Raphael Saadiq: The sound and colour of music pt 2

On this new track Raphael Saadiq looks to take it back to the doo-wop era in what I suspect is a deliberate and calculated move to prove that African American artists can still make good soul music. With a litany of artists from the UK and multi-racial bands making soul music reminiscent of a by-gone era, Saadiq probably figures he might as well throw his hat in the ring which is kind of ironic since he’s been down this path before. Will he get the the notoriety and spins from radio stations that usually overlook black soul artists in favour of white artists who do the same type of music?

Saadiq was always ahead of the pack even in 1996 when he released “House of Music“ with his band Tony Toni Tone. This album was filled with 60’s inspired soul anthems such as “still a man” and “don’t fall in love” to name a few. The album cover also recreated the look of a live recording session where the band is decked out in 60’s inspired garb. At the time the record was released Maxwell and D’angelo were ushering in a new brand of soul that record companies would later coin “neo soul” in hopes a creating a new category or subgenre to repackage and sell soul/r&b music.

New Album cover from Raphael Saadiq

Hopefully Raphael gets the kind of attention I think he deserves but my gut feeling is saying otherwise. Unfortunately I don’t think the media or mainstream public will be impressed when they hear a retro soul record from a blackman because they’ve come to expect that from black people – kinda like the black guy who can dunk. It’s sad to say but if he was more “melanin deficient” I think he would garner more excitement and critical acclaim. I have a rather cynical view of the North American record buying market which Dres from Black Sheep broke down quite eloquently (using hiphop as an example) with his verse from the song “to whom it may concern” where he states the following.

“But movin right along to the Woodstock
Stop, remember when the band was on rock
Negro music, heh, seperated
It blew up and became rap
and you hated it
That’s of course till you see
A motherfucker that, could be in your family
Drop lyrics then you hear it
With glee, then only thing it tells me
Is that you know a good thing
when you see it.
You run to get a ten
Cause you cannot be it
So, off the top off my head
I guess I keep it rollin
Till aaaaaaah… the rap gets stolen
Like so many other things called theft
And when it’s gone what will be left
YOU sucker, dumb fucker don’t turn blue
You know what?
Talkin’ to you”

Noel Gallagher should have listened to this verse before sounding off…I’ll let you interpret.

Below is a gift for reading this post – buy the record when it drops September 16.

Raphael Saadiq ft Stevie Wonder -Like it (Download)

Raphael’s myspace

~ by rshabazz on August 8, 2008.