What Ever Happened to: Chantay Savage

When did Walgreens get so awesome?

During my daily trip to our neighborhood pharmacy (emphasis on "hood") to restock on the essentials - Sour Patch Kids and Lemonheads - the classic empowerment anthem "I Will Survive" played in the background.

But it wasn't the version you're probably thinking of, it was Chantay Savage's remake of the Gloria Gaynor disco masterpiece.

Sour Patch Kids and 90s drug-store playlists. These are the blessing in my life.

But enough about me, what about Chantay? Let's revisit her career.

Before Chicago native Chantay Savage forged a solo career, she made waves behind the scenes as a session musician, singer, and songwriter. Fun fact: Chantay co-wrote CeCe Peniston's 1992 No. 1 hit "We Got A Love Thang." Thank Wikipedia for that tidbit, even I know didn't know that one.

In 1993, Chantay released her first single, "If You Believe," a track that would later be featured in the 1995 film "Party Girl." Judging by the poster, I won't be rushing to watch it on Netflix anytime soon.

I guess drunk librarians were hilarious in the 90s. Those shoes certainly are laughable.

Chantay later dropped her debut album, Here We Go..., which produced her first minor hit, "Betcha'll Never Find." This still kinda jams today. It cracked the R&B Top 20 and was Chantay's first solo victory. She followed up with another upbeat track, "Don't Let It Go To Your Head," and slowed it down a bit for "Give It to Ya." Neither made much of an impact but y'all slept on "Give It to Ya." Now that was a hit.

In 1996, Chantay reached her zenith, courtesy of the sounds of Ms. Gaynor. Chantay's version of "I Will Survive", the first single from I Will Survive (Doin' It My Way), peaked at No. 5 on the R&B charts, becoming her biggest hit. Remember BET's Video Soul Countdown on Friday evenings? This joint LIVED on that countdown.

I've said it a billion times in this very column: If you wanna remake a song - especially a song as iconic as "I Will Survive" - you CAN'T match it note for note with the original. We've already heard that version; give us something more. Instead of spitting out a carbon copy of the original, Chantay went into an entirely different direction. She slowed the tempo down to a crawl and made the track much more sultry and soulful. It still embodied the message of the original yet sounded completely different. She made it her own. Genius.

The follow-up single, "Baby Drive Me Crazy" was OK but didn't gain much traction, probably because it veered to close to Mary J. Blige's lane. The album peaked at No. 14 on the R&B charts but couldn't crack pop's top 100. Chantay did get a little shine courtesy of Common months later when they collaborated on "Reminding Me (Of Sef)" from Com's One Day It'll All Make Sense LP.

Chantay returned to the game in 1999 with This Time and her lead single, "Come Around," which was produced by Keith Sweat and featured background vocals from Kut Klose's Athena Cage.

A slow jam produced by King Keef with Athena on the hook? Playa, add a rap from Biggie and this would be my dream song! Too bad listeners didn't share my enthusiasm. It didn't gain much ground. Neither did the second single, "My Oh My." Both were great though. The album was well-received critically but, as you'd expect, cash registers didn't ring.

This Time was Chantay's final album. In recent years she's kept a low profile, recording one-off tracks here and there, including vocals on this remake of Earth Wind & Fire's "September" and "Let Nobody."

Should She Come Back?: '90s R&B was a competitive time, especially among female artists. I always felt that Chantay had more to offer than what most fans heard. In today's climate, thanks to YouTube, Internet and superior music sites like THIS ONE RIGHT HERE, Chantay's music might have a better shot of reaching fan's ears.

In the meantime, though, I guess we'll always have Walgreens.

Revisit more music industry veterans in our "What Ever Happened" to archive

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Flashback Friday: J. Cole and Lil' Wayne

Let's do something a bit different today.

Instead of revisiting old albums, let's look at two phenomenal mixtapes - both of which are free for the taking.

Giving away music this good should be a crime. If you don't have them yet, Google is your friend.

J. Cole, Friday Night Lights (2010)

Personally, this is probably my favorite mixtape of all time and the one that finally made me buy into the Cole hype. If it were an album, I'd have no problem giving it 5 stars. Easily. Cole's later LPs haven't come close to capturing the magic of this mixtape but I'm holding out hope that he gets there one day.




Also check out:
"The Autograph"
"Villematic"

Lil Wayne, No Ceilings (2009)

Ah, No Ceilings, the last time Weezy decided to put any effort into his craft. Wayne's at his best when he's just ratting off nonsense over other people's beats. He goes on a rampage here, making me appreciate songs that I once despised, like that terrible "Swag Surfin'" track. Sadly, that Wayne is long gone now and has been replaced by the creature that recorded I Am Not A Human Being II. RIP Mixtape Weezy.




Also check out:
"Swag Surf"
"Throw It In The Bag"

Now, it’s your turn. Email soulinstereoblog@gmail.com  hit me up on Twitter @etbowser, or stop by the comments section and share your Flashback Friday album. Leave a couple of sentences describing what makes it so great. I’ll feature your album on the blog.

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Lil Boosie Released From Jail. Lord Help Us All.

On Ash Wednesday, your favorite ashy rapper finally came home. From TMZ.com:

Lil Boosie is a free man ... the rapper has just been released from a Louisiana State Penitentiary where he's been locked up since 2009 on drug charges.  

31 year old Boosie -- real name Torrence Hatch -- was intitially locked up on a marijuana charge in '09 -- but during his stay, he was busted attempting to smuggle drugs into prison -- so a judge tacked 8 years on to his original 4 year sentence.

Lord help us all. The apocalypse is upon us.

For years, hip hop has been screaming FREE BOOSIE, like he's the Mandela of Black Twitter. And no one has successfully explained why we should be so excited for the return of a C-list rapper.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Boosie served his time and is out of the bing, but what exactly does he bring back to the game? The fact that he's "real" because he's an ex-con? Hip-hop has plenty of those. His weird, high-pitch flow that sound like Tommy Pickles in the cypher? Or are people really that impressed by rappers who spell words in their bars?

I've given y'all plenty grief for downright worshiping 2pac's HIGHLY overrated corpse but at least I somewhat understand the admiration. Pac, between his hypocritical bars about killing people and lying about sleeping with people's wives, actually brought a level of social-consciousness to the game.

Name one thing Boosie has done to elevate hip hop. And don't say "spelling stuff" - it's already been done.

Just for the sake of transparency, some of my favorite rappers aren't exactly upstanding citizens. But at least they bring something unique to the game.

If you like Boosie, I'm not judging you (much). Do your thing. But why are his fans rejoicing like Big L rose from the ashes to become hip hop's savior? Unless Boosie has a hidden mixtape laden with molten bars, he doesn't offer anything that your 12-year-old aspiring rapper cousin couldn't provide.

He's a guilty pleasure, not a God MC. Chill.

Boosie wasn't jailed unjustly. And it's not like his departure robbed us of years of classics. It's almost like hip-hop just wanted to rally around something - anything - and picked this guy.

But let me step aside and let Boosie fans have their moment. The prodigal son has returned. Congratulations.

However, if you think he's gonna bless us with classic records, P-L-A-Y-A-P-L-E-A-S-E.

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Love Letters: Why Are Career Women Marrying Down?

What up, lovers, the HPIC (head playa in charge) is back for another stroll down lover's lane. Hope you're ready for some harsh truths; I'm like E. Honda when it comes to slapping y'all in the face with reality.

Guard your grill.

Got a question for me? Just share it here:

Send your inquiries to soulinstereoblog@gmail.com, or find me on Twitter @etbowser. Just provide your initials, or a fun nickname. 

Here's today's question:

Why are so many career women marrying down?

Working Woman

Before I started ranting, I asked the reader to provide a bit of detail, just for clarity's sake. She said:

For example, a professional woman that marries a janitor or garbage man.

OK, now I can rant. And I'll start by telling you to get your mind right.

Working in sanitation IS a career, playa. In this day and age, where my friends and family members are getting laid off left and right, they'd KILL to sling trash for a living if it keeps food on the table. You career women need to stop turning your nose up at jobs that don't meet your self-imposed criteria, even if the jobs are a little stinky. Just because your man isn't CEO of World Star Hip Hop doesn't mean he's a failure. If he's providing for your household (um, legally, I guess), he's a good man. Plain and simple.

To your point, though, there ARE women who are marrying down - that is, those who are marrying men with no ambition, no career goals and no desire to contribute to their households. Look, I'd love to sit around playing Arkham Origins on PlayStation 3 all day but adults have responsibilities. Stop hooking up with men who haven't adopted that mindset.

Marrying a garbage man isn't marrying down. Marrying a man who is just garbage? That's marrying down.

And here's a related question:

Help! I’m currently dating a young man who is a high school dropout but has a GED. He has a certificate from an 18 month school. I’m a college graduate. When I use big words around him he says those are "college words." He acts as if he is intimidated by my education. I like him but I’m not willing to dumb down for any man. It is obvious this man is insecure. What should I do?

KJ

Yep, clearly this guy is insecure and you're right, you should not dumb down or hide who you are to appease him. But we men have pride and nothing pierces it harder than being overshadowed by women. No, it's not fair to the ladies, but gender roles suck that way.

I need someone to make me a Gender Roles Suck jpg. I would use it in this column weekly.

Anyway, this is a tough one to deal with. Obviously, you should try reassuring him - let him know that you aren't judging him, that you're proud of him for getting that GED but you aren't gonna start talking like Yoda to appease him. However, he might feel like you're patronizing him, and that will make matters worse. 

As long as you're not throwing your intelligence in his face (talking down to him because he didn't finish school, or something), there's not much you can do other than continue to be supportive. He has to fight those insecurities on his own. He has to realize that a diploma, or lack thereof, doesn't define his manhood. You can remind him, but he has to accept that.

And one more:

What does it mean when your significant other says they need space? 

DW

In my experience, it means one of three things:

- You're smothering your significant other. Back up off him/her and let 'em breathe.

- It's a polite way of ending the relationship

- They're channeling Donell Jones: "Let's 'take a break' while I sleep with someone else real quick. And if they're wack I'll be back."

No matter the case, you're due more clarification than some teen angst buzzword like "needing space." Ask 'em what's truly the problem with the relationship and work accordingly to fix it.

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New Music: Big K.R.I.T. featuring Rick Ross, "New Agenda"

Image via

Late last week, Southern spitter K.R.I.T. announced "the week of K.R.I.T." in which he would release seven new tracks in as many days.

He starts us off strong with "New Agenda." That beat alone will make this March cold feel like drop-top weather. Check it out.

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Best Male R&B Groups of the '90s

Unless you're new to the game, you know we've spent the past month revisiting the greatest R&B artists of the 1990s.

If you missed out, or if you need to kill time at work a refresher, check these links:

Best Male R&B Artists of the 90s
Best Female R&B Artists of the 90s
Best Female R&B Groups of the 90s

Today, we wrap up with the 10 best male R&B groups of that beloved decade.

I'll be honest - by far, this was the most difficult list to compile. Before I dug into the research, I had an idea how this list would look. The finished produced looked nothing like I imagined. The top two spots were a given, but some of the '90s most beloved groups didn't make the cut due to surprisingly low sales while other groups rocketed up the list because, frankly, they were much more consistent than I remembered.

Before you start thuggin' in my inbox about the rankings, here's how I determined the list:

Time period. We're ONLY looking at the years 1990-1999.
Influence. Groups that went on to inspire future acts got top billing.
Consistency. Having one big year isn't enough to land you at the top of the list. The longer the impact, the better.
Sales. Platinum and gold certifications and No.1 singles went a long way in determining placement. Low sales hurt a lot of the contenders, and, specifically, knocked Mint Condition out of the top 10. I'm as shocked as you are.

So again, this isn't Edd's Favorite male R&B groups. Cuz that list would be easy:

1. LSG
2. The rest of y'all.

So take a look at the best the 90s had to offer. If you don't agree, that's what the comments section is for.

But we can all agree on one thing - these guys produced a decade of classics.

Honorable mention: H-Town, Mint Condition, Guy, Jagged Edge

10. LSG

Albums: Levert.Sweat.Gill (1997, 2x platinum)

No. 1 singles: "My Body" (1997, R&B)

Edd said: It's very rare that "supergroups" live up to the hype but LSG exceeded expectations. Three industry veterans added yet another critical and commercial success to their long resumes.

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9. New Edition

Albums: Home Again (1996, 2x platinum)

No. 1 singles: "Hit Me Off" (1996, R&B)

Edd said: The members of New Edition enjoyed most of their fame in the late '80s and spent the majority of the '90s on individual side projects. But their 1996 reunion proved that they still had the magic.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

8. Silk

Albums: Lose Control (1992, 2x platinum); Silk (1995, gold); Tonight (1999, platinum)

No. 1 singles: "Freak Me" (1993, pop and R&B)

Edd said: Sure, Silk enjoyed their biggest success in the early 90s but they remained consistent throughout the decade. Their '99 album is one of the most overlooked of the era.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

7. 112

Albums: 112 (1996, 2x platinum): Room 112 (1998, 2x platinum)

Edd said: Bad Boy had every facet of R&B on lock in the '90s, with 112 standing tall as one of the genre's most recognized guy groups. They enjoyed phenomenal success in the late '90s, with even bigger gains early in the next decade.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Bell Biv DeVoe

Albums: Poison (1990, 4x platinum); Hootie Mack (1993, gold)

No. 1 singles: "Poison" (1990, R&B); "B.B.D. (I Thought it was Me)"(1990, R&B); "Word to the Mutha!" (1991, R&B)

Edd said: I must admit, when compiling this list I initially wrote off BBD as one-hit wonders. I couldn't be more wrong. They absolutely owned the early years of the decade. With a little more consistency they would have ranked even higher.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Dru Hill

Albums: Dru Hill (1996, platinum); Enter The Dru (1998, 2x platinum)

No. 1 singles: "In My Bed" (1997, R&B); "Never Make A Promise" (1997, R&B); "How Deep Is Your Love" (1998, R&B)

Edd said: In the latter half of the decade, the Dru became R&B's preeminent male group. A slew of No. 1 singles cemented their spot.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Blackstreet

Albums: Blackstreet (1994, platinum); Another Level (1996, 4x platinum); Finally (1999, gold)

No. 1 singles: "No Diggity" (1996, pop and R&B); "Don't Leave Me" (1997, R&B)

Edd said: Blackstreet went from stars in the first half of the decade to supernovas in the second half. And it only took one album for them to reach Another Level. See what I did there? Their landmark sophomore set is what took them to the upper echelon.
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3. Tony! Toni! Toné!

Albums: The Revival (1990, platinum); Sons of Soul (1993, 2x platinum); House of Music (1996, platinum)

No. 1 singles: "The Blues" (1990, R&B); "Feels Good" (1990, R&B); "It Never Rains (In Southern California)" (1990, R&B); "Whatever You Want" (1991, R&B)

Edd said: These days, we're quick to remember the contributions of Raphael Saadiq while shortchanging the success of his entire group. Big mistake. Tony! Toni! Toné! burst into the 90s with a seemingly endless succession of hits. And while their profile was a bit lower later in the decade, they maintained their consistency.

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2. Jodeci

Albums: Forever My Lady (1991, 3x platinum); Diary of a Mad Band (1993, 2x platinum); The Show, The After Party, The Hotel (1995, platinum)

No. 1 singles: "Forever My Lady" (1991, R&B) "Stay" (1991, R&B); "Come And Talk To Me" (1992, R&B); "Cry For You" (1993, R&B); "Lately" (1993, R&B)

Edd said: Trendsetters. Jodeci trampled over the New Jack Swing era to usher in a rugged fusion of R&B and hip-hop, one that revolutionized the game. They became the blueprint for the male R&B that dominates airwaves today.

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1. Boyz II Men

Albums: Cooleyhighharmony (1991, 9x platinum); Christmas Interpretations (1993, 2x platinum); II (1994, diamond); Evolution (1997, 2x platinum)

No. 1 singles: "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday," (1991, R&B); "Uhh Ahh" (1991, R&B); "End of the Road" (1992, pop and R&B): "I'll Make Love To You" (1994, pop and R&B); "On Bended Knee" (1994, pop and R&B); "4 Seasons of Loneliness" (1997, pop); "A Song For Mama" (1997, R&B)

Edd said: Was there any question? Boyz II Men wasn't just the biggest R&B group of the '90s, they became one of the biggest groups worldwide in any genre. Their timeless contributions raised R&B's visibility and birthed the golden age of 1990s R&B that we all fondly remember. Give it up for Motown Philly.

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Flashback Friday: Capone-N-Noreaga and Tony Terry

Friday's here, so you know what that means - our weekly dose of classic heat. Here's what we're serving up.

Capone-N-Noreaga, The War Report (1997)

It's amazing that this album even saw the light of day. After Capone violated his parole and was locked down for awhile, partner NORE enlisted the help of his New York brethren and completed one of the most influential East Coast rap albums in the game. I haven't listened to this one in awhile; it's long past time for me to revisit it. Join me, you won't be disappointed.




Also check out:
"L.A L.A."
"Illegal Life"

Tony Terry (1990)

Y'all know I'm a sucker for New Jack Swing. Tony Terry was the best of both of those words, supplying upbeat dance cuts and tender ballads. His self-titled sophomore album was his best work.




Also check out:
"Everlasting Love"
"Let Me Love You"
What Ever Happened to: Tony Terry

Now, it’s your turn. Email soulinstereoblog@gmail.com  hit me up on Twitter @etbowser, or stop by the comments section and share your Flashback Friday album. Leave a couple of sentences describing what makes it so great. I’ll feature your album on the blog.

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