"Let Your Soul-Glo": The Experience Returns

[Lightning Strykez!]

They were okay. LeLee was kinda rough. En Vogue is definitely the best girl group of that era.

The best? In terms of what? If you're talking sales and crossover appeal TLC and SWV bested En Vogue during that era. I think in terms of longevity of their music I think SWV has got them all beat. Here, I can still hear an SWV tune of some kind still on rotation on the stations. Yet it's been eons of time since I heard En Vogue played or even requested. Their music unfortunately didn't age as well over time.

But in terms of elegance and certainly opening the doors for SWV and TLC to follow, En Vogue certainly set the standard--there's no disputing that.

They NEED to rename themselves SWB--for Sisters Wit Back. LOL Dayum...this is why I lovez black womenz....

I guess they are really serious about making a comeback. If you youtube them there are like 5 million live performances from the last few months alone. They really are all over the place right now. This just came out...

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Seems to me if you are a singing group then everybody should be able to sing. Otherwise the lead singer can just be a solo artist and hire some background singers...

It depends on which formula you're following though. There were two sets of standards set for girl groups in the modern era: Supremes (with one lead) and En Vogue (all members with capacity for lead). Groups like Destinys Child were patterned more after the En Vogue mold. SWV definitely was set in the Supremes format. However, it's clear that even in the lead-singer format the background singers still have to vocal chops because the lead can't hold the backdrop too, ya know?

 

[RockSP]

The best? In terms of what? If you're talking sales and crossover appeal TLC and SWV bested En Vogue during that era.

I'm not the type who gives a hoot about sales. En Vogue were great singers and performers. SWV are okay at best. Nobody in TLC could sing.

It depends on which formula you're following though. There were two sets of standards set for girl groups in the modern era: Supremes (with one lead) and En Vogue (all members with capacity for lead). Groups like Destinys Child were patterned more after the En Vogue mold. SWV definitely was set in the Supremes format. However, it's clear that even in the lead-singer format the background singers still have to vocal chops because the lead can't hold the backdrop too, ya know?

The thing about the Supremes is that everyone could sing, they just weren't allowed to. As I'm sure you know Diana wasn't even the original lead. I'm sure there were plenty of other groups that had that same problem...they get a hit with one person on vocals, and the record company/management want to stick with that formula. I remember watching some rapper's video years ago and it featured Jagged Edge on the hook, but it was one of the other guys besides the twins doing the singing. I was like damn, why don't they let this mofo sing sometimes? Every single is with the twins (I never liked JE enough to buy an album so maybe that dude did get some songs). I'm not surprised there aren't many groups left, really. If you put a bunch of talented people together but only let one person shine don't be surprised about a bitter break up.

 

[SurfDUI]

EnVouge was the real deal.

Sorry LS but SWV ain't but a notch above Jade, they were good, but its been 2 long...damn I was school then lol. Did you ever see the show with lele I think and Eddie George...she came off kinda bad. If the came to the State Fair I would go see them.

 

[Lightning Strykez!]

The thing about the Supremes is that everyone could sing, they just weren't allowed to. As I'm sure you know Diana wasn't even the original lead. I'm sure there were plenty of other groups that had that same problem...they get a hit with one person on vocals, and the record company/management want to stick with that formula. I remember watching some rapper's video years ago and it featured Jagged Edge on the hook, but it was one of the other guys besides the twins doing the singing. I was like damn, why don't they let this mofo sing sometimes? Every single is with the twins (I never liked JE enough to buy an album so maybe that dude did get some songs). I'm not surprised there aren't many groups left, really. If you put a bunch of talented people together but only let one person shine don't be surprised about a bitter break up.

You speak truth. I think that was what happened with SWV. It wasn't that the other two girls didn't have decent voices, but Coko's voice was so unique and different from everything else at the time. They didn't want to f*** with the formula. So much so that all of the other record companies started trying to mass-produce the same signature sound. Think about it: Xscape, 702, Total, and several solo artists (like Gina Thompson, Lil Mo, Nicole Wray, etc.) all were conditioned to copy SWV's sound.

 

[Lightning Strykez!]

EnVouge was the real deal.

Sorry LS but SWV ain't but a notch above Jade, they were good, but its been 2 long...damn I was school then lol. Did you ever see the show with lele I think and Eddie George...she came off kinda bad. If the came to the State Fair I would go see them.

You must be puffing blunts. Jade only one single "Don't Walk Away". How can you compare them to er....anyone??? They're like footnote status. Hell, 7669 did about as well.

 

[Manic]

The formulaic composition of the female R&B group scene in the 90's was one of the reasons I liked TLC so much. Not the most talented, but they had the most unique sound. That group could've easily fallen back on Chilli if they wanted to sound lik everyone else, but they had T-Boz's raspy voice to set them apart. And Left-Eye's rapping, of course.

Speaking of being formulaic and TLC, I miss Blaque. The last time I heard from them, they had released that "I'm Good" song from the Honey soundtrack. They just faded away after Left-Eye (who was their manager) died.

 

[RockSP]

You must be puffing blunts. Jade only one single "Don't Walk Away". How can you compare them to er....anyone??? They're like footnote status. Hell, 7669 did about as well.

7669?!!?

Damn, where'd you pull them from? They probably don't even remember they existed. I'm talking MoKenStef level of obscurity here...

 

[RockSP]

Speaking of being formulaic and TLC, I miss Blaque. The last time I heard from them, they had released that "I'm Good" song from the Honey soundtrack. They just faded away after Left-Eye (who was their manager) died.

One of 'em sang the hook to that Nelly debacle "Lemme See Your Grill" or whatever it was called a few years back. That's the last thing I know about.

 

[SurfDUI]

Hell, 7669

t:

Cmon man, I'm just sayin...I got that tape in 92..18 years ago lol! CoCo had the voice, and I think she should have left them and went solo, like most talents do, years ago, I think a dark sista SHOULD sell a bunch of records, but IDK why they didn't maintain..They were here at Black Expo this past summer. I wouldn't call them flash in the pans, cause they are prob more recognizable than some guys from the 90's.

TLC sold millions they were tops of the decade, and a number of there songs hold up.

 

[Lightning Strykez!]

7669?!!?

Damn, where'd you pull them from? They probably don't even remember they existed. I'm talking MoKenStef level of obscurity here...

I remember Mokenstef...with that wack-ass song. "He's Mine, you might've had him once but I got him all the time." LOL

Lame. So many creep songs in the 90s.

 

[SurfDUI]

Mokenstef was only 'Sex in the rain'. We used grind to that song @ the under 21 club we used to have here...goodtimes.

Remember the 'The Good Girls', they were bout '89 '90. They had a song called Your Sweetness, it was kinda cool. Three yellow girls rockin school girl outfits, and long hairtracks lol.

 

[Manic]

One of 'em sang the hook to that Nelly debacle "Lemme See Your Grill" or whatever it was called a few years back. That's the last thing I know about.

That's... sad. The only things she could've said were "smile for me, daddy," "I wanna see your grill," and "Your grill. Ya-ya-your grill."

 

[E-Man]

Am I the only one who had to Google 7669? I thought LS was trippin' and miswrote 702. lol

 

[Lightning Strykez!]

Am I the only one who had to Google 7669? I thought LS was trippin' and miswrote 702. lol

I told ya'll I was an old head up in this beeyotch.

 

[Manic]

I had to google them. Youtubed them, too. Don't remember them at all, though apparently one sister has a gap in her teeth big enough to fly a plane through.

 

[RockSP]

Remember the 'The Good Girls', they were bout '89 '90. They had a song called Your Sweetness, it was kinda cool. Three yellow girls rockin school girl outfits, and long hairtracks lol.

Yeah, one of them was trying to act for a while. I remember her playing a diva-esque model on Martin or Jamie Foxx Show.

 

[Lightning Strykez!]

 

[PyroChamber]

Yeah, one of them was trying to act for a while. I remember her playing a diva-esque model on Martin or Jamie Foxx Show.

You mean her?

And I thought I was nostalgic, you guys are going WAY back.

 

[Lightning Strykez!]

LAWL at the fact that some of ya'll youngins don't remember 7669. Better act like you know up in this b****!

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Jokes aside, this group was never major, but they dropped at the same time that TLC, Jade, Eternal and SWV did. Obviously only TLC and SWV would go on to score No. 1 hits on both the R&B and Pop charts, but 7669 tried to get their piece of the pie too. These chicks were reeeeeeally edgy--even for the 90s. They were always singing about ganging up to beat some dude's ass down. The group's lead singer "Thickness" was a real hothead. In fact, SWV and 7669 actually got into fisticuffs backstage with some other R&B group...trying to remember their names. Might've been Nuttin Nyce. LOL

DRAMAZZ!!!!

 

[Casius--J]

Ok so SWV are making a comeback?? I cant wait, they were such a great group back in the 90's and I agree with LS they're doing things the right way by going out and doing some performances to create buzz for their new material.

 

[RockSP]

You mean her?

Yep.

 

[Cosmic]

You must be puffing blunts. Jade only one single "Don't Walk Away". How can you compare them to er....anyone??? They're like footnote status. Hell, 7669 did about as well.

7669?!!?

Damn, where'd you pull them from? They probably don't even remember they existed. I'm talking MoKenStef level of obscurity here...

I've listened to all of those groups at some point, but I've never heard of 7669 before.

Anybody checked out Sade's new album yet?

 

[E-Man]

LAWL at the fact that some of ya'll youngins don't remember 7669. Better act like you know up in this b****!

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Jokes aside, this group was never major, but they dropped at the same time that TLC, Jade, Eternal and SWV did. Obviously only TLC and SWV would go on to score No. 1 hits on both the R&B and Pop charts, but 7669 tried to get their piece of the pie too. These chicks were reeeeeeally edgy--even for the 90s. They were always singing about ganging up to beat some dude's ass down. The group's lead singer "Thickness" was a real hothead. In fact, SWV and 7669 actually got into fisticuffs backstage with some other R&B group...trying to remember their names. Might've been Nuttin Nyce. LOL

DRAMAZZ!!!!

Hahaha, I remember Nuttin Nyce. Their song "Froggy Style" was a benchmark in my life. That was always a catalyst to "nasty" conversations when I was a kid.

 

[terry78]

Remember Monifah? Do you really wanna touch it?

 

[E-Man]

Monifah had a body on her! Damn she was fine!