DA BASSMENT Crew aka SWING MOB (The Genius of Devante Swing) Appreciation Thread

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from "Da Bassment Demo Tape

 

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"Renee Anderson's unreleased Bassment album tracklist:"

Renee Anderson (MCA): Untitled

Executive Producer: DeVante Swing

1997 Da Bassment/EMI Publishing.

01. Maybe (prod. Darryl Pearson)

02. Aw Yeah (prod. Regi Moore)

03. Don't Be Afraid (prod. Regi Moore)

04. Everytime (feat. Static)

05. Gonna Be Your Night (feat. Devante Swing)

06. Makin Love (prod. Darryl Pearson)

07. Bad By Myself (prod. Regi Moore

08. Do It Up (prod. Regi Moore)

09. Me 4 U (feat. Timbaland)

10. Wind (prod. E-Bass & Rome)

11. One Of A Kind (feat. Static)

12. Its Alright (prod. Regi Moore)

13. Don't Be Gone (feat. Static)

14. Throw Ya Hands Up (feat. Timbaland)

15. My Guy (prod. Regi Moore)

16. Greater Love (prod. Regi Moore)

17. Have Your Way (prod. Regi Moore)

18. Romeo (prod. Regi Moore)

19. Time Or Chance (prod. Regi Moore)

20. Crying (prod. Regi Moore)

and also "Things That You Say" (prod. Elijah K.J. Harris & Courtney Horton)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeGHyYSKFXE

 

[harry knucklez]

Man, Devante was that dude back in the day. What the hell happened to him? Even Teddy Riley is still around doing shit.

 

[waterproof]

CONTINUING FROM BLOG ABOUT THE DA BASSMENT

***UPDATED JAN 2ND 2012***

did i mention i’m finding new old shit all the damn time now? just seems to be popping up all over the frign place (no complaints here lol, jussayin). so last night while i was messin around on YouTube (which is something i like to do each night before i sleep), i come across another Bassment joint (presumably from the demo tape as well) called “Another Level”. Timbo‘s and Static‘s verses are the same ones later re-used on “Smoke In Da Air”, and the chorus was re-used by Timbo maaaaany years later on his track “Hello” (feat. Keri Hilson). cool to know Tim didn’t mind reachin back to his Bassment days for his current shit (now if only the music could reflect that too).


lol @ that intro. Reboc is gangsta as fock. Static gamblin. DeVante being DeVante with his breathy-spoken ass lol. and once again, Static rippin his verse. and i need to add this cos it’s important: STOP SLEEPIN ON MAGANOO. from what little we’ve heard of him from Da Bassment days, he’s just as dope as anyone else in the collective. there’s a reason he was there, folks. Magoo got rhymes


we now come to the interviews section of this weird and wonderful ride known as Da Bassment. it seems that 2009 was the year that got the ball rolling in terms of solid in-depth information coming out about the entire experience. i’ve tried my best to scour the Internetz for as many as i can find, hopefully it’ll give y’all a clearer picture of how it all went down. i think what’s led to constant confusion over the facts is that back in the 90s we would hear mostly negative things from the camp post-Bassment. and of course, the vicious and never-ending rumour-mill (which i also participated in back in the day, purely out of frustration of not knowing what.the.fuck.went.wrong). Sue Weems & Accion probably give the most in-depth peeks into the Bassment universe, but the short video chat with Bazaar Royale (aka Da Boogie Man/Boogie) seems to be the most honest one (that is, not tipping in an anti-DeVante or anti-Bassment direction but also not over-praising as there was some serious shit going on with De back then which also caused rifts).

anyway, i could waffle on, but these cats tell it much better than i ever could. cos they were, yknow, THERE.

 

[waterproof]

R.I.P. to STATIC MAJOR gone to soon. He was a talented songwriter and was one of the most talented person in DA BASSMENT he was Devante righthand man and a member of PLAYA.

this is my favorite Static Major song right here a CLASSIC SONG this stays on repeat for days

Static Interview for murderdog.com 2004

Static

Louisville, KY

By Matt Sonzala

How did you start writing songs for other artists?

I left Louisville in 1992 and I got thrown into the Jodeci camp and that was back when he had Timbland, Missy, Ginuine, Tweete and we all was starvin, workin. Then we all branched out to our own separate ways. And I was blessed to write a lot of hits. Im in a group called Playa. We put out an album in 1998. The three of us, all from Louisville. Now Im getting ready to release my solo album.

Did you get all this opportunity from just being around those folks?

Actually the Aliyah situation came through my management. They the owners of Blackground Records and thats the label that Aliyah was on, not to mention thats her uncle. So they manage me and they managed Timbaland and Ginuwine at the time. That was the camp. I just was showing up with the right records. Me and Aliyah had a hell of a chemistry. She really trusted my sound and where I was going with it.

Did you work close with her? Did she have a lot to say about how she wanted the songs to be?

Me and baby girl used to stay in the studio till 4 or 5 in the morning every night. We even worked on her album in Australia when she was over there working on Queen of the Damned. We was over in Australia for like 2 months.

How old was she when you first worked with her?

When I first started working with her she was like 18 or 19. If you dont remember, she was on Playas album. I did a duet with her on Playas album, so we had been working with baby girl for a good 5-6 years strong, before the tragedy.

What did you do with David Banner?

We got a young producer named Sears. He produced the majority of Lil Flips first album. Hes from Louisville and my man Neezy manages him, Swat Music. Sears and Banner got a relationship through Flip, and Sears got a relationship with Lil Jon and a lot of the guys down in the Atlanta. I happened to be in Atlanta, working on Sunshine Anderson and David Banner fell through. Sears laid a track and I put down the hook for him. Banner had already said he wanted to do a joint with me. It just came together like that in the studio. One night in the studio, we didnt put it together until like 4:30 in the morning. And it wound up being Banners first single, "Crank it Up."

What you do is probably more lucrative then just becoming a rapper or a singer right?

You gotta think the songwriting and the publishing, every time the songs gets played on TV, whether they just using the music in the background of MTV or BET or sometimes they use it in movies, or for a soundtrack or compilation. Its like the publishing game is money coming at all times when you put out quality music, cause people keep recycling it.

As the songwriter of these Aliyah hits you collect checks every quarter? And for the big hits the checks may never end.

Right cause they still playing em overseas. And like "Romeo Must Die", they still play it on HBO and Showtime and sometimes you might hear the music behind somebody on MTV. Ill tell you another big song I wrote was that "So Addictive" from Truth Hurts.

Whats your album all about?

My album is called Suppertime on the Fede Side. And its about its time for me to eat. Even though Ive been eating, but I put my artistry on the back burner to really focus on the songwriting and producing side of the game. But now Im all the way focused. Playa is still together but we gonna do solo projects. Suppertime, its time to eat. Im coming after R. Kelly and Usher. Im coming to take R. Kellys throne. And my resume already speaks for itself, the worlds been hearing my sound since "Pony." And a lot of those songs, my voice is still in em a whole lot. So its a variation of all different things. Im a real innovative writer. Id like to think I changed the game a whole lot, even with "Pony." Id like to think I changed the way people wrote their songs. And a lot of my hits that I wrote changed the way people wrote music. So I put all of that energy into my album. The first single is called "Stallion" and Im getting ready to go to radio with it right now.

When did you first realize that "Pony" was going to be such a big song?

Devante Swing told me it was that big the day after I did it. He told me I was going to get songwriter of the year and I got an ASCAP award for it. I sat there and watched it climb the charts and when it went to ..1 it stayed there for 7-8 weeks. "So Anxious" stayed ..1 for 13 weeks. "Try Again" was like the first pop single to come out to go ..1 that wasnt a commercial single. I just try to stay serious about my music and my craft, the money will come.

Who will you release your album with?

Ive got some offers on the table and of course I can always put it out with Blackground but I expressed my feelings with them that we might need to take mine somewhere else in another system. We been talking to Jimmy Iovine, Lyor Cohen and we got a good relationship right now. We gonna take it to radio ourselves right now and create some synergy with it and use our relationships that we got and stir up some chaos on that end.

Sounds like youre looking for a label deal rather than an artist deal.

Right, cause we already got a situation, Swat Music, already through Blackground/Universal with my man Neezy.

Are you working with any artists from Louisville?

GoodFella from Victory Park. Coming out through Universal. Track Stars produced his first single. We going to radio right now with it. Universal says it sounds like the next Nelly. Thats gonna be the first thing we drop.

What part of Louisville are you from?

Im from the West End of Louisville, but then Im from all over Louisville. My mama was a single parent; I done lived in the West End, Barrytown, I done lived in all the boroughs in Louisville with the exception of a few.

When did you start singing?

I started singing when I was 3 in the church. I never would let anybody know that I sang because I felt that you was soft if you sang, so nobody in the streets knew I could sing. Only people who knew were people in my church.

When did you come out?

I guess it was about my senior year in High School, this girl talked me into getting into a talent show with her. Then shortly after that, Playa got together and went on to get us a deal with Def Jam. We really couldnt see eye to eye with Def Jam, they couldnt understand a true r&b group like us. We was like the essence of r&b, but we was ghetto. R&B to them meant suits and ties, but r&b to us was just our vocals. We came in with t-shirts and Dickies. But they tried to clean us up and clean up our whole sound so we wound up having to walk away from Def Jam.

Has there only been one Playa album?

Yeah, that was in 98. And the words still lingering right now.

 

[waterproof]

=related

this the song he wrote for himself before he gave it away to genuwine=related

Interview Continuing

You gonna stay in Louisville?

I left Louisville in 92 and I lived in New York, New Jersey, DC, Virgina Beach, LA and after 8 years of that I came back home in 2000 and wound up getting married. I got 3 kids and its always been a job to me. Once I realized I could take care of my business at home thats what I did. Its slowed me down in some instances, but its kept me grounded in other areas. Overall Im happy. I got every producer in the game wanting me to write a song with them, from Dre to Timbaland to Kanye West to Jazze Pha to Rodney Jerkins to Scott Storch to Nephew to Hi Tek, Pharell, Noontime, any producer in the game thats selling records, Seven. These are all producers Ive worked with because they know Im gonna show up. Bink, they love working with me. I just stay busy and come home and do the family thing for a couple of weeks then I go out of town and stay busy. And I dictate my schedule, I decide who I want to go in the studio with and if it makes sense or not. A lot of times a producer will get an offer to do a big project and Ill be the first person they think of to call to get some songs together for that person. We got Sears from here though and a few others from here whos production is just as good as an

You got any other artists from out here?

Native, we been working on his album for a minute. Native is real street and grungy but hes so street its been a challenge trying to find the radio record without watering down his street. GoodFella is the first one we getting ready to come with. Universal is loving his package.

What else have you got out?

I got two songs on the Jojo album, she just did 100,000 first week and I got two songs on the Brandy album that just dropped and the Sunshine Anderson album, I got like 4 on there. Looks like I got 2 on the new Nas thats coming out, cause I do hip hop too. "Dont Change the Game", that was me on there, and also that Ginuine and Nas record, I did that too.

Will your record be straight r&b?

My record is a cool mixture. You should be able to tell from the songs that I done told you. I got rappin on there, Im rappin on there, I got GoodFella on there. But the r&b is some classic shit. Its on R. Kellys level. Past Ushers level in my opinion. The lyrics is real slick and edgy like all my lyrics have been. So I took it even further to the edge. My album aint really r&b, but it is. The person that I am and the music that I listen to brings the street out of it, so its a real nice mixture. Its OG music. I got production from Timbaland on there, Dr. Dre on there, Ima have Scott Storch on there and also Pharrell.

Did you know Pharrell back when you were working with Ginuine and them?

Magoo used to tell me about Pharrell all the time. He used to tell me "Man, you remind me of Pharrell." At that time Pharrell was with the Teddy Riley camp. He had did "Rump Shaker", that was like his first hit. We met one time back in the day in Virginia and we never got the chance to work. I got a great deal of respect for him and Chad cause I heard about them way before that and they showing and proving today. And Magoo told me about Iverson before he did his thing. He was like wait till he go to college, this little dude he aint even that tall and he dunks on everybody. Then he went to Georgetown and did his thing there and sure enough he went to the pros and is doing his thing. They had a lot of talent in Virginia Beach and Magoo was the one telling me about it when we was out there starving. Now Pharrell is working on Slim Thug and Snoop
=related
=related

 

[waterproof]

Man, Devante was that dude back in the day. What the hell happened to him? Even Teddy Riley is still around doing shit.

@harrykncklez when he lost da bassment and they was leaving him that took alot from him, i will drop an interview from Smokey (PLaya) that will touch on the subject more.

 

[waterproof]

Smoke of Playa: An Insider's View of Swing Mob

Interview 2009

One of the great highlights of the 1990s was Swing Mob, a collection of artists formed under DeVante Swing of Jodeci that collaborated together and brought the best of music to the world. Swing Mob included the artists Ginuwine, Missy Elliott, Timbaland and Magoo, as well as groups like Playa, and Sista.

R&B Haven recently had the opportunity to speak with Smoke E. Digglera, former member of the group Playa. As part of Playa, Smoke appeared on hits like "Cheers 2 U" and "Don't Stop The Music." "Cheers 2 U" was the group's biggest hit, reaching #10 on the R&B charts and #38 on the Hot 100. Smoke has since gone on to have a successful solo career.

In part 1 of a two-part interview, Smoke talks about the creation of Playa and the group's involvement in Swing Mob. Check it out below! For more information on Smoke E. Digglera, check out Smoke's Myspace, and his new album, coming out April 22nd, Truth in Da Booth!

Interview with Smoke E. of Playa

How did you meet Digital Black and Static Major?

I met Static/Major in 1988 through a friend that attended my church with me. He brought Static/Major in to a group that we had formed, singing gospel in churches. At that time, we won the Black Expo Gospel Talent Show, taking first place.

I met Digital Black through a friend in high school who said that I would really be interested in hearing and singing with him. She called us both on three-way to meet. We both took turns singing songs on the phone, as if we were in an R&B battle, while she just listened.

From that point, the local groups I was a part of had members leaving and new members coming, and eventually became a group that included us three. The name of the group at that time was called A Touch of Class. Haha.

So how did this become Playa?

When we started working with DeVante Swing of Jodeci, he called us lil playas from his experience with us and getting to know us. Thus, the name came from that....Playa.

How did you guys hook up with DeVante Swing of Jodeci?

We met DeVante Swing of Jodeci at a concert in Louisville, Kentucky (91 or 92). At the time the members did not include Static/Major, but did include Digital Black. A security guard saw us and remembered us from singing at another function in Louisville. He agreed to help us by allowing us outside where the artists performing in the concert were boarding and unboarding their tour buses. We went out and talked to Mr. Dalvin and he said he wanted to go get his brother, DeVante, so he could hear us. When DeVante came out, he really loved what he was hearing. We exchanged numbers, in order to stay in contact.

When DeVante finally got off tour, formed and finalized his Swing Mob label, he started reaching out (93 or 94). He initially called me by memory of my number (which I thought was dope!). He wanted to work with me and put me in either H-Town or Intro, which were two groups he was working with at the time. I told him that I had a group he may be interested in hearing, due to member changes that had taken place. This group included Digital Black and Static/Major (I ran into Static/Major at University of Louisville, and vouched for him that he could sing, and that we should put him in the group). DeVante said ok, and that, following the Soul Train Awards, he would come down to Louisville to check us out, since he had to go to Cleveland to check out a group called Suga, that was also a part of Da Bassment crew.

When he came down he heard us and agreed to take Static/Major and I. Once we moved into DeVante's house, in Teaneck, New Jersey, and started working with him in Rochester, New York with the whole Da Bassment crew later that fall, we eventually talked him into getting Digital Black up there to sing with us. Da Bassment crew included Suga (Tweet), Sista (Missy Elliott), Ginuwine, Timbaland & Magoo, Stevie J (The Hitman), Playa, and many others.

Once you knew DeVante was going to move you guys from Louisville to Rochester, what was the family’s reaction like? I read in the article VIBE did on Static that his mom wanted him going to school, getting a degree and having something to fall back on. Was it the same situation with your mom? There must have been some concerns because you were only 17/18 or so...generally speaking, still a young guy.

When we knew DeVante was going to move us out of Louisville, my mother was all about me having something to fall back on. That is definitely something that I wish I had had a chance to do. The reason why I say "had a chance to do", is because the opportunity we had with DeVante was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Therefore, I had no chance to go to college and have something to fall back on. It was either DeVante or school. I chose, of course, DeVante.

But as fucked up as the music industry and the music is now, it would have been for the best. When we were finally contacted by DeVante, my mother was not allowing me to do anything until I graduated from high school. As she said, she didn't care if Quincy Jones was sitting right in our living room, I wasn't going anywhere til I sealed that deal. Forty-five minutes after I walked down the aisle and graduated from high school, I was on a plane to move to Teaneck, New Jersey in DeVante's house.

 

[waterproof]

Smoke of Playa: An Insider's View of Swing Mob

What was it like being a part of Swing Mob?

In my opinion, that era of my life and career was the best and most important time. It was like school. It enabled me to learn a lot from being hands-on and from looking over DeVante's shoulders. I wouldn't be where I am, career-wise, I wouldn't be where I am, talent-wise, and I wouldn't be who I am if it hadn' been for that period of my life and career.

DeVante was really swamped with recording and finishing up the third Jodeci album (The Show, The AfterParty, The Hotel). The studio we worked out of had many studio rooms in it. I took the initiative to take over one of the rooms and, actually, to learn how to work the equipment and create my own stuff. That's when Playa really went "hard in the paint". We did tons of records at that time. We really never did a record with DeVante - maybe just a few, those whole two and a half years.

And, being a part of that whole crew was like Motown, all over again. So much talent, from so many angles!

It seems everybody that came out of that camp was multi-talented and was not just limited to just singing. Was that something DeVante pushed for?

DeVante was and is a connoisseur of music and talent. With him, it didn't matter what genre of music or style, if he saw a vision and could acknowledge the talent, he was ready to deal with you. I'm sure that's what he pushed for.

What went wrong and caused everybody to leave DeVante? Ginuwine, Timbaland, and Missy have all said that the business got to DeVante’s head. Can you elaborate?

I feel like there was always an ego trip from time to time, but we left DeVante because there was a concern about our loyalty to him (why I don't know) due to the fact that we were given an option to sign straight to him, under Def Jam or straight to Def Jam. We chose to sign straight to Def Jam. It was as if the option was really a test or something. We had a negative situation and bounced.

Playa's debut album, Cheers 2 U.

Speaking of Ginuwine, Timbaland, and Missy they were the first three (along with Magoo) to leave DeVante. I read somewhere that Playa was actually one of the last to leave Devante. Why did you guys decide to stay for so long?

We stayed with DeVante due to the fact that we were big admirers of Jodeci. We really wanted it to work out and we had already, in our eyes, weathered the storm, for so long, paying our dues, etc etc. We believed we would get into a situation that we had waited for and hoped for, which came with the Def Jam situation. We just couldn't pass that "moment of truth".

What’s your current relationship with DeVante and the rest of Swing Mob? Do you still keep in touch with any of the members?

I haven't heard from or talked to DeVante in years. No animosity here, but just haven't connected with him in a long time. I would still love to work with him. He’s still the dopest producer, writer and arranger I know and/or have heard. I'm not saying that because I'm an admirer or because I worked with him. But, I'm sure he could attest to the fact that music and the music industry is so fucked up right now, that it's putting real talented people like him and myself in a "box" (meaning, we're fucked....lol). I have talked to a few of the members of Da Bassment crew from time to time. Everyone still tryna get it, get it!
=related

 

[r.prince18]

DA BASSMENT DEMO TAPE

tracklist:

01. Timbaland – Da Funk (1:32)

02. Sista – Sweat You Down (Alternate Version) (feat. Crack Mack) (1:19)

03. Virginia – Slow Drag (3:41)

04. Sista – U Better Be Ready (2:02)

05. Ginuwine – Come Inside (2:03)

06. Ginuwine – I’m Going To Fall In Love (2:23)

07. Sugah – Fly Guy (1:18)

08. Timbaland & Magoo – Plenty Of Styles (feat. Missy Elliott) (3:34)

09. Dante Hawkins – My Parents Are Gone (prod. DeVanté Swing & E-Bass) (3:50)

10. Da Boogie Man – Interlude (1:00)

11. Sugah – Sugah Thang (feat. Playa, Accion, Mr. Brendal, Timbaland & Reboc) (1:42)

12. Da Bassment – Ain’t Nuthin’ But A B-Party (4:07)

13. Jodeci – Get Back (6:03)

14. Ginuwine – Let’s Stop Effin’ Around (1:48)

15. Sugah – Expired (2:41)

16. Sista – Find My Love (Alternate Version) (0:58)

17. Playa – Come On, Girl (2:15)

18. Sista – Brand New (Mr. Dalvin’s Ferrari Mix) (Extra Raps) (feat. Mr. Dalvin & Static) (1:11)

19. Timbaland – Makes You Say (1:26)

20. Timbaland – We Can Do This (1:08)

21. Da Bassment – Ain’t Nuthin’ But A B-Party (Alternate Mix) (1:02)

22. Timbaland – Get Down (feat. Playa) (1:07)

23. Static – S-T-A-T-I-C (1:34)

24. Reboc – Untitled (feat. Timbaland) (0:56)

25. Timbaland – Peepin’ My Style (feat. Static & Missy Elliott) (2:37)

26. Timbaland – Do You Wanna (feat. Accion) (3:09)

27. Sugah – Sugah Sensation (feat. Timbaland) (1:44)

28. Sugah – Goin’ Down (feat. Timbaland) (2:11)

29. Virginia – Get Down (feat. Timbaland & Missy Elliott) (3:23)

30. Virginia – Let Me In Your Life (feat. Missy Elliott) (3:28)

31. Unknown – Baby I Know (0:54)

32. Missy Elliott – Red Lights (feat. Timbaland) (1:12)

33. Sugah – Smokin’ In The Dark (1:23)

34. Sugah – Smokin’ In The Dark (Alternate Mix) (0:34)

35. Mr. Dalvin (?) – Set It Off (4:12)

36. Sugah – Sugar & Spice (1:51)

runtime = 77:18.

http://www.mediafire.com/?5yyrayb18pipp9o

as u might tell, it’s not yet a COMPLETE tracklist. so if anyone’s got info on tracks 31 & 35 please let me know

do you have this in a zip file i can't get rar for some reason

 

[Stew]

Doope thread. Good lookin out on the links too

 

[waterproof]

DA BASSMENT DEMO TAPE

tracklist:

01. Timbaland – Da Funk (1:32)

02. Sista – Sweat You Down (Alternate Version) (feat. Crack Mack) (1:19)

03. Virginia – Slow Drag (3:41)

04. Sista – U Better Be Ready (2:02)

05. Ginuwine – Come Inside (2:03)

06. Ginuwine – I’m Going To Fall In Love (2:23)

07. Sugah – Fly Guy (1:18)

08. Timbaland & Magoo – Plenty Of Styles (feat. Missy Elliott) (3:34)

09. Dante Hawkins – My Parents Are Gone (prod. DeVanté Swing & E-Bass) (3:50)

10. Da Boogie Man – Interlude (1:00)

11. Sugah – Sugah Thang (feat. Playa, Accion, Mr. Brendal, Timbaland & Reboc) (1:42)

12. Da Bassment – Ain’t Nuthin’ But A B-Party (4:07)

13. Jodeci – Get Back (6:03)

14. Ginuwine – Let’s Stop Effin’ Around (1:48)

15. Sugah – Expired (2:41)

16. Sista – Find My Love (Alternate Version) (0:58)

17. Playa – Come On, Girl (2:15)

18. Sista – Brand New (Mr. Dalvin’s Ferrari Mix) (Extra Raps) (feat. Mr. Dalvin & Static) (1:11)

19. Timbaland – Makes You Say (1:26)

20. Timbaland – We Can Do This (1:08)

21. Da Bassment – Ain’t Nuthin’ But A B-Party (Alternate Mix) (1:02)

22. Timbaland – Get Down (feat. Playa) (1:07)

23. Static – S-T-A-T-I-C (1:34)

24. Reboc – Untitled (feat. Timbaland) (0:56)

25. Timbaland – Peepin’ My Style (feat. Static & Missy Elliott) (2:37)

26. Timbaland – Do You Wanna (feat. Accion) (3:09)

27. Sugah – Sugah Sensation (feat. Timbaland) (1:44)

28. Sugah – Goin’ Down (feat. Timbaland) (2:11)

29. Virginia – Get Down (feat. Timbaland & Missy Elliott) (3:23)

30. Virginia – Let Me In Your Life (feat. Missy Elliott) (3:28)

31. Unknown – Baby I Know (0:54)

32. Missy Elliott – Red Lights (feat. Timbaland) (1:12)

33. Sugah – Smokin’ In The Dark (1:23)

34. Sugah – Smokin’ In The Dark (Alternate Mix) (0:34)

35. Mr. Dalvin (?) – Set It Off (4:12)

36. Sugah – Sugar & Spice (1:51)

runtime = 77:18.

http://www.mediafire.com/?5yyrayb18pipp9o

as u might tell, it’s not yet a COMPLETE tracklist. so if anyone’s got info on tracks 31 & 35 please let me know

do you have this in a zip file i can't get rar for some reason

@rprince18 here you gohttp://www.mediafire.com/?5yyrayb18pipp9o

 

[waterproof]

The genius behind Jodeci has fallen on hard times over the last decade, with rumors of drug addiction (and an embarrassing TMZ video) taking the place of hit records. But none of this changes the intensity of the impact that Donald “DeVante Swing” Degrate had on the sound of ’90s R&B music in a prolific five year period. A freakishly talented instrumentalist with a freaky side, the Virginia native wrote and produced nearly every song Jodeci ever performed, inspiring a generation* with his achingly sincere, hyper-sexualized slow jams.

Before Jodeci’s breakthrough in 1991, DeVante did some co-production work at Uptown Records, including the radio version of Al B. Sure’s “Missunderstanding” that became a #1 R&B hit. He continued to make big moves as a songwriter, using the talkbox-heavy “Jodeci Sound” to create hits for everyone from a 50-year-old Al Green to a 16-year-old Usher. In the mid-’90s he developed his own training camp of artists and producers called the Swing Mob, which famously introduced names like Missy Elliott, Timbaland, Ginuwine, Tweet, Static Major, Darryl Pearson, and Stevie J to the industry. He executive produced the #1 Dangerous Minds soundtrack, and before long he was being managed by Suge Knight, spending a lot of time with 2Pac, and crafting Jodeci’s ambitious third album.

In the next few years, everything fell apart—Death Row died with 2Pac, K-Ci & JoJo went solo, and the Swing Mob artists started signing with other labels. By the late ’90s, DeVante had been completely eclipsed by his former protégé, Timbaland, as mainstream R&B’s biggest innovator. His career fell into a 15 year black hole, marking a tragic end for one of music’s brightest stars. Spark one and zone out to my compilation of 30 DeVante classics…

THE DEVANTE SWING COLLECTION

DOWNLOAD: [ mediafire | megaupload | usershare ]

1. H-Town “Part Time Lover” (1994)

2. Jodeci “Room 454: DeVante’s Inhermission” (1995)

3. Changing Faces “Keep It Right There” (1994)

4. Ginuwine “I Want You” (1996)

5. 2Pac “No More Pain” (1996)

6. Jodeci “Feenin’” (1993)

7. Usher “Can U Get Wit It” (1994)

8. Renee Anderson “Gonna Be Your Night” (1997)

9. Danny Boy f/ Ginuwine “Slip ‘N’ Slide” (1995)

10. Jodeci “Love U 4 Life” (1995)

11. Jeff Redd “Giving My Love To You” (1990)

12. Al B. Sure “Missunderstanding” (1990)

13. Michael Cooper “Do You” (1992)

14. Sista “Sweat You Down” (1994)

15. Jodeci “What About Us” (1993)

16. DeVante f/ Static Major “Gin & Juice” (1995)

17. Horace Brown “You Need A Man” (1996)

18. CeCe Peniston “I See Love” (1993)

19. Jodeci “Come & Talk To Me” (1991)

20. Christopher Williams “All I See” (1992)

21. Montell Jordan “What’s On Tonight” (1996)

22. Tony Thompson “Slave” (1995)

23. Jodeci f/ Raekwon & Ghostface Killah “Freek’n You (Remix)” (1995)

24. B Rezell “Blowed Away” (1994)

25. Al Green “Could This Be Love” (1995)

26. Jodeci “Cry for You” (1993)

27. Mary J. Blige f/ K-Ci “I Don’t Want To Do Anything” (1992)

28. Mya “Smilin’” (2007)

29. Jodeci “Good Luv” (1995)

30. Da Bassment “Love You Down” (1996)

ALL SONGS WERE PRODUCED, WRITTEN AND/OR PERFORMED BY DEVANTE SWING

* While Teddy Riley and Guy were clearly a huge influence on early Jodeci, it’s interesting to see the influence that Jodeci (and DeVante’s sound in general) had on Teddy Riley’s next group, Blackstreet, when they debuted in 1994. In many ways, this is a great snapshot of R&B’s New Jack Swing generation passing the torch.
http://www.mediafire.com/?j3a3ch847vehbn8

 

[r.prince18]

The genius behind Jodeci has fallen on hard times over the last decade, with rumors of drug addiction (and an embarrassing TMZ video) taking the place of hit records. But none of this changes the intensity of the impact that Donald “DeVante Swing” Degrate had on the sound of ’90s R&B music in a prolific five year period. A freakishly talented instrumentalist with a freaky side, the Virginia native wrote and produced nearly every song Jodeci ever performed, inspiring a generation* with his achingly sincere, hyper-sexualized slow jams.

Before Jodeci’s breakthrough in 1991, DeVante did some co-production work at Uptown Records, including the radio version of Al B. Sure’s “Missunderstanding” that became a #1 R&B hit. He continued to make big moves as a songwriter, using the talkbox-heavy “Jodeci Sound” to create hits for everyone from a 50-year-old Al Green to a 16-year-old Usher. In the mid-’90s he developed his own training camp of artists and producers called the Swing Mob, which famously introduced names like Missy Elliott, Timbaland, Ginuwine, Tweet, Static Major, Darryl Pearson, and Stevie J to the industry. He executive produced the #1 Dangerous Minds soundtrack, and before long he was being managed by Suge Knight, spending a lot of time with 2Pac, and crafting Jodeci’s ambitious third album.

In the next few years, everything fell apart—Death Row died with 2Pac, K-Ci & JoJo went solo, and the Swing Mob artists started signing with other labels. By the late ’90s, DeVante had been completely eclipsed by his former protégé, Timbaland, as mainstream R&B’s biggest innovator. His career fell into a 15 year black hole, marking a tragic end for one of music’s brightest stars. Spark one and zone out to my compilation of 30 DeVante classics…

THE DEVANTE SWING COLLECTION

DOWNLOAD: [ mediafire | megaupload | usershare ]

1. H-Town “Part Time Lover” (1994)

2. Jodeci “Room 454: DeVante’s Inhermission” (1995)

3. Changing Faces “Keep It Right There” (1994)

4. Ginuwine “I Want You” (1996)

5. 2Pac “No More Pain” (1996)

6. Jodeci “Feenin’” (1993)

7. Usher “Can U Get Wit It” (1994)

8. Renee Anderson “Gonna Be Your Night” (1997)

9. Danny Boy f/ Ginuwine “Slip ‘N’ Slide” (1995)

10. Jodeci “Love U 4 Life” (1995)

11. Jeff Redd “Giving My Love To You” (1990)

12. Al B. Sure “Missunderstanding” (1990)

13. Michael Cooper “Do You” (1992)

14. Sista “Sweat You Down” (1994)

15. Jodeci “What About Us” (1993)

16. DeVante f/ Static Major “Gin & Juice” (1995)

17. Horace Brown “You Need A Man” (1996)

18. CeCe Peniston “I See Love” (1993)

19. Jodeci “Come & Talk To Me” (1991)

20. Christopher Williams “All I See” (1992)

21. Montell Jordan “What’s On Tonight” (1996)

22. Tony Thompson “Slave” (1995)

23. Jodeci f/ Raekwon & Ghostface Killah “Freek’n You (Remix)” (1995)

24. B Rezell “Blowed Away” (1994)

25. Al Green “Could This Be Love” (1995)

26. Jodeci “Cry for You” (1993)

27. Mary J. Blige f/ K-Ci “I Don’t Want To Do Anything” (1992)

28. Mya “Smilin’” (2007)

29. Jodeci “Good Luv” (1995)

30. Da Bassment “Love You Down” (1996)

ALL SONGS WERE PRODUCED, WRITTEN AND/OR PERFORMED BY DEVANTE SWING

* While Teddy Riley and Guy were clearly a huge influence on early Jodeci, it’s interesting to see the influence that Jodeci (and DeVante’s sound in general) had on Teddy Riley’s next group, Blackstreet, when they debuted in 1994. In many ways, this is a great snapshot of R&B’s New Jack Swing generation passing the torch.
http://www.mediafire.com/?j3a3ch847vehbn8

thanks man

DA BASSMENT DEMO TAPE

tracklist:

01. Timbaland – Da Funk (1:32)

02. Sista – Sweat You Down (Alternate Version) (feat. Crack Mack) (1:19)

03. Virginia – Slow Drag (3:41)

04. Sista – U Better Be Ready (2:02)

05. Ginuwine – Come Inside (2:03)

06. Ginuwine – I’m Going To Fall In Love (2:23)

07. Sugah – Fly Guy (1:18)

08. Timbaland & Magoo – Plenty Of Styles (feat. Missy Elliott) (3:34)

09. Dante Hawkins – My Parents Are Gone (prod. DeVanté Swing & E-Bass) (3:50)

10. Da Boogie Man – Interlude (1:00)

11. Sugah – Sugah Thang (feat. Playa, Accion, Mr. Brendal, Timbaland & Reboc) (1:42)

12. Da Bassment – Ain’t Nuthin’ But A B-Party (4:07)

13. Jodeci – Get Back (6:03)

14. Ginuwine – Let’s Stop Effin’ Around (1:48)

15. Sugah – Expired (2:41)

16. Sista – Find My Love (Alternate Version) (0:58)

17. Playa – Come On, Girl (2:15)

18. Sista – Brand New (Mr. Dalvin’s Ferrari Mix) (Extra Raps) (feat. Mr. Dalvin & Static) (1:11)

19. Timbaland – Makes You Say (1:26)

20. Timbaland – We Can Do This (1:08)

21. Da Bassment – Ain’t Nuthin’ But A B-Party (Alternate Mix) (1:02)

22. Timbaland – Get Down (feat. Playa) (1:07)

23. Static – S-T-A-T-I-C (1:34)

24. Reboc – Untitled (feat. Timbaland) (0:56)

25. Timbaland – Peepin’ My Style (feat. Static & Missy Elliott) (2:37)

26. Timbaland – Do You Wanna (feat. Accion) (3:09)

27. Sugah – Sugah Sensation (feat. Timbaland) (1:44)

28. Sugah – Goin’ Down (feat. Timbaland) (2:11)

29. Virginia – Get Down (feat. Timbaland & Missy Elliott) (3:23)

30. Virginia – Let Me In Your Life (feat. Missy Elliott) (3:28)

31. Unknown – Baby I Know (0:54)

32. Missy Elliott – Red Lights (feat. Timbaland) (1:12)

33. Sugah – Smokin’ In The Dark (1:23)

34. Sugah – Smokin’ In The Dark (Alternate Mix) (0:34)

35. Mr. Dalvin (?) – Set It Off (4:12)

36. Sugah – Sugar & Spice (1:51)

runtime = 77:18.

http://www.mediafire.com/?5yyrayb18pipp9o

as u might tell, it’s not yet a COMPLETE tracklist. so if anyone’s got info on tracks 31 & 35 please let me know

do you have this in a zip file i can't get rar for some reason

@rprince18 here you gohttp://www.mediafire.com/?5yyrayb18pipp9o

 

[Jamskillet]

nice man.. listen to my sounds.. I think you'll like them!

Soundcloud.com/jamskillet

 

[rage]

nice thread, loved their music, to me they remade the hell out of this song
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBWNR7_LK5g&feature=related

This right here is one of the GREATEST remakes EVER!! Straight classic right cheah!!

 

[8822]

oh my god! i just stumbled on a gold mine! thanks to all who have contributed, great job!!

 

[waterproof]

DEVANTE SWING INTERVIEW FROM 2009 touching on Jodeci and what's was/is his plans for the future

[Recorder turned on]

[Mid-conversation: DeVante on trying to drop Jodeci’s new record…]

DEVANTE SWING: You know, it’s complicated; it’s not as easy as it was back in the 90s. You got extra technology. It’s like back in the day when they had the mills and everybody use to work at the mills and hand-making towers, and then the machine took over, then all these people got fired. It’s the same thing with the music industry, now there’s new technology and they don’t want to, you know, put people out like they use to, or promote people like they use to, so it’s a whole different game.

LINDA: I got you on speakerphone…

ARETHA: Yeah, I agree with that. I think the internet, though, opens up a whole lot for artists these days. But you’re right, things have changed and we have to just go with it. Go with the flow.

DEVANTE SWING: Yeah. You know, the only problem— like, the internet is great for artists, that’s nothing new, it’s just that you need a little bit of money to promote it and let people know. Like, if you went on iTunes and you were a singer Aretha, and you sound like Aretha Franklin and you say, “I’m going to put out an album” you can go on iTunes and put it out, you don’t need a label to do that. But you need to promote it and let people know it’s out and that’s the only thing, you just need money for promotion. So that’s the only thing that kills artists. When they got a little money to promote themselves, of course you don’t have to worry about the business, the labels and everybody. But you still need to let people know you’re out there to [let them know] to go to iTunes and get what you got. Or go to your site, or whatever you have. You know what I’m saying?

ARETHA: Yeah. That’s interesting…

DEVANTE SWING: But it gets better.

ARETHA: It gets better?

DEVANTE SWING: Well yeah, with technology it gets easier for dudes to start promoting their own stuff and doing more of their own thing. You know, technology is for the people so it’ll start getting better.

ARETHA: Yeah, I’m seeing a lot, you know I’m seeing a lot out there when I’m just clicking on different people’s music and people’s websites and stuff like that. But anyway, so where you headed? Your music…

DEVANTE SWING: [Laughs] I’m going online, but I had to get the money up first to be able to do it, like I’m telling you. Like, Jodeci is stuck in a contract with Interscope. Interscope don’t want to release us because they want all these demands around our contract [??]and we not willing to give up, and all this stuff. Cause they not making money just on album sales no more, they understand that people download, [??]. Because they told me straight to my face when I went to meet with them, this the record label: “You know, we don’t care how hot the album is, we want ya’ll touring money, we want this, that, this that” and back in the day they didn’t have ‘artist merchandising or touring money,’ they call this the 360 deal nowadays. So it’s like, okay, you can have all this touring money, you can have that if you give us some more money. [But] we not going to give it to you for free. So we been in this constant battle. So at the end of the day, now that I have my own money, they can have Jodeci right now, [but] I’m getting ready to release some DeVante shit on the side. Excuse my French, but I’m getting ready to release some DeVante stuff on the side. And…you know, if they want to come on up to the party, they can, but other than that, you know, Jodeci is there. We talk everyday. We’re not mad at each other, we fine. So it’s like, you know, they my brothers. It’s two separate brothers, so if two of us is getting along, the other two is. So it’s always been like that. You know Jodeci ain’t got no problem. We’re going to do a show probably a month from now, a big show. So we’ve always been doing shows and going on tours. In London…like last two years, like, this year, actually, we did London. A couple of years ago we did something. So we go on tour together, we just ain’t gone do this business if we ain’t making no money. We might as well work at a regular store.

ARETHA: Right.

DEVANTE SWING: So it’s like…I know fans want to see it, we don’t want to disappoint people that love our music. But it’s like, if we ain’t making a living doing it…you know, it’s hard work. They don’t understand it’s hard work at the same time; it’s not easy to come in with four different attitudes especially when you’re grown now. You got four different personalities. We all get along, it’s no beef, but I’m just saying— people got they thing to do, we do our thing. So it’s hard for us to get up together. Like back when you’re young, you all lived together, it’s all fun, but when you get responsibilities, you know Jojo got his girl, everybody got their own life…it’s hard to get together. So you need to be able to support that. People don’t want to come—label don’t want to support that, so you know…at the end of the day it’s like…[he takes a sip of something] okay, we ain’t gone make no money doing this [??] we need to like try to figure out some other ways. That’s why I’m going to release DeVante’s stuff, they releasing their stuff, and you’ll see Jodeci, trust me. We got an album right now. And when it comes out, you gone love it. I hope you love it-I ain’t gone say that- but I hope you love it. But at the end of the day, it’s gonna come out in a minute so it’s not nothing that’s not being done. It’s there.

ARETHA: Yeah. I mean, you have a… Jodeci has a strong fan base that will always be there. They’re going to always be there— I don’t think people are really that concerned about that part of it. I think people just really just kind of want to see something fresh and something new. I mean, I think it’s a great idea that you’re promoting yourself. I mean, as far as I’m concerned I love Jodeci. I mean, I’m a North Carolinian…

DEVANTE SWING: [Laughs] Thank you.

ARETHA: I’ve always loved Jodeci. But here’s the thing: Um, everybody knows where the heartbeat of Jodeci was. And it was in the music, it was in the production. So you’d sell yourself short if you didn’t promote yourself. You know, you have to just go with the times. I mean Jodeci will always have their fan base; people will always love you guys. But at the same time, you’re right, you got to move forward and you have that ability…there’s no reason why you shouldn’t do your own thing. And then you got Linda. She’ll help you push it out there.

DEVANTE SWING: [Laughs]

LINDA: Haha! Whoa, Linda’s name came up! [Laughs]

ARETHA: So yeah [??] got some great ideas about it, and so um, got to keep moving towards the future, you know time doesn’t stop and it doesn’t wait. And you’re not obligated to people. You did what you did back in the day, and… I wouldn’t feel obligated. You know, you did what you did, and you have to do what you gotta do. And I think it’s a wonderful idea that you’re promoting yourself because you’re going to find that the same people—your real fans are still there. And you’ll be surprised; the young people love your music and love your sounds. I know I was talking to my nephew, he’s like 17, and you know everybody who knows me knows who my favorite group is so I was talking about Jodeci and he was like, “Jodeci?!”

 

[waterproof]

[b]Interview Continues....

DEVANTE SWING: [Laughs]

ARETHA: And I was shocked because I didn’t even think he knew who Jodeci was. And every time your music plays on a station down here, my daughter she text me, “Mommy, they’re playing Jodeci…” You know, so…people will always love Jodeci. But again, you got to keep moving forward. You did what you did back in the day, people always loved that. You’re not obligated to fulfill anybody’s dream of coming up with a new album just because people want you to do that, that’s not what you’re doing, what you’re focusing on. I’m excited to hear some new stuff from you. I’m excited because I just think you’re great at what you do. I mean, you know that, you’re great at what you do…people want to hear it.

DEVANTE SWING: I appreciate it. I appreciate it Aretha. That’s…I appreciate it. You don’t even know how much.

PART TWO:

ARETHA: Have you ever had your heart broken?

DEVANTE SWING: Have I had my heart broken?

ARETHA: Yes.

DEVANTE SWING: Of, course. Linda know…

LINDA: [Laughs]

ARETHA: Okay. That was my first question. And, oh! And here’s my other question…

DEVANTE SWING: [Laughs]

ARETHA: The show you guys did where you asked the ladies to hold your towel?

DEVANTE SWING: Uh-huh.

ARETHA: Remember that?

DEVANTE SWING: Nah, I don’t remember that but I do that often [at shows].

ARETHA: You don’t remember that? Okay.

DEVANTE SWING: But what show was it though, you remember what show it was? I can probably remember…

ARETHA: It was the Valentines show in February.

DEVANTE SWING: This February that just passed?

ARETHA: Yeah.

DEVANTE SWING: Oh man…[Laughs] That’s like a thing I don’t remember…

ARETHA: Okay, well let’s move on then. Your hair…I have a question about your hair.

DEVANTE SWING: Okay.

ARETHA: Why did you perm your fade…

LINDA: [Laughs]

ARETHA: …and get those little rubber bands you put in your hair?

DEVANTE SWING: Uh-huh.

ARETHA: Remember that style?

DEVANTE SWING: Right.

ARETHA: Okay. That’s my next question, why did you perm your fade and put those little rubber bands in your hair?

DEVANTE SWING: Um…because I grew up on Michael Jackson and Prince and they all got perms so I like my hair, like, looking, you know…

ARETHA: [Laughs]

DEVANTE SWING: …I like my hair luxurious like the homeboys’ hair. So, yeah I like my shit looking luxurious [Laughs].

ARETHA: You know I kind of liked it. You know, I thought it was a cool style.

DEVANTE SWING: Thank you.

ARETHA: But now, I know you’re probably getting grief about this one. You probably already know what I’m getting ready to say, right?

DEVANTE SWING: Uh-uh… [Laughs]

ARETHA: The tat on your face.

DEVANTE SWING: The tattoo on my face?

ARETHA: The tat on your face.

DEVANTE SWING: Well you see how many people did it. Mike Tyson came to my house and stayed with me for three days, spent the night, and then he went and got a tattoo on his face. This girl [??], everybody biting that now. And I told Mike…I went out with the singer Pink, that girl, and I took her to the Bev— well, I didn’t take her, she met me, we went to the Beverly Center and she brought her dog and she was like, “I love that tat on your face!” And this is when I first had got it years ago and I said, “Don’t bite it on your next album…” cause she was coming out with Misunderstood. And I was like, “Don’t bite it on your next album.” And then Mike came by my house like a week after that and he went and got a tattoo. And then me and him didn’t speak for a while cause I was like, “Why you go and do the same shit I did, *****?” That’s my *****. Mike Tyson’s my *****.

ARETHA: I thought he had a tat on his face, like a long time ago.

DEVANTE SWING: He’ll tell you where he got it from, if you ever meet him. I’d put him on the phone with you one day, next time, come see me, he’ll tell you where he got it from. He’ll be like, “I came to spend the night at DeVante’s house and [??].” He’ll tell you.

Note f/ Linda: At this moment, I accidentally spilled some of my green tea on my bed...please ignore my French in the background…LOL 

ARETHA: Okay, I thought he had it years ago.

DEVANTE SWING: Not before me…He did have it years ago, but I had this years ago. I had my tattoo on my face after ’98, probably ’98 on. So it’s like 2010, that’s like twelve years. So I had mine on for a minute.

ARETHA: Okay. So anyway, let me think…Okay, so you talk. You just…tell me anything…

LINDA: [Laughs] Oh my God…

PART THREE [De was probably on blunt number two at this point…LOL…just kidding]:

ARETHA: Like Linda and I, we haven’t even known each other that long, we just kind of chatted back and forth. So it’s been fun getting to know her, I think she’s a cool person.

DEVANTE SWING: Oh, Linda’s great. She’s great, that’s the only reason why I can talk to her, I don’t really talk to nobody. And I really don’t even talk to reporters, but I only talk to Linda because she’s like a down-home real girl.

ARETHA: Oh yeah, she’s real. Yeah, I like real people, I don’t like phony people.

DEVANTE SWING: Yeah, exactly.

ARETHA: But she’s real.

DEVANTE SWING: She’ll tell me when she don’t like my shit. Like, I fuck with Linda, I fucks with her.

ARETHA: Yeah. But you know, you need people like that. We all do. We all need people that’s going to be real with us and tell us the truth, and you know, that loves us but love us enough to be honest with us, you know?

DEVANTE SWING: Uh-huh.

ARETHA: Yup, so…if I go out and tell somebody that I talked to DeVante Swing, they’re not going to believe me…

DEVANTE SWING: [Laughs] Yeah they will…

ARETHA: They’re not going to believe it.

DEVANTE SWING: [Laughs]

ARETHA: Because you’re so untouchable and so mysterious, you know?

DEVANTE SWING: Linda wants me to kill that though. She don’t like that.

ARETHA: She don’t like what?

DEVANTE SWING: She don’t like me being like that, in the corner, in the cut. She don’t like that.

ARETHA: Oh, being quiet?

DEVANTE SWING: Uh-huh…

ARETHA: I mean, you gotta be yourself.

DEVANTE SWING: Thank you Aretha.

LINDA: [Cuts off DeVante’s sob story…Lol].

 

[waterproof]

Last Part of Interview

PART FOUR…FINAL:

[DeVante on Jodeci’s early days]

DEVANTE SWING: When we came up, all our friends gave us a hard time. [Like] “Aw, them ****** singing ******,” and they use to hate on us cause we had all the girls– you know how when you’re growing up you got all these ****** in school and around, so we were like, “Fuck these ******, we leaving…” And we went to New York. So we wasn’t like a big group in Charlotte where everybody…like, people knew us, like a lot of white girls knew us. We sung for a lot of white girls, we use to call them grape girls back in the day. But we had pounds of white girls that use to hang around us. K-Ci had a gang of fifty, Jojo had a gang of white girls, everybody, so we called them grape girls back in the day. And half of the black girls didn’t know none of our stuff. And we dated black girls, but it was all white girls that knew our stuff when we came out from Charlotte. So all the ****** hated on that, because they were all after white girls back then. So it’s like, they hated on us and they were like, “dadada.” And that’s was just who we hung around. So at the end of the day, I don’t know. It’s like, we ain’t never get signed or nothing, so we were just like, “Let’s get out of here, ****** hating…****** gon’ hate on us anyway.”

ARETHA: [Laughs] I understand.

DEVANTE SWING: You know what I’m saying? It wasn’t like we grew up in the neighborhood and they repping our hood, like Cash Money or somebody, our hood was hating on us. They were more jealous than anything because most of the girls were coming to hear us sing at our house. Like, okay. Like, “Okay, fuck Charlotte.” But we love Charlotte; you know we love North Carolina. K-Ci lives there right now. We love it.

ARETHA: Yeah, I heard K-Ci and Jojo back in the day when they were singing gospel. You know, I mean like way back. You know, quartet is North Carolina…

DEVANTE SWING: Right.

ARETHA: Personally, I don’t like quartet music, but anyway…

DEVANTE SWING: [Laughs]

ARETHA: I heard it like a long time ago. I just don’t like quartet music.

DEVANTE SWING: How do you like K-Ci and Jojo music now, though? Cause that’s what they sing, they sing like quartet ******…

ARETHA: I…here’s my thing: I like K-Ci and Jojo, I mean, I do, but K-Ci and Jojo without DeVante…it’s just not the same. I mean that’s what made Jodeci so special, you had the perfect mix. You just had the perfect mix. And them apart from that, I really don’t like their sound apart from Jodeci. I mean, they’re good. They’re good, considering what they do; I respect them and all that. But… I just, um…well, you know, I…they’re cool. They’re okay.

DEVANTE SWING: [Laughs] Trust me, I don’t own none of their albums so don’t…they know that. And they’ll tell you the same thing you said, they’ll be like, “We don’t sing anything without DeVante, because he arrange all our shit.” They’ll tell you that, they won’t disagree with you. That’s why we all get along; they know what the real is. They know, they ain’t gon’ disagree.

ARETHA: Yeah.

DEVANTE SWING: When they do their stuff, they go back to their quartet roots and they start singing all, like, quartet over some white churbin shit. So it’s like, okay.

ARETHA: Yeah, I’m just not crazy about quartet, the quartet sound, but you know, I like them. They’re good. I just like the Jodeci sound, I like, um…I mean, your production is just…the way you layer music with the different instruments and the way the songs are arranged? That’s what people like. That’s what people want.

DEVANTE SWING: Thank you.

ARETHA: So look, I hope you will consider doing something like…like, I know what I like, I like hearing you play on the keys.

DEVANTE SWING: Uh-huh.

ARETHA: I mean, I think it’s just…so I’m hoping you will consider putting out something, I mean, just anything. You remember when you played the keys that time when you all had that red on? The red outfit and the red hat and you were on the keys?

DEVANTE SWING: Uh-huh.

ARETHA: I mean, something like that, I hope you will consider in the future, you know, doing something like that because…that was great.

DEVANTE SWING: I appreciate it. Thank you.

LINDA: Alright…