| What is “New Jack Swing?” (Pt. II - The Definition of An Era) -By Keith "ZappMan" Crenshaw For Pt. I of the essay, click here! In this second article, the author will attempt to define what makes an actual “era”….and “era” as defined here will mean an actual musical, cultural, social and artistic phenomenon. Truly if an entertainment genre causes the way the popular culture acts, behaves, dresses, speaks, etc, then it should be classified as an era. For example, you could loosely call the late 60’s to mid 70’s the “Funk” era….not only were there musical trends, there were cultural trends as well. Certain words like “groovy,” “ain’t it funky?” and “you dig?” come from 70's era. There was a certain way you dressed “Funk:” perhaps the multi-colored bell bottom pants, platform shoes, afro (or long) hair styles, large collar shirts, etc. All these conjure up images of the Funk era. Certain movies like Shaft, Sweet-Sweetback, The Mack, etc. canvass the Funk era. TV programs like "The Flip Wilson Show," which showcased (among other things) the entertainment achievements of African-Americans, were very popular. The catchphrase “Dyn-o-mite!” comes from one of the most popular TV programs ever, “Good Times,” as popularized by actor James “Jimmy” Walker. The phrase, while certainly very popular in urban and inner-city circles, became the catchphrase of the nation in the 70’s. Even the theme show song and lyrics to "Good Times" (especially for those old enough to remember it) is something that will be forever etched in the minds of those in the urban and inner city areas at large. (Honorable mention to "The Jeffersons" TV Show theme song "Movin' On Up" goes here). Music artists like Sly Stone, Stevie Wonder, James Brown and others reigned supreme. In the 70's, it seemed that everyone and everything was downright funky. * * * When one thinks of polyester suits, lighted dance floors, roller skates, mirrored ceiling balls, Studio 54 (in NY), pulsating, synthesized rhythms, one can’t help but conjure up images of the Disco era. Not only was Disco a musical phenomenon, it was a cultural phenomenon as well, causing a major shift in fashion, entertainment and pop-culture in general. In the mid to late 70’s, there were several (possible) factors why the Disco era took off the way it did. The U.S. was experiencing a major gas/fuel crisis in the mid to late 70’s. There were tensions in the middle east, this time with Iran, not to mention the Hostage Crisis that happened under Pres.Jimmy Carter’s administration. The Jim Jones Guyana tragedy had happened. People needed “escape-ism,” a much needed departure from the world’s events. It's no wonder that a lot of the R&B, Funk and Disco of the time had underlying “space themes,” again perhaps as a way to mentally escape the realities of urban life in the late 70’s. Discotheques often had lighting and laser extravaganzas that offered a “space-age” or “out-of- this-world” atmosphere. No wonder movies like “Star Wars” and “Superman” did so well at the box office. It’s also of no surprise that TV shows like “Battlestar Galatica” (perhaps a mild knock-off of the Star Wars phenomenon?) were also very popular. Unfortunately the disco era also carried another stigma that would be associated with it for years to come, particularly the excesses of partying and nightlife: heavy drug use (particularly cocaine), a carefree sexual lifestyle, and a musical over-saturation that would cause a major backlash in just a few short years to come. * * * As another example of an era, the early hip-hop, or “B- Boy” era must be mentioned. Automatically, images of gazelles, large radios, kangol hats and crossed arms (in a B-Boy "Stance") come to mind. Check out the cover of Grandmaster Flash’s lp called “The Message” circa 1982. The lp’s social commentary, particularly issues regarding urban and inner city life as a whole, still stands out as a landmark lp for hip-hop. This lp would set the stage for other early landmark hip-hop lp’s like Run-DMC’s self titled debut, Whodini, LL Cool J and others. It was these early days of the grittier type of New York hip hop that played a major part in the beginning sounds of New Jack Swing. * * * As a DJ and musician for close to 20 years, it has always amazed me how the New Jack Swing era has been overlooked as a musical and social phenomenon. Certainly the New Jack Swing (hereafter “NJS”) era inspired all of these things, and more. In the first article we chronicled how NJS spawned a musical movement…but that was just the beginning. NJS also spawned fashion, movie, TV and “catch-phrase” trends that were all its own. It started within the urban areas of America first, particularly (Harlem?) New York, and then literally spread worldwide. * * * The first thing that comes to mind under the NJS era were the fashions….oh the fashions! Even down to the hair cuts, whether the “hi-top fade,” with (see left) or with or without a texturizer (a chemical process akin to the jheri curl that straightened or caused “wave patterns” in Afro-American hair). Girls often wore hair styles called the “Bob,” a la Salt-N-Pepa. See also Kwame and Kid ‘N’ Play for extreme examples of this. Bobby Brown’s “gumby” hair cut also comes to mind. Girls wore “bamboo” earrings and biker shorts (which would also be mentioned in LL Cool J’s song, “Around the Way Girl”). Guys wore baggy pants with colorful, loose-fitting silk print shirts and patent leather shoes. The video for the song “New Jack Swing” by Wrecks-N-Effect gives a perfect example of this. Black leather medallions were a very popular accessory. Above: The archetypal New Jack Swing Video...aptly titled "New Jack Swing" by Wrecks-N-Effect. Notice the fashion and dance trends! * * * One underlying theme in the NJS era (especially the NJS inspired hip-hop) was a “new awakening” of black consciousness and culture, reminiscent of the late 60’s. One can recall “conscious” rappers (and note the “type” of names!) Poor Righteous Teachers, X- Clan, The Brand Nubians, A Tribe Called Quest, just to name a few, come from the NJS era. Not only were these hot artists record wise, they also inspired fashion and culture among the urban youth at the time. Groups like Public Enemy and Rakim were devout followers of the Five Percent Nation, and the Nation of Islam, and the teachings of N.O.I. leader, Minister Louis Farrakhan. Interesting enough, since this writing, there has been a second million man march. * * * It is amazing how art often imitates life. Perhaps because of its strong R&B and Soul overtones, New Jack Swing seemed to possess a "throwback" quality to an earlier period of R&B. One could contend that Guy was the 90’s equal to the Gap Band, The Good Girls were the 90’s equal to the Supremes, Today, was the 90’s equal to the Four Tops, New Edition were the 90’s equal to the Jackson 5, the soulful yearnings of Keith Sweat, and soaring falsetto of Al B. Sure! could be compared to the pleadings of Barry White and the high alto of Smokey Robinson. Slang and jargon also define an era. “Catch phrases” like “Yep-Yep,” “Sympin’” “It’s All Good,” “Don’t Go There,” & “Homie Don’t Play That,” “I’m Ret To Go,” and "Mo’ Money! Mo’ Money!” (a few of these courtesy of NJS era TV show "In Living Color") are now part of the standard American jargon. Even the bark and pumping of the fist (Woof!! Woof!! Woof!!) a la Arsenio Hall came from the NJS era. "Things That Make You Hmmmm" was also a popular NJS catchphrase that came from Arsenio Hall, and was even turned into an song in 1990 by the Urban Club/Dance music group C+C Music Factory. Much to my surprise, while reading a very “upscale” magazine that I subscribe to, I found the phrase “It’s All Good.” I couldn't help but pause, thinking to myself that the writer of that caption has no idea of the history of that phrase. Well, make no mistake: it was birthed in the NJS era. The NJS era also spawned its own type of TV shows…like “In Living Color,” “A Different World,” “Living Single,” and the aforementioned “Arsenio Hall Show,” which was a huge catalyst for NJS artists. In retrospect, R&B artists like Troop, Wrecks-N-Effect and BBD, et. al. in all likelihood would never have been booked on the “Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson, or on David Letterman, but because of the Arsenio Hall Show, NJS artists were properly showcased in a format that was geared very much to urban audiences. The dance floors of America were no match for the NJS era. Dances like the “Cabbage Patch,” “The Kid-N- Play Kickstep,” “The Running Man,” “The K-Swiss,” “The Troop,” and a distinctive James Brown influenced style of “hype” dance indistinctly called “grooving” can be seen all throughout various NJS videos. * * * The movie industry was no exception either, with the likes of “Do The Right Thing,” “Mo Money,” "Boomerang,” “Class Act,” the whole “House Party” franchise et. al., and the mother of them all, “New Jack City.” Not only were these movies blockbusters at the box office, the soundtracks themselves often spawned monster NJS hits, often going multi- platinum in the process. * * * Because of the musical strength of the NJS era, prominent artists known for their distinct style almost had no choice but incorporate the NJS sound in their recordings, like Stevie Wonder (“Jungle Fever”) Prince (“Batman” Soundtrack & “Diamond & Pearls”), James Ingram (“It’s Real”) Al Green (“As Long As We’re Together”), Boy George (“Don’t Take My Mind On A Trip”) Quincy Jones (“Back On The Block,” Michael Jackson (“Dangerous,”) Stephanie Mills, The Whispers, etc. While on the phone with NJS4E's Jarell “J-Mas” Mason, he reminded me of the Diana Ross song (and video) “Working Overtime.” Above: Diana Ross "Working Overtime" New Jack Swing-style circa 1989. Video courtesy Motown Records (c/o YouTube.com) All of these were dominant artists in their own right, with their own distinct sound. Nevertheless, because of the strength of the NJS era, if your song, or at least if one song on your lp didn’t have the “New Jack Swing Sound,” then you ran the risk of your song not getting airplay. This is not unlike other eras in music. One can recall when The Whispers, who are distinctly know for their smooth, elegant soulful harmonies, once stated that their career almost came to a halt because they didn’t have a “disco” sounding record. This is the same reason that caused a classic rock group like The Rolling Stones to pen a song like “Miss You.” It is a great record indeed, but an R&B/Disco flavored track nonetheless. No matter your opinion of disco or its “backlash,” no one would deny its music or cultural influence in the mid to late 1970’s. The same goes for the NJS era (approximately 1987- 1995, respectively). As with a lot of eras, there was a strong post-NJS period that spawned artists like Montell Jordan, SWV, 112, Soul 4 Real, Case, and countless others. Certainly these songs and artist had classic New Jack overtones to their music. Unfortunately, with most eras, comes the “backlash.” While interviewing Mixer/Engineer Dave Way, he expressed how he witnessed a popular fast food chain commercial with the background music and actors with New Jack themes. He knew then it was time to move on. Adding to the close of the NJS era was the blistering rock sounds of the Seattle "grunge" movement, in particular the American Rock Band Nirvana and their multi-platinum selling lp Nevermind, propelled by the smash single "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Andrew Knyte of NJS4E has said this is the CD that knocked Michael Jackson's Dangerous album off the top of the charts. Unfortunately, musical over- saturation often occurs in the entertainment fields. After the NJS era came the post-NJS era, with such artists as Soul 4 Real, Montell Jordan, SWV, Jade, Men of ViZion, Case, Mary J. Blige, who wasn't considered a New Jack artist, but "Hip-Hop Soul," which ironically is a loose description of New Jack Swing (hip-hop beats + R&B melodies + Soul/Gospel vocal techniques = New Jack Swing). Although die-hard New Jack Swingers know it's Mary J. Blige's powerful vocals that can be heard on Father MC's "I'll Do 4 U" and "One Night Stand," both of which are classic New Jack tracks. * * * By the mid 90's Teddy Riley had formed BLACKstreet. Most prominent NJS artists were no longer in radio rotation by the mid 90’s. Enter in the Neo-Soul Movement. I recall hearing Eryka Badu’s “On & On,” and thinking to myself a new era of music had dawned on the Adult Contemporary audience. Enter in Maxwell, Eric Benet, Musiq, The Fugees, and the rise of the Bad Boy and Death Row empires. Artists like Snoop Dogg, The Notorious B.I.G., Tupac, DJ Quik and others were almost considered R&B artists because of their strong emphasis of melody and groove, as well as rhythmic structure. Ultimately, because of the rise of "gangsta rap" and "reality hip- hop," it would make the NJS era almost seem "bubblegum." Thus the passing of creative, prolific, but profoundly overlooked era. By the mid 90's, the New Jack Swing Era had effectively come to a close. * * * A few years ago I had the distinct honor of interviewing Aaron Hall and Teddy Riley. It seems now, more than ever, there is a trend and demand for all things New Jack Swing. New Jack Swing Reunion Tours are filling major venues across the U.S. and in Europe. Even Yahoo's Launchcast Radio features a section of R&B called...you guessed it... New Jack Swing. When tracking down and talking to the artists of the NJS era, much to my delight, they often say they're in the studio again, working on new material. True eras, and more specifically, excellent music will never die. Johnny Mathis' "Misty" and Nat "King" Cole's "Unforgettable" are forever classic love song standards. Dave Brubeck's "Take Five," John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" and Quincy Jones' "Killer Joe" will always remain jazz classics. Stevie Wonder's "Sir Duke" will never die. Parliament's "Flashlight" and Roger Troutman's "More Bounce To the Ounce" are two Funk opuses that will never die. This time, when it's time to kick the party off, find the extended version of Guy's "Groove Me" and watch the crowd react. You're guaranteed a packed dance floor within 10 seconds. And if you're a DJ like me, get on the mic and make 'em do the "Runnin' Man"...or the "Cabbage Patch"....or the "Kid-N-Play Kickstep." I guarantee you'll bring back a lot of fun memories of an era most enjoyed, and severely missed. "...long live the New Jack Swing 'cuz it's happenin'..." -Teddy Riley from the single "Gotta Be A Leader" from the CD "The Future" |
| Above: Keith "ZappMan" Crenshaw of NJS West! |
Above: A 20 year old Stevie Wonder circa 1970 getting "groovy" and down-right "funky" with his song "Signed, Sealed, Delivered." Video courtesy ABC/The Dick Cavett Show Below: The Flip Wilson Show circa 1970-1974 |
| Above: Screen shot for the CBS TV Show "Good Times" which aired from 1974-1979... Below: The catchphrase of a nation: "DYN-O-MITE!!!" |
| At Right: "Saturday Night Fever" Promo Poster circa 1977. Below: "The Message" lp cover circa 1982. Click on the lp to watch the video! (Courtesy YouTube.com & Sugar Hill Records). |
| At Bottom: The Hair & Fashion Trends of an Era! Salt-N-Pepa sporting the "Bob" hairstyle along with "bamboo" earrings, Teddy Riley, Kwame, Kid 'N' Play and Bobby Brown all sporting the "hi-top fade" haircut. |
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NJS West! is a proud affiliate of the entire "New Jack Swing" Movement. © 2010 NJS West, LLP All rights reserved. |
| Below: "New Jack Movies" Boomerang, Do The Right Thing, New Jack City, Jungle Fever, Juice, Class Act, House Party, Mo' Money |
| Below: New Jack Swingin' on Primetime TV! The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Arsenio Hall Show, In Living Color, A Different World, Living Single. |
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| Below: New Jack "Throwback." New Jack Swing hails from the earlier forms of R&B. The similarities are striking. |
