Ranking the Best Jaheim Albums
I’ve been a fan of Jaheim’s music ever since he rolled up on ol’ girl with the Gucci headwrap in his debut video but I’ve held off on a rankings retrospective for years now.
And if you have to ask why clearly you aren’t on social media much. I had no desire to go to war with the Twitter Cancel Conglomerate over Jaheim’s outbursts. It really ain’t that serious.
But let’s ignore the political nonsense and Uber rides and focus on what the man should be known for – a decade-plus of really great music. When he challenged Usher to a Verzuz battle last week and the Internet mocked him incessantly, here’s what they missed – no, Jah ain’t beating Usher but his catalog is actually pretty good.
Much better than you probably remember, in fact. And since I’m cursed with the burden of brutal honesty, I had to step in the room and keep it real.
So let’s look back at Jah’s seven albums (minus compilations) and rank ’em all from bottom to top.
You can criticize Jaheim for a lot of things but music probably isn’t one of them.
7. Another Round (2010)
Soul In Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: Jah’s worst album really isn’t all that bad. He struck gold when he dropped “Finding My Way Back,” his best hit in years at the time. The rest of the album comes off kinda generic in comparison – solid but woefully uneventful songs that drift from syrupy love joints to dull club joints. The first half is snoozeville but a few standouts start to peek through the fog on the second half, helping to close things out on a high note. Oh, and shout out to “Closer” a song about falling in love with a random girl from Bham Alabama – that one hits eerily close to home. Jah might owe me a check for the inspiration of that one.
Forgotten favorites: “Her,” “II Pink Lines,” “Closer”
6. Struggle Love (2016)
Soul In Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: Jah’s final album to date isn’t necessarily a struggle to get through, but it’s definitely lacking … something. That might have something to do with the rampant inconsistency of the tracks. For every genuinely great song like “Nights Like This” (that sax is MAGIC) you get generic rapper braggadocio like “My Shoes.” The sensuous moments mostly hit but Jah’s efforts to stay connected to the streets feel much more forced than his glory days. Not bad but certainly not memorable.
Forgotten favorites: “Nights Like This,” “Keep,” “Songs to Have Sex To”
5. Appreciation Day (2013)
Soul In Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: Props to Jaheim for making sure he has always had at least one big banger to anchor his albums. This time, it’s “Age Ain’t a Factor” aka the Benjamin Button song. If you couldn’t tell from that track, some of the writing on this album can be kinda … weird at times. Like when Jah drags Superman and Batman into his drama on “He Don’t Exist” or when he starts comparing his woman to Krispy Kreme on the title track – trust me, you don’t wanna know how that goes. When he leaves the bizarre metaphors alone the album works much better. Despite mixing issues on a couple tracks and whatever they were smoking when writing a few of these songs, there’s plenty to, um, appreciate here.
Forgotten favorites: “Morning,” “I Found You,” “First Time”
4. Still Ghetto (2002)
Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: Judging from responses on my little corner of the Internet, Jaheim’s sophomore album just might be his most beloved. As the title suggests, this one feels like a direct extension of its predecessor – same gritty swag laced with those sensuous vocals. Though it’s better sequenced than his debut, there’s one flaw – the album cuts just aren’t as strong. The project’s energy gets a little stagnant and groggy near the end. Still, a great sophomore album that mostly holds up today.
Forgotten favorites: “Diamond in the Ruff,” “Me and My B****,” “Backtight”
3. The Makings of a Man (2007)
Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: I think y’all slept on this one; I certainly did. The first non-Ghetto album is, unsurprisingly, just as hood as ever. Although Jah’s spotlight had started to dim a bit by the mid 00s (which is why it slipped under most fans’ radars) his chemistry with longtime collaborator KayGee is as rock-solid as ever. I love his commitment to showing love to the pioneers like the Dramatics and Bobby Womack – he absolutely floats over the samples and remakes here. Even “Back Together Again,” which details the death of his parents, rings with hopefulness instead of the expected (and understandable) sorrow. I forgot how strong this one was; it definitely deserves more love.
Forgotten favorites: “Just Don’t Have a Clue,” “Voice of R&B,” “Lonely”
2. Ghetto Love (2001)
Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: Our introduction to Jaheim still stands as one of his greatest achievements. Those smooth, yet raspy vocals, his rugged edge, that mellow production – he really felt like the Teddy P for a new generation and this release wisely accentuated all of his strengths. It’s also home to his biggest hits, with “Just in Case,” “Could It Be” and “Anything” still standing as some of his most recognizable efforts. That said, the album’s overly long runtime needs work – there are handful of so-so tracks midway through that derail the momentum – but overall, this is how you make a first impression.
Forgotten favorites: “Ghetto Love,” “Waitin on You,” “Heaven in My Eyes”
1. Ghetto Classics (2006)
Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: The final installment of Jah’s Ghetto trilogy is not only Jah’s most underrated, it’s his best. Sure if you’re judging by the album’s solid but unspectacular single “Everytime I Think About Her” you might not get the big deal. But dive into the album itself and you’ll see Jah at his best. Ghetto Classics takes the strengths of Jah’s best work (great production and addictive soulfulness) and adjusts his shortcomings (cleaning up the pacing and sequencing issues of the earlier albums) to deliver a much more complete listening experience, especially when he hits a second gear on the final half. There’s also an air of maturity on this one, showing that young Jah the corner boy was growing into manhood. Ghetto Classics might not be Jaheim’s best known album, but it’s his best work.
Forgotten favorites: “Come Over,” “Forgetful,” “The Chosen One”
Which Jaheim album is your favorite? Have you checked out the lesser known joints? Pissed that one of the first two LPs didn’t land in the top spot? Yell and stuff below!
I’ll have to give his albums another listen because I remember enjoying Another Round but it’s hard to disagree with your top 3. Ghetto Classics is probably the best sequenced album. And my wife joined in as soon as I started playing The Chosen One. I don’t know if we’ve listened to that song in a decade.