R&B/Soul/Urban - Christion, Tony Toni Tone, Jay-Z

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R&B/SOUL/URBAN MUSIC

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Title:	"GHETTO CYRANO"
Artist:	"CHRISTION"
Label:	Roc-A-Fella/Defjam
Available:	Any Major Music Store
Reviewed By:	Donn Jehs
Rating:

There must be something in the water. How else can you explain all the talent that comes out of Oakland, California? Allen Anthony Richardson and Kenny "Ski" Fayski, who make up the dynamite duo, "Christion," are the latest with their concept album, "Ghetto Cyrano."

The album is divided into four parts. The first section is easily the most powerful. The first five cuts tell a story of a ghetto that is both compelling and disturbing. The smooth delivery of "Christion" only makes the impact all that more telling. "The Ghetto (Do What You Wanna Do)" explores the rationale that a drug dealer uses to explain his actions to himself and others, 'Still I try to believe by selling a key of ghetto/Disease, not me, my family, my baby might live/to see no regrets'. the song compels us to pay no mind to the damage the dealer does to others -- survival is uppermost. 'Ain't no regrets in the ghetto.'

The second cut is "Full of Smoke" an accurate description of the life of a user, getting high while his world comes apart around him. He can't stop, he doesn't want to stop and the mellow voices singing this message are filled with the anguish of pleasure and pain. The narrative between cuts gives the story continuity and coherence. From drugs to death in "Pull It" the message is interlaced with the story of death on the street, overlaid like a useless bandage on a festering wound. The cycle of ghetto life is the same old movie playing over and over in "Where I'm From." The story is the same, only the players change.

From ghetto streets to satin sheets, the second part of the album deals with sex and relationships and the crooning voices of Allen and Kenny are enough to melt butter. "Midnight X ta C's" sultry beat, breathing, and lyrics all combine to send a rush of desire pounding through the body. One of the sexiest songs to come along since "Sexual Healing." With this song's lyrics still coursing through your brain and veins you're ready for the next cut where "Anything Goes" a soul version of "Behind Closed Doors" where nobody knows what you do.

The only cover on this album "I Wanna Get Next To You" fits right in, especially with the treatment 'Christion" gives it. This part of the album is like hearing the male counterparts of "Sade" with the same kind of impact on the ladies that she has on the guys. "Bring Back Your Love" rounds out this sexual chorus.

From sex to love, the ballads continue with "Face Like Yours" and a live performance of "Come To Me" before an obviously adoring crowd of ladies. An acoustic guitar opens "Soon", the softest, smoothest cut on the album. Like oil on troubled waters "Soon" eases you back down to the finale, the aftermath. "Tonight" is a kind of reprise of the previous ballads touching on the themes and sounds of them to create a new whole. The album closes with a message in the "Aftermath". 'Looking on back on life I don't know/If I can forgive myself' for the means of destruction are man-made. Like the end of an Aesop fable there is a moral to the story, there are regrets and sorrow, even in the ghetto.

Title:	"HITS"
Artist:	"TONY TONI TONE"
Label:	Mercury
Available:	Any Major Music Store
Reviewed By:	Donn Jehs
Rating:

Ten years ago three fellows from Oakland, CA recorded a song called "Little Walter" with a gospel-like tone and heavy beat. Today it is just as effective a song as it was on their debut album "Who". The vocals of Raphael Saadiq, his brother, D'Wayne Wiggins on guitar and Timothy Christian Riley on drums have given us soul music with an edge, ballads with a beat.

There are 14 tracks from their first four albums plus an additional cut from the soundtrack of "Soul Food" courtesy of Babyface, "Boys And Girls". Opening with "If I Had No Loot", from their third album "Sons Of Soul", it is a commentary on the kind of friends money and fame brings. A dance favorite with a pulsing drumbeat and great horn bridge. Also from "Sons of Soul" is the mellow lovers' song "Anniversary" replete with violin solo, one that celebrates the special moment in a couple's life. Suggestive, sexy, and a song of seduction, "(Lay Your Head On My) Pillow" is mood music at its best. "My Ex-Girlfriend" completes the quartet of songs from SOS. A story of one of life's bitter lessons and how blind love can make a person.

There are also four songs from their sophomore effort, "Revival," the best being "It Never Rains", a classic soul ballad that may be their single most recognized and played song. "The Blues" with its one word chorus hits home with every guy who's been ignored by a woman because he doesn't have the status symbols to satisfy her gold-digging nature. A pounding drumbeat, like the pounding in your heart, opens "It Feels Good" with a flourish and the sultry moans of the female chorus can't help but send a burst of sexual pleasure through your bones. Another of TTT's stirring love ballads rounds out the selection from "Revival". "Whatever You Want" is D'Wayne's plea to his lady to take him seriously.

"House of Music" was TTT's most recent album and gives us the dance hit "Annie May" and the touching "Thinking Of You", an intimate phone conversation put to music. DJ Quick joined the boys for a rap tune, "Let's Get Down" and pleasing blend of rap and soul.

A measure of the growth in the groups songwriting skills over the years can be seen in the thoughtful lyrics of "Don't Fall In Love" from their last album compared to the only other selection taken from the first effort, the overly sweet "Baby Doll".

Put this CD in the player and dance the night away with friends or lovers.

Title:	"IN MY LIFETIME"
Artist:	"JAY-Z"
Label:	Roc-A-Fella Records
Available:	Any Major Music Store
Reviewed By:	Jim Jehs
Rating:

Jay-Z and Roc-A-Fella records have combined to give us hard core, street-real rap which brings this Playboy to the forefront of the Rap scene. Jay-Z enters an era of Hip-Hop involving sampling and guest appearances with his second release, "In My Lifetime, Vol. 1." Roc-A-Fella Records presents talent-heavy artists to expand his realm. Jay-Z has stellar guest appearances by Lil' Kim, Puff Daddy, Blackstreet, Babyface, and Foxy Brown. He continues to produce lyrics laced with his personal feelings towards the icy business of music and crime from the opening cut of, "The City is Mine," to the, "Rap Game, Crack Game," which ironically compares the music business to the business of "riding the white horse."

My personal favorite is, "I Know What Girls Like," featuring Puff Daddy and Lil' Kim. The Playboy truly shines with smooth lyrics and sassy backup by Lil' Kim. With the interpolation of, "I Know What Girls Like," Lil' Kim hammers you with funk and Jay Z pumps out the literally cocky lyrics and sexy game to prove that, "I know what girls like!" He continually accentuates his opinion that women like the money and not the man, but Lil' Kim will have none of that, because she is all that and you better be a player and not an, "Imaginary Player," as depicted in the next track. "Streets Is Watching," and, "Friend Or Foe 98'," describe the perils and paranoia of surviving within the apathetic world of drugs with creepy beats and a mix of sounds from the soundtrack of the movie, "Sleepers."

Although the lyrics are real and true to form, these tracks have no bite other than the story they tell. Jay-Z reaches out and softens the tone with, "Lucky Me", as Karen Anderson brings out the sensitive side. Jay-Z reaches for your soul and describes the stress of being successful because, "You don't understand what it's like to be me!" An R & B feeling starts flourishing leading into "(Always Be My) Sunshine", featuring Babyface and Foxy Brown which contains an interpolation of "Rockin' It".

"Sunshine" is probably the second best track on the album. Adding flavor is the refrain by Babyface and sensuous support as Jay-Z states you must be, "one of a kind if you deserve to be my Sunshine." "Who You Wit II," and "Faceoff" get down and dirty and express the parable of money-hungry women and the anger involved, 'You don't love me! So!' The continuous game and the devaluement of love and trust is rendered in steady rhymes and a funky beat. The dangerous game of surviving the ghetto is always a story in itself; "Real Niggaz" and "Rap Game/Crack Game" are ironic comparisons of the drug business and the music business.

The cold nature that spawns Jay-Z's lyrics, and delivers the message that business is business and money-hungry people all have their own rap sheets either selling crack or a music label. Jay-Z presents hard lyrics and beats that say most people are unwilling to see, or accept the reality, that the color of money overcomes the color of blood. The closing song, "You Must Love Me", is an end to a means as it hurts to be hard. The pressure of the world of cocaine leads to hurting others and recognizes those who were there in times of pain. Kelly Price sings, 'Throughout my life, your love and endurance through all things./For that, I am eternally grateful.' Jay Z apologizes to those he has hurt, not for his talent; but one has to live with oneself. Jay Z says it all in, "The City Is Mine", 'Half of what I sell is not my shit.' The album has great lyrics, but no bite.

If Jay-Z continues to depend on the fans that can relate to sell records, he'll remain a few tracks short. From the production end the sampling and guest appearances definitely improve the tracks, but without, it's a motion picture minus the special effects which will hurt Jay-Z at the box office.

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