[ t e x t . o n l y . v e r s i o n ] [ b y . c y c l o n e . w e h n e r ]
Two years ago Southern soul brothers K-Ci and JoJo Hailey came down to
Australia on their first tour amid little media hype.
The
shows in Sydney and Melbourne generated a mythology of their own within
the tight R&B scene. Many fans had followed the Haileys since their days
in the hip-hop soul group Jodeci. What struck everyone was the rapport between
the two brothers. The more extrovert K-Ci tugged at his shirt, as ifhe were
possessed, simulated sexual moves, and generally let it all flow, with the
rather shy JoJo looking on in mild amusement. That, peeps, is modern R&B
soul. Then, all of a sudden, K-Ci and JoJo found themselves
with a huge international hit on their hands in "All My Life", from their
first duo album, "Love Always". As it turned out, there was a funny story
behind the song. JoJo had written it for his little daughter, Kayla, a
while back. Nevertheless, the record company reps didn't feel it would
complement the duo's street steelo, so they encouraged JoJo to pass it
on to another singer. Yet JoJo held his ground. US radio eventually picked
up on the album cut -- and it just so happened that the song's poppier
feel crossed over.
Though sales of the album had been slow, if not
somewhat disappointing considering Jodeci's devoted following, things
started to gain momentum.
Before too long K-Ci and JoJo were having to make
room for all their plaques. The two received nominations for prestigious
awards -- including the Grammies. "Love Always" has since been certified
triple-platinum in the US alone.
For their latest set, "It's Real", the Haileys
have taken their sound back a little to Jodeci's sensual street-soul,
with a few tauter street grooves like "Fee Fi Fo Fum" and "Girl" in the
mix. But, overall, "It's Real" remains a ballad-oriented set with the
word 'mature' written on it in the kinda silver texta used for wedding
invitations ("Make Love To You", "How Long Must I Cry"). Nowadays the
Haileys are sensitive modern gentlemen not love gangstas. 'We be still
doing the same type of songs,' says the charming K-Ci. 'I don't wanna
sound like I'm braggin', me and my brother, but I think we outdone ourselves
with this one, because I don't have a favourite song! And it's rarely
do I do a CD like that.'
The melodic, harmony-laden lead single, "Tell
Me It's Real", was composed by JoJo together with Rory Bennett, the same
team behind "All My Life". The Haileys took the resourceful step of once
more collaborating with lesser-known producers. Babyface contributed to
just the one number. While R Kelly oversaw the meatier song "Life", also
featured on the Eddie Murphy movie soundtrack of the same name. But otherwise
there are remarkably few obvious industry figures in the credits. K-Ci
and JoJo made sure that they retained control over this second project.
'It was really something we wanted to do,' explains K-Ci. 'I'm not saying
that we have anything against working with anybody, 'cause I think, man,
the more you work with them, the more you learn. We just wanted to do
this -- we wanted just the couple of us. That's how it was.'
The Haileys are conscious of their more sophisticated
new direction. K-Ci laughs when he thinks of the records Jodeci cut around
the mid-90s. Still, "Diary Of A Mad Band" and "The Show, The Afterparty,
The Hotel" did shape the contemporary bump and grind style of R&B since
claimed by Dru Hill and Next. When those lists of the best 90s soul albums
start to turn up in music magazines, Jodeci will inevitably garner at
least one entry. Their albums established the new sound of R&B: sexy hip-hop
soul. By contrast, the Hailey brothers now want the moms of the world
to be able to tune in without feeling too much mortification. In fact
this time their own mama, Mrs Anita Hailey, wrote them a tune, "Mama's
Song", an inspirational number that draws out the family's close affiliation
with their Southern church in Charlotte, North Carolina. 'Mama came up
with that song and it just took us away, man,' says K-Ci proudly.
Of course, Jodeci fans still pray fervently that
the Haileys will get back together with Mr Dalvin and DeVante Swing (the
group's lower profile second set of brothers) to cut yet another album,
since the group never officially dissolved. Indeed, the duo's decision
to work as a unit outside Jodeci evolved out of a rewarding union with
the late Tupac Shakur, "How Do You Want It", in 1996. In the not so distant
past there was open speculation about a gospel reunion album to mark the
New Millennium. Today K-Ci is noncommittal. The Haileys intend to spend
the next three years promoting their own project. 'I know it's going to
go ahead but I don't know when. Everybody is just busy and right now my
main focus is K-Ci and JoJo,' he says. 'I will always love Jodeci -- that's
my heart, but, right now, with the reunion, I don't know.'
"It's Real" is out through Universal. |