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Pop Rock Nation

Tag: Wyclef Jean

  • The Daily Awesome: City High “What Would You Do?” (2001)

    Lauryn Hill is ready to record again! But hey, what about her Sister Act 2 co-star and fellow former Wyclef Jean associate Ryan Toby, who, along with (future Intervention-subject) Robby Pardlo and (Pardlo’s girlfriend and future ex-Mrs. Toby) Claudette Ortiz, recording as City High, scored a terrific surprise hit in 2001 with the song “What Would You Do?”.

    The song, a conversation between a guy at a party and a woman he knew from when they were kids who’s now working as a stripper and turning tricks on the side, treads a tricky line between passing judgment and urging empathy. It was an unusually earnest, message-y song more fitting the social consciousness of the late 80s than the blingy-clubby early Aughts (Toby actually scored his biggest hit as a songwriter with Will Smith’s “Miami”), but somehow it overcame, and damned if it doesn’t still sound great and feel resonant.

    Still, City High had trouble following it up – a second single “Caramel” did just all right. Meanwhile, tense group dynamics (putting it lightly) led to their break-up, and their self-titled album was their last. Toby did release a solo album called The Soul of the Songwriter in 2006 which came and went without much notice, but hasn’t put anything out since. Where is he now? YouTube, of course.

    City High “What Would You Do?”

  • We Are The World 25 For Haiti Video

    We Are The World 25 For Haiti
    Today, the We Are The World 25 For Haiti music video was released. Lionel Richie was on Oprah Winfrey earlier to talk about it.

    According to MTV.com, Richie told Oprah how Michael Jackson would be included in the song and video.

    He said:

    We have Michael singing that exact part [the chorus] and Janet singing along with him.

    Without further ado, here is the video along with a few comments from me underneath:

    – Justin Bieber sings Lionel’s intro?

    – Is that Nicole “The Terminator” Scherzinger singing next to Jennifer Hudson?

    – Putting MJ and Janet together was very classy and cool. I’m proud of how they included him.

    – Babs Streisand? Tony Bennett? I guess they had to average out the age because of Bieber and Miley Ray Cyrus.

    – I think Enrique Iglesias had a hard time escaping our love.

    – I think they should’ve had Jamie Foxx do Brother Ray’s memorable part.

    – I get Wyclef being a part of the song, but they should’ve told him to save the “someone please call 911” voice.

    – I thought Stevie Wonder came back for round two, but it was really Adam Levine.

    – I’m surprised Pink wasn’t singing in the air and twirling around.

    – Lionel: “Hey Usher, see, what we want you to do is do Huey Lewis’ part.” Usher: “Who is Huey Lewis?”

    – Thankfully, I didn’t enlarge the video, or else Fergie’s face would’ve made me fall out of my chair. As it was, I only hid my eyes.

    – Nicole “The Terminator” Scherzinger gets two parts? Is Lionel gettin’ that?

    – Look at Toni Braxton with the 1980s skater hair-cut. Someone un-broke her heart.

    – In the case of Lil’ Wayne, this time I approve of the Auto-tune.

    – In the case of Akon, I don’t approve of the Auto-tune. Dude can sing a little bit.

    – In the case of T-Pain, well, I would’ve rather seen MC Hammer on the track.

    – Well, I guess I got my wish with Jamie singing Brother Ray’s part.

    – I love that Uncle L, future of the funk, is leading the hip hop section. But um, where’s Kanye? And is that Tyrese with the rappers? Black Ty?

    – Ok, there’s Kanye, but what is will.i.am doing standing with Kanye. Dude can’t hold Kanye’s jockstrap in a suit case.

    There it is. I thought Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie did a really good job with the song, blending the original with some hip hop, and Wyclef’s Haitian sound.

  • They Put Me In The Mix – JS5 (JSlow 5)

    When I starting creating these slow jam tapes, really, they were to be about slow and inspiring music about love and relationships. I think I made a wrong turn at Albuquerque. This is the wackiest JSlow I’d ever done and probably will ever do. There are many songs that don’t make sense at all as to why they are on here. But away we go.

    JS5 (circa 1999)

    1. Could – Brian McKnight
    2. Say It – Voices Of Theory
    3. It Seems Like You’re Ready – R. Kelly
    4. They Don’t Know – Jon B.
    5. Do Your Thing – 7 Mile
    6. Your Body’s Callin’ – R. Kelly
    7. Brick – Ben Folds Five
    8. Gone Till November – Wyclef Jean
    9. All In Love Is Fair – Stevie Wonder
    10. And Our Feelings – Babyface
    11. I Don’t Want To Ever See You Again – Uncle Sam
    12. Never Is A Promise – Fiona Apple
    13. When Can I See You – Babyface
    14. I Don’t Wanna Go On – Innerlude
    15. The Only One For Me – Brian McKnight
    16. Sweet Thing – Mary J. Blige
    17. The Sweetest Thing – Lauryn Hill
    18. Baby You Are – Uncle Sam

    Why were there two R. Kelly songs on there were like 4 years old? No clue. Looking back, I think I just wanted to put another tape together and just found any slow song that I hadn’t already used, even those that weren’t about love or heartbreak. And this was before my ban on R. Kelly music.

    • I was definitely in Brian McKnight fan mode at this point and The Only One For Me still does it for me.
    • Whatever happened to Voices Of Theory?
    • Whatever happened to 7 Mile (one of Mariah Carey’s first and only signings on her now defunct label)?
    • I loved Brick and while it’s not the typical love song, I still enjoy it.
    • The shades and shadows undulate in my perception – enough said Fiona, enough said.
    • Even though All In Love Is Fair is the most depressing Stevie Wonder song ever, I still had to add it
    • I was buying everything during this time, even Uncle Sam, who was a once protege of Boyz II Men
    • Innerlude? Don’t ask.
    • Remember when Lauryn Hill used to be The Sweetest Thing?

    JSlow 6 would be my first since my oldest son was born, so you can imagine what’s on that one.

    Previous JSlows
    Jam Slow
    JSlo 3
    JSlow 4