voices, better known as SWV, is an American female R&B trio from New York. Formed in 1990 as a gospel group, SWV became one of the most successful R&B groups of the 1990s. They had a series of hits, including "Weak", "Right Here/Human Nature", "I'm So Into You", and "You're the One"....
(Sisters With Voices) hit the number one spot on both the US top 100 and the R&B charts. In 1993: "Don't Walk Away" by Jade
Jade (U.S. band)
Jade was an R&B group active during the early to mid 1990s. The group consisted of Tonya Kelly, Joi Marshall, and Di Reed. During their brief yet successful career, Jade released two studio albums, one live album, and a string of popular R&B singles.-History:...
made it to number 7 and number 3 in the US top 100 and R&B charts, respectively. The New Jack R&B group II D Extreme
II D Extreme
II D Extreme was an American new jack swing/urban R&B group from the early 1990s that included D'Extra Wiley, Randy Gill and Jermaine Mickey...
scored a hit in 1993 with their New Jack ballad "Cry No More
Cry No More
"Cry No More" is a hip hop song by hip hop artist Shareefa. It is the second and final single from her debut album, Point of No Return. The single was produced by Darkchild and samples The Stylistics' "The Miracle", and contains an interpolation of "Soul Survivor" by Young Jeezy and Akon. It was...
". TLC
TLC (band)
TLC is an American musical trio whose repertoire spanned R&B, hip-hop, soul, funk, and new jack swing. Originally consisting of singer Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, rapper-singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and singer Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas it found success in the 1990s while also enduring a series of spats...
's debut album, "Ooooooohhh.... On the TLC Tip
Ooooooohhh.... On the TLC Tip
-Album:-Singles:"—" denotes releases that did not chart.-Personnel:Information taken from Allmusic.*arranging – Dallas Austin, Jermaine Dupri, Dionne Farris, Marley Marl, DeRock Simmons*art coordination – Davett Singletary*art direction – Calvin Lowery...
" (1992) had several hits, including "What About Your Friends
What About Your Friends
"What About Your Friends" is TLC's third single from their debut album, Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip. The single was released in the fall of 1992. "What About Your Friends" reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 becoming the group's third top-ten single....
" and "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg
Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg
"Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg" is a song by American R&B/Hip hop group TLC from their debut album, Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip. It was released by LaFace Records in February 1992, and is the groups first single...
". In 1995, Montell Jordan
Montell Jordan
Montell Jordan is a former American R&B singer-songwriter and record producer. Jordan became the main solo male artist on its Def Soul imprint until leaving the label in 2003. Of his live performances it is often regarded that he is a rock oriented musician, with Jordan even going as far as to...
had a number one new jack swing hit, in "This is How We Do It
This Is How We Do It
"This Is How We Do It" is a 1995 song by American R&B singer Montell Jordan. This song, Jordan's first single, is representative of the new jack swing style popular at the time, featuring Jordan singing over an enhanced sample of Slick Rick's "Children's Story." "This is How We Do It" was...
".
Young artists were given the spotlight during this era. They included Tracie Spencer
Tracie Spencer
Tracie Monique Spencer is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, actress, and model.-Biography:She began singing by the age of three and modeling in pageant competitions at age five. Tracie performed, produced and directed her first music videos before she was ten years of age...
with her hit album Make the Difference (1990) and groups like The Boys
The Boys (band)
The Boys is an American R&B quartet composed of the four Abdulsamad brothers, Khiry , Hakeem , Tajh , and Bilal . The group started out singing in Carson, California. The group had three #1 singles on the R&B charts but never had a mainstream pop #1.-Early years:The Boys were encouraged by their...
with The Boys (Motown, 1990), Redhead Kingpin and the F.B.I.
Redhead Kingpin and the F.B.I.
Redhead Kingpin and the F.B.I. was a hip hop/New Jack Swing group best known for its debut single and highest-charting song, "Do the Right Thing" from its album A Shade of Red, which peaked at #13 on the UK Singles Chart in 1989...
, whose Teddy Riley-produced debut album A Shade of Red contained the hit single "Pump It Hottie", which reached #2 on the US Hot Rap Singles Chart in 1990, and Another Bad Creation
Another Bad Creation
Another Bad Creation were an American R&B and rap musical group from Atlanta, Georgia.-History:ABC consists of Romell “RoRo” Chapman, Chris Sellers, David Shelton and brothers Demetrius and Marliss Pugh, as well as “unofficial” member Adrian “G.A.” Witcher...
with Coolin' at the Playground Ya Know! (1991).
Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
incorporated a strong new jack swing sound into her 1991 album Let's Get to It
Let's Get to It
Let's Get to It is the fourth album by Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue. It was released by PWL on 14 October 1991 and was a top twenty album in both Minogue's native Australia and the United Kingdom.-Album information:...
, most notably the lead single "Word Is Out". Although the album and single releases did not chart in the US, they did achieve success in the UK, Australia and throughout Europe. This exemplified the growing international popularity of the new jack swing genre.
Mexican pop singer Paulina Rubio
Paulina Rubio
Paulina Susana Rubio Rue is a Mexican singer and actress. Rubio achieved international stardom with her fifth studio album, Paulina...
also incorporated a strong new jack swing system into her debut 1992 album La Chica Dorada
La Chica Dorada
La Chica Dorada is the debut album by Mexican pop diva Paulina Rubio's debut solo album and her first under the EMI Latin record label. The album includes Rubio's signature song and the single that launched her solo career, " Mio", along with "Sabor a Miel" and "Amor de Mujer"...
and second album 24 Kilates
24 Kilates
24 Kilates is Mexican singer Paulina Rubio's second album as a solo artist released in 1993. The hit singles "Nieva, Nieva", "El Me Engañó", and "Asunto de Dos" arose from the album.- Track listing :- Singles :...
and most notably her hit lead single Mío
Mio
Mio or MIO may refer to:*"My" or "mine" in Italian and Spanish* mio, a written abbreviation for "millions" as a unit indicator in the financial markets...
which is one of the best songs in the '90s in Spain, third single Amor de Mujer
Amor de Mujer
Amor de Mujer is the third single from La Chica Dorada , the first album by Mexican pop diva Paulina Rubio, and the second official video from the album. It was released in March 1993. It entered the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks, peaking at # 8.- Charts :...
which it also entered the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks, peaking at # 8.
Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
's 1992 album Erotica featured new jack swing sounds on several tracks including the singles "Erotica
Erotica (song)
"Erotica" is the lead single from American singer-songwriter Madonna's fifth studio album, Erotica . The single was released in October 1992 by Maverick Records, and later included on her greatest hits albums GHV2 and Celebration...
", "Fever" and "Bye Bye Baby
Bye Bye Baby (Madonna song)
"Bye Bye Baby" is the sixth and final single by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her fifth studio album Erotica. It was released on November 15, 1993.-Single information:...
", as well as combining the genre with house music.
Criticism
As new jack swing became more popular in the early 1990s, there was backlash from comparatively "harder" acts in hip-hop (particularly gangsta rapGangsta rap
Gangsta Rap is a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths. Lyrics in gangsta rap have varied from accurate reflections to fictionalized accounts. Gangsta is a non-rhotic pronunciation of the word...
), who felt that Brown and the NJS scene had sold them out, capitalizing on the early popularity of rap but watering down its core message. In his song "Wrong Nigga To Fuck Wit," Ice Cube
Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
criticized NJS with the line: "It ain't no pop cause that sucks/And you can new jack swing on my nuts." This line was later sampled for NJS group Tony! Toni! Toné!
Tony! Toni! Toné!
Tony! Toni! Toné! is an American Soul/R&B group from Oakland, California, popular during the late 1980s and early to mid 1990s. During the band's heyday, it was composed of D'wayne Wiggins on lead vocals and guitar, his brother Raphael Saadiq on lead vocals and bass, and their cousin Timothy...
's 1993 single "If I Had No Loot."