Too Old To Hip-Hop?

Disclaimer: These views are based on preliminary review of cuts from the new BBD CD. Further listening could change these views to some degree.

Okay, so I've put my disclaimer out there - just in case I end up really liking some of these tracks later. But after checking out samples from BBD's newest project I can only surmise that maybe the game has left them behind.

Let's first acknowledge that these guys were the founding fathers of Hip-Hop on the R&B tip before infamous collabos such as Method Man and Mary J. Blige and the newest (and strangest) with Snoop Dogg and Babyface. So mad props for starting the trend that has produced some really hot R&B/Hip-hop tracks.

But now that the winds of change has blown through the music industry, I'm not sure BBD can keep up with the style they helped establish. Based on the samples from their CD, it seems like they're stuck in a time warp. Merely regurgitating an old style within a few new tracks.

BBD's resurgence on the scene opens up age old questions like, what makes a group hot and what makes music good? Preferences aside, there are some common elements to hot groups and good music. Among them:

Element 1: A trend setting sound

Element 2: Tracks that move you, either literally or figuratively

Element 3: Some level of connection between the artist, their original sound and today's environment.

When BBD hit the scene in the early 90's they had each of these elements. It was the first time Hip-hop had been merged effectively with R&B music; they not only made great dance music but managed to pull off several ballads; and they were able to capitalize on their New Edition persona yet still convincingly established a new, more modern image.

So here we are nearly 10 years later, but I don't think a slamming success is in the cards. While "Da Hot S***," slated to be the first release, does sound fairly decent, none of the other samples grabbed me. Disclaimer #2, these were only 30 second sound bites! But still, if I like a song it doesn't take the full 3 or 5 minutes to determine that.

What I also gathered from the samples is that, though well into their 30's, the gentlemen of BBD seem as if they're still teens. After all these years, they're still talking the usual "baby, baby, yo, baby" stuff that was okay for men reaching their sexual peak 10 years ago, but is just sad now.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic