I've talked about this young baubler within various snippets and figured I had to lay out a formal review. Barely legal at 21 years old, Jaheim's flavor is R&B with a hard core but sensual twist. And as much as I despise these new sub-categories of soul (i.e. Avant's Ghetto Soul), even I have to admit that Jaheim's "Ghetto Love" is appropriately titled.
If there is such a thing as ghetto soul, Jaheim epitomizes the sound: deep, soulful voice, beats that mix R&B and hip-hop flavor, and lyrics that speak to the slang and tone of today's urban scene. "Ghetto Love" offers all of these, so it is he, not Avant that personifies it best.
Ironically, those songs on the CD which combine old sound and new style holds the most promise. When he goes for traditional R&B like in "Waitin on You" and "Love is Still Here" - the songs aren't as appealing.
Hit singles, "Could It Be" - a nouveux, love song strictly for the Jeeps and "Just in Case," a ghetto-ballad, set the tone for the CD. Two of the best on the project, both songs showcase Jaheim's strong voice and unique sound.
When he leans towards the traditional style of R&B it just doesn't come off as well. Maybe the old style is just too tame for his vocals and flavor- because those tracks are almost bland.
As pointed out to me by my hubby - Jaheim probably just has to grow into that sound. After all, he tends to dress in fubu-like fashion which suits his music, which isn't traditional. So the funkier tracks with a heavy bass line just go better with his voice and his style.
Track 3, "Looking for Love" is also a nice cut. The bassline is tight and the vocals are smooth.
There are so few CD's that I can listen to in its entirety with my six year old daughter, without having to speed through some of the racier songs. But minus a lyric or two, I've added Jaheim to my collection of PG-13 musical material that I don't mind pumping up the volume as we ride along.
As my loyal readers know, I'm always looking for the artists that will keep R&B alive, and Jaheim is definitely a candidate for that list.
As he matures into his sound he'll easily be able to capture both a young and older audience. It will be interesting, in later years, to see how well he transitions from the funkier new sound, to a more traditional, mature R&B sound. If he can do that, he's assured a nice, lengthy career.
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