This week’s From The Vault journey’s back to the early 00’s with Jagged Edge. The R&B maestros’ dance-floor jam ‘Where The Party At’ serves as our latest pick.
A classic by most counts, ‘Party’ was released in May 2001, automatically becoming the Summer-smash of that same year. It was produced by the era’s formidable hitmaker Jermaine Dupri and featured rapper-singer Nelly.
The first single from J.E.’s third LP ‘Jagged Little Thrill’, the cut was a #3 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and a #1 smash on the Billboard Hip-Hop/R&B. It peaked at #25 in the UK and reached the seventeenth position on the Canadian charts.
Dave Meyers took the directorial helm of ‘Party’s sun-soaked visual, which offered a literal yet enjoyable take on the song’s lyrics. Indeed, the liquor flowed – even in the pool – and scantily-clad women are omnipresent. As was the norm at the time, the guys paired their pipes with choreography and bust out a few moves of their own amidst the clip’s racy antics.
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With male R&B experiencing a resurgence of sorts in recent years, we feel the scene is still missing an act that would bring the R&B-boy-band agenda back to being front and centre. Put simply, a modern take on the Jagged Edges and 112s of the world. Or a refreshed re-incarnation of the Boyz II Mens and Jodecis. For, the current era seems thirsty in 2014 for a continuation of what Jagged Edge brought to the table during the late 90’s and 00s’.
With Day 26 on the comeback trail, we believe they could execute such task amazingly (with the right backing). Still, we’d like for YOU to tell us about a boy band – up and coming or established – who you feel could fit the bill.