-El DeBarge
-Raphael Saadiq
-Aaron Hall


You would have thought these artist would have blown up when they left their respected bands in DeBarge, Tony Toni Tone and Guy. As soloist, they've all had at least one top 20 pop hit ("Who's Johnny," "I Miss You" and "Ask Of You") and two number one R&B records ("Who's Johnny" and "Don't Be Afraid") and a number two ("Ask of You")

Well, at least Raphael is still in the public eye. He just released a new CD in September.

El was ill prepared.
Raphael rather be independent.
Aaron...didn't really give a fuck anymore.

I think you take a big risk when you defect from the group that brought you fame. It's always a huge gamble. Obviously it can work either for you or against you. I think that if you're obviously the focus of the group, people know your "name" and you and everyone else around you knows this you have a better chance of making it on your own (Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, etc.). But if you leave your group to go solo but no one really knows your "name" then you'll probably tank. Raphael has got some great retro 60's music out right now but his name is just not that popular. El Debarge, though a great vocalist, solo just doesn't have the same flavor as he did with his family group. And Aaron Hall's name is not that popular either but GUY is. I went to a concert earlier this year that was promoting Guy. Well, it wasn't Guy. It was just Aaron Hall by himself singing all the Guy hits. Which tells me he knows his "name" doesn't sell tickets. Guy sells tickets...

- El had no personality, and light-skinned dudes were fading out by then ()
- Raphael is in a genre that doesn't get much play/noteriety
- Aaron Hall's fire was stolen by copycat-voice R. Kelly

James "J.T." Taylor comes to mind..
[Edited 10/12/08 10:26am]

funkpill said:

Yeah, no one cared about him as a solo act because K&TG was bigger than he was.

Its just a "fickle" thing, sometimes you are HUGE within/with your group as the leader and then it just doesnt catch the masses solo, not saying they are bad, sometimes it just doesnt catch on. Mick Jagger is a GREAT example, leader of one of the biggest rock bands ever, hasnt transferred that to solo success, someone like Steven Tyler has really avoided even doing solo stuff for that very reason. But then you have Paul McCartney who is huge outside of the beatles. So you just never know, has nothing to do with talent or even the work, its just a dice roll

And even the members of QUEEN are great examples also.
[Edited 10/12/08 10:32am]

MuthaFunka said:

That pretty much sums it up. And who's really still checking for the song and video to "Who's Johnny" these days? Unless they want a good laugh.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

I always felt Teddy was the real star of that group. Aaron wasn't that exciting, imo.

shesoffthewall said:

i think he is , with him being producer and all

shesoffthewall said:

MuthaFunka said:

MuthaFunka said:

Bobbin my head again

Just to throw 2 more names out there.
Mary Davis of the SOS band did a solo album in the nineties and
she thought that by running to babyface who was the hot producer
at the time would translate into success but it didn't. I can't say
whether the album was good or not because i never listened but i
left it in the vinyl section when i went on a vinyl dig earlier this
year. Her first single never took off.

Skip Martin of the dazz band left the group to be a solo artist and
he never could really secure a deal.

I always asked the same
question about Coko of SWV

I chalked it up to
crappy production

I believe Steve Arrington was a seminal member of the group Slave, and he did put out a solo album in the mid-80's that produced the single "Feel So Real", but he didn't have any hits after that.

Susanna Hoffs had a solo album in the early 1990's after she initially left the Bangles, but she wanted to put out an earnest rock album while her label wanted to play up her sex appeal. Needless to say, the album tanked.

Sisqo looked like he would have a hit career as a solo artist even though he never technically left Dru Hill. His first single was a pretty big R&B hit, but then he released that "Thong Song". It was a monster hit for him, but it marginalized him as a novelty act, and his second album went nowhere.

And of course, Ms. Dawn Robinson

funkpill said:

right!!!

I'm so in love with
"Man Enough"... I can
never get enough of it

DirtyChris said:

No, what it is is (and a few women have actually told me this), most females like to see girl groups stay together because women have hard times maintaining relationships with one another so they kinda live vicariously through the girl groups that "appear" to be great friends. Once that's shattered, it's hard for females to either like the solo act or the members left in that group or both.

This is old school, but I saw the lead singer from Tower of Power (Lenny Williams) on an old episode of Soul Train doing some songs when he went solo...I've never heard of those songs in my life. It's safe to say he was a flop too. lol
[Edited 10/12/08 19:45pm]

Lenny Williams "Because I Love You" is a classic.
[Edited 10/12/08 21:11pm]

funkpill said:

I like the one from `85. (w/ "Oak Tree")

728huey said:

He also recorded with 'Steve Arrington's Hall Of Fame' prior that to that album.
After he left Slave, he recorded

Steve Arrington's Hall Of Fame Vol. I (w/ Hall Of Fame) (incl. Top 20 R&B hit 'Nobody Can Be You)
Positive Power (w/ Hall Of Fame)
Dancin' In The Key Of Life (Solo) (incl. Feel So Real)
Jammin' National Anthem (Solo)
Jam Packed (Solo)

shesoffthewall said:

Uhm... NO.

Ever heard of 'Cause I Love You? That cut is huge

"Nobody Can Be You"
"Weak At The Knees"
"Feel So Real"

I see the single for "Dancin In The Key Of Life" everywhere but maybe that's not such a good sign.

Cinnie said:

Me too... wasn't that the same album with the song "Don't wait for Me"
and add to the list Shalamar... loved the group, and the music, respected each member, but didn't like their solo efforts nearly as much. Even though Jodie did well. I still thought they weren't as good as solo artists.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

In a way I think he has retained the devoted following of his old group plus added on, so I think he's doing ok. Old group had bigger pop success but that doesn't exactly spell longevity.

Cinnie said:

I'm not so sure. I've always been a huge 3T fan, but I never got into his solo career (other than "Ask of You") until his latest album.