New jack swing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
New Jack Swing, or "swingbeat"[1], is a hybrid style popular from the late-1980s into the mid-1990s, which fuses the rhythms, samples and production techniques of hip-hop with the urban contemporary sound of R&B. The new jack swing style developed as many previous R&B styles did, by combining elements of older styles with newer trends. It uses mellifluously soulful solo or harmonizing vocals sung over rhythms and "street" beats derived from urban musical influences. 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 jazz, funk, rap, and rhythm and blues[2] Encyclopedia Brittanica 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 SP1200 and Roland 808 drum machines to lay an "insistent beat under light melody lines and clearly enunciated vocals." [3] Encyclopedia Brittanica states that the "key producers" were Kenneth Brian "Babyface" Edmonds and Teddy Riley.[4]
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[edit] History
The term "new jack swing" was coined by journalist and New Jack City co-writer Barry Cooper to describe the sound produced by R&B/Hip hop artist and producer Teddy Riley. Riley 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 stated that "I define the term [New Jack Swing] as a new kid on the block who's swingin' it," [5].
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, during 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"[6]
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 were comprised of rhythmic beats with music, while others had singing alternating with rap sections over this same type of music. According to the 2004 The New Rolling Stone Album Guide, when Michael Jackson recorded his album Dangerous, he wanted to "update" his sound, so he replaced his previous producer Quincy Jones with "new jack swing producer Teddy Riley"[7]
[edit] Revival
Some NJS performers are still recording and touring, such as Raphael Saadiq,SWV, R. Kelly, TLC, Dallas Austin, Boyz II Men, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Will Smith, LL Cool J, and many others. New Jack Swing staged a revival of sorts in the mid-2000s, fuelled by the 2006 New Jack Reunion Tour. On September 8th 2007, New Jack Swing website New Jack Swing 4 Ever held a 20th Anniversary of New Jack Swing Celebration in New York City at Ashford + Simpson's Sugar Bar featuring Johnny Kemp, performer of 1988's early New Jack Swing track, "Just Got Paid." The genre was famously parodied by Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg in the SNL digital short "Dick in a Box." On October 8th, 2007 VH-1's 4th Annual Hip-Hop Honors paid tribute to New Jack Swing with their nationally televised ceremony.
[edit] Influences
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Ghostbusters film franchises helped spread New Jack Swing songs around—the former featuring MC Hammer, Technotronic, Partners in Kryme, and Vanilla Ice; while the latter had Ray Parker, Jr. and Bobby Brown (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 a minor character (Jazz) also on the show. A Different World , In Living Color and Family Matters. are sitcoms of the era which show influences from the new jack swing style. House Party with Kid 'n Play, Boyz N the Hood, Boomerang, Poetic Justice, Jason's Lyric and Bebe's Kids are movies from this time.Kid 'n Play and MC Hammer have their own Saturday morning cartoon.
Dance-oriented pop artists such as Deborah Gibson, Jane Child, Joey Lawrence, and New Kids on the Block also have new jack swing elements in their early 1990s output. Former members of Minneapolis music group "The Time", Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, created a new jack swing-like sound for Janet Jackson's third album Control. Jam and Lewis used similar influences with hip-hop drum beats with smoother R&B stylings in the production. The album established Janet's career in the music industry. To date the most successful New Jack Swing album is Dangerous, released in 1991 by Michael Jackson, which has sold 30 million copies worldwide.
[edit] Notable songs
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The following 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. In 1987, Keith Sweat's song "I Want Her" by 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. In 1988, New Jack Swing pioneer 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." In 1989 Wrecks-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 in 1989, Neneh Cherry's "Buffalo Stance" ranked 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. 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 song "Poison" and Johnny Gill's single "Rub You the Right Way" both 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". Also in 1990, then pop singer Whitney Houston wanted in on some of the sounds after being resented by the black community. She recorded "I'm Your Baby Tonight", produced by 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.[8] 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 (group) 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. "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, Chuckii Booker scored a top 10 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." Young artists were given the spotlight during this era. They include Tracie Spencer with her hit album Make the Difference(1990) and groups like The Boys with The Boys (Motown, 1990) and Another Bad Creation Coolin' at the Playground Ya Know!(1991). [edit] ReferencesHolden, Stephen (February 6, 1991), "Quite a Guy", The New York Times, <http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE7D81430F935A35751C0A967958260>
[edit] External linksNew Jack Swing 90's You Tube Vidoes http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=567B14F7ED97F4DA
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