FuNkeNsteiN said:

Don't know why I thought that was a Tower of Power song.

On that episode of ST from the 80's he was singing songs that didn't go anywhere. So his success didn't continue.
[Edited 10/12/08 22:08pm]

dannyd5050 said:

Yea gotcha

Having one or two hits still doesn't constitute to having a successful solo career. It still applies to Lenny.

I'm gonna add one of my favorites, Mr. JT Taylor from Kool and the Gang. He had a song that I liked with Regina Belle and then disappeared.

[Edited 10/12/08 22:56pm]
[Edited 10/12/08 22:59pm]

Howard Hewitt and El DeBarge share many similarities.Both of them came from well-respected groups and released their first solo albums in 1986.Neither of them reached their full potential as solo artists.

El is extremely talented,but he didn't always receive the proper guidance and the right material.In 1987 or 88,Motown should have placed him in the studio with Jam and Lewis,or Quincy Jones.He was one blockbuster album away from becoming a superstar.He needed that one big album.

Same with Howard.With a few exceptions,much of his solo music is bland and boring.Imagine where his career might have went if he had been placed in the studio with LA and Babyface in 1989 or 1990.He might have gotten that big blockbuster album that he needed.

SoulAlive said:

I agree with you. However, a big thing that tends to be overlooked are the personal lives of these people.

El Debarge had so much potential as a solo artist. To me, El's biggest problem was the fact that he got into some heavy drug use after Rhythm of the Night made Debarge a pop success. If you think about it, El was the backbone of Debarge. He wrote or co-wrote most of their hits. Sure, he did the corny-ass "Who's Johnny" for that movie, however, he had a few good songs while still at Motown (some of them managed to chart ok, but remember, the record company was going through a HUGE transition at that time...that's why he went to Warner). When he got to Warner, he was marketed as this soft adult-contemporary artist and he was forced to lose his identity as an artist. He tried to regain it with his last album (Heart, Mind and Soul), but that goal wasn't accomplished. "Heart, Mind and Soul" did manage to get 2 "hits", but (to me) was not properly promoted. Hell, "Slide" is one of Jermaine Dupri's best songs of the 90s.

As for Dawn Robinson, she had such a bad reputation after she left EnVogue. She had such an arrogance about her. She thought that she was the best female singer to surface since Aretha (and her husband/manager fed into that). When she did the Lucy Pearl project, Raphael was quoted saying that it was because of her actions that the group would not make it.

When it comes to Raphael, I don't think he wanted to be extremely successful as a solo artist. For some reason, he seemed to have wanted to be more behind the scenes. I think he did solo project for his own personal taste. Now, I do feel that if his solo projects had been properly promoted, he would have been bigger. I'm glad to see that his new project is doing well. I think if he gets a nomination or 2 for this year's Grammy awards, he will be the next Amy Winehouse/Lauren Hill and sell shit-loads.

I've also seen JT Taylor mentioned. He had the same problem as Dawn. He thought he was better than what he was. I believe he only managed to have one hit after leaving K&TG (which was the duet with Regina Belle). His MCA projects didn't fare well, neither has his independent stuff.

For Aaron Hall, I think his solo career failed for several reasons. First, I think he always had material that sounded like armatures wrote and produced it. Mix that with poor promotion from the record company and you get a failed project. Now, I have never thought he was a good singer...always just ok. However, I think that the Guy projects were someone else's vision (Teddy and Gene). When he went solo, he didn't have any direction. I remember reading an article when his first solo album came out and he stated that he tried to make that album a Guy project. That was a BIG mistake.

When you look at successful solo careers of people that have left a group, they all have a direction they want to take their careers. Great example is JT. He wanted to be the white MJ and he accomplished that. JC, on the other hand, didn't have a vision and failed horribly as a solo artist. We all know that JT didn't sing the majority of the lead on any of the N'SYNC stuff, JC did.

daPrettyman said:

He actually had a minor hit with "Long Hot Summer Night" in 1991 (#13).

Aaron Hall had a little more chart success than has been mentioned. In addition to the #1 hit "Don't Be Afraid," he also hit #2 with "I Miss You" (a song that ended up being the 6th biggest of the year in 1994) and later reached #8 with "All the Places (I Will Kiss You)."

AlexdeParis said:

I remember "Long Hot Summer Night". How well did "Sister Rosa" do? I remember BET playing the video back in the day. I remember the "Master of the Game" album coming out. I don't remember it performing well, though.

As for Aaron Hall, how did "Get A Little Freaky With Me" do? I remember it doing ok, then tanking. That's when "I Miss You" came and saved the day.
[Edited 10/13/08 15:53pm]

AlexdeParis said:

You are correct Alex. I was trying to think of long hot summer night last night while on this topic. I actually liked 8 days a week better from his first
solo album Master of the Game better. Although he had that minor hit Long hot summer night it's not one of those songs you here on classic R&B stations so it's one of those songs that isn't considered a must have. Sadly according to wikipedia, JT no longer sings because of a stroke he suffered. I know he was married to Starleana Young of slave and aurra fame.
As for aaron i think his solo success has been fairly decent though not spectacular. Maybe some of his personal issues got in the way of his career not to mention that R.Kelly stole his identity and ran with it musically and personally.(See the twelve play album)

shesoffthewall said:

phunkdaddy said:

I find it interesting that they recorded "Heaven's Girl" together for Quincy Jones' Q's Jook Joint album.

daPrettyman said:

Neither of those made the top 40. Aaron did reach it (barely) with "Let's Make Love" (#36), "When You Need Me" (#30), and "Curiosity" (#36).
[Edited 10/13/08 16:10pm]

missfee said:

I still like "Who's Johnny."

The whole is something over and above its parts,...

~Aristotle



tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

AlexdeParis said:

Where did JT's 8 days a week chart?
[Edited 10/13/08 16:35pm]

phunkdaddy said:

It didn't make the top 40 either.

I like Raphael, but quite a bit of his solo work is just missing that spark I don't know what it is though...

AlexdeParis said:

you haven't heard this?

DirtyChris said:

I have "Be Here" because of D'Angelo, but I never really felt the urge to hear the rest.

MuthaFunka said:

pennylover said:

AlexdeParis said:

I like it....even though I find myself laughing everytime I catch the video. It is pure 80s cheese.

pennylover said:

Funny....but true.

Chris Brown is bringing back the light-skinned brother.

chris brown is no debarge. How come light dudes faded out? And Prince ain't going nowhere.

scriptgirl said:

Once Michael Jordan came onto the scene, the light skinned brotha was in jeopardy .

Micheal Jordan is no singer.

scriptgirl said:

Neither is every light skinned brotha.

scriptgirl said:

Prince ain't topping the charts anymore...is he?
That was about the same time that P's record sales started declining also.

Most times it seems that ego drives individuals 2 go solo, but it's that same ego that destroys their career. Sometimes it is better 2 leave well enough alone. As they say, it's it's not broke, don't fix it.

What are you talking about? Prince did well for a while with Sign of the Times and Diamonds and Pearls. Chris Brown is not that light at all. Not as light as Prince and Debarge. I don't even consider him light.

Nick715 said:

yep! and i really like him!

filmnoirdame said:

The boy is basically yellow.