in 1987,the Spanish Fly album was an absolute favorite of mine

^^The opening track on this album,"Everything Will B Fine" is my favorite Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam song.And then there's "Lost In Emotion","I Promise You","Head To Toe",etc.Their strongest album for sure.

"You'll Never Change" from the first album is another favorite

Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam ... - YouTube

RJOrion said:

"I Wonder If I Take You Home" ...i loved that joint...i used to think Lisa Lisa looked like Apollonia

This song planted the seeds of New Jack imo

automatic said:

It's too bad they only made four albums. Does anyone know if any of them stayed in the music industry after 1991?

I know Spanador produced something on one of Keyshia Cole's albums. I don't remember which song though, I have to go find the CD and check the credits. Lisa acted on a sitcom called Taina awhile back. I think it was on either on the Disney Channel or Nickolodeon. In recent years Lisa Lisa has been on Latin Freestyle package concerts, but I don't think Cult Jam was with her.

Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam "Unsung" episode

(132) Unsung : The Story ... - YouTube

..

[Edited 8/22/22 15:43pm]

In recent years Lisa Lisa has been on Latin Freestyle package concerts, but I don't think Cult Jam was with her.

yeah she performs in my area in a few days.It's just her without Cult Jam.

SoulAlive said:

In recent years Lisa Lisa has been on Latin Freestyle package concerts, but I don't think Cult Jam was with her.

yeah she performs in my area in a few days.It's just her without Cult Jam.

Damn MC Shy-D. I haven't heard that name in years.

Totally forgot all about him

SoulAlive said:

Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam "Unsung" episode

(132) Unsung : The Story ... - YouTube

..

[Edited 8/22/22 15:43pm]

I remember that episode. I know Mike Hughes and Spanador admitted they felt some type of

way with getting thrown to the background when it came to Full Force doing the duets with Lisa Lisa.

They felt like they should have stuck to being producers on their projects instead of artists.

phunkdaddy said:

SoulAlive said:

Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam "Unsung" episode

(132) Unsung : The Story ... - YouTube

..

[Edited 8/22/22 15:43pm]

I remember that episode. I know Mike Hughes and Spanador admitted they felt some type of

way with getting thrown to the background when it came to Full Force doing the duets with Lisa Lisa.

They felt like they should have stuck to being producers on their projects instead of artists.

One of the best episodes of the series, back in the day here in NYC they were it, that whole movement. Used to run into Bowlegged Lou all the time here in Brooklyn also Cheryl Pepsi Riley, met Spanador and Mike, met Lisa actually when her LL77 album came out, all great people.

SoulAlive said:

in 1987,the Spanish Fly album was an absolute favorite of mine

One of my favorite albums that year, played it to death, vinyl and then got it on CD, I think this was probably my third concert I ever saw, Lisa Lisa & cult jam at Radio City and EXPOSE opened it up for them and both killed as they were both all over radio.

^^ yeah that was one of my favorite albums of 1987.I had the cassette and my walkman One great jam after another.I always thought that "I Promise You" could have been a single.

Interestingly,in September 1987 when Prince's "U Got The Look" peaked at Number Two on the pop charts,Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam's "Lost In Emotion" was the Number One song.

SoulAlive said:

phunkdaddy said:

CHeryl "Pepsi" Riley added substance to Lisa's 'vocals'.

the C&C remix of let the beat hit em is all time classic

In 1989,the third Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam album,Straight To The Sky was released.I like a few songs on this album ("Dance Forever" and the title track) but to be honest,I don't think this album is nearly as strong as the first two albums.Several of the tracks are heavily New Jack Swing-sounding.Maybe I need to give it another listen

SoulAlive said:

In 1989,the third Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam album,Straight To The Sky was released.I like a few songs on this album ("Dance Forever" and the title track) but to be honest,I don't think this album is nearly as strong as the first two albums.Several of the tracks are heavily New Jack Swing-sounding.Maybe I need to give it another listen

I remember it being a little underwhelming too. I barely remember Little Jackie Wants To Be A Star.

I believe there was another FF/Lisa Lisa duet but can't remember.

SoulAlive said:

In 1989,the third Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam album,Straight To The Sky was released.I like a few songs on this album ("Dance Forever" and the title track) but to be honest,I don't think this album is nearly as strong as the first two albums.Several of the tracks are heavily New Jack Swing-sounding.Maybe I need to give it another listen

I think in there UNSUNG episode this is where Hughes and Spanador felt the same way, also that they were being edged out, I don't think they were fans of the "Jackie" single, and I know they definitely didn't dig the next record.

SolaceAHA said:

SoulAlive said:

In 1989,the third Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam album,Straight To The Sky was released.I like a few songs on this album ("Dance Forever" and the title track) but to be honest,I don't think this album is nearly as strong as the first two albums.Several of the tracks are heavily New Jack Swing-sounding.Maybe I need to give it another listen

I think in there UNSUNG episode this is where Hughes and Spanador felt the same way, also that they were being edged out, I don't think they were fans of the "Jackie" single, and I know they definitely didn't dig the next record.

"Little Jackie Wants To Be A Star" is an OK song,but it was a strange choice for a lead single.I also wasn't crazy about the second single "Just Git It Together".This album lacks a really strong,obvious single.The songs are just merely OK.... there's not a "Lost In Emotion" or a "Can You Feel The Beat" anywhere on this album.

SoulAlive said:

SolaceAHA said:

I think in there UNSUNG episode this is where Hughes and Spanador felt the same way, also that they were being edged out, I don't think they were fans of the "Jackie" single, and I know they definitely didn't dig the next record.

"Little Jackie Wants To Be A Star" is an OK song,but it was a strange choice for a lead single.I also wasn't crazy about the second single "Just Git It Together".This album lacks a really strong,obvious single.The songs are just merely OK.... there's not a "Lost In Emotion" or a "Can You Feel The Beat" anywhere on this album.

I actually listened to it on Youtube last night for the first time in like 30 plus years. To me there was one standout track that I thought could have saved the album. Kiss Your Tears Away. It's actually my favorite ballad by them. I like it better than All Cried Out and Someone To Love Me.

There is a nice video for the song too. Little Jackie was a nice song but it wasn't the typical lead single that from them that got people on the dance floor.

"Kiss Your Tears Away" by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam (1989)

(141) Lisa Lisa & Cul... - YouTube

In 1991,Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam released their fourth album Straight Outta Hell's Kitchen.For this album,they went in a different direction.The first half of the album was produced by C&C Music Factory while Full Force produced the second half.The album had a #1 hit single "Let The Beat Hit 'Em" which is a great dance track.I think,with this album,there was a real attempt to get back to their club roots.Most of these tracks are aggressive,bass-heavy dance tunes.

SoulAlive said:

In 1991,Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam released their fourth album Straight Outta Hell's Kitchen.For this album,they went in a different direction.The first half of the album was produced by C&C Music Factory while Full Force produced the second half.The album had a #1 hit single "Let The Beat Hit 'Em" which is a great dance track.I think,with this album,there was a real attempt to get back to their club roots.Most of these tracks are aggressive,bass-heavy dance tunes.

I think what did LISA LISA and the Cult Jam was what did many original Freestyle artists that came out of NYC in, much like the Cover Girls, as dance/hip hop/ and all of that blended I felt it blended cult jam right out the door at that point. Kind of like when David Foster took the reigns of producing CHICAGO he had no need for horn arrangements or long guitar solos, he really only needed Peter Cetera to sang a few ballads cause that was what Foster is. And though C&C were at the top of the game then it was not going to work for LL overall as a full group, her as a solo artist. Same thing happened to the Cover Girls and if you take their 1987 debut album "SHOW ME" it may not have seemed to be a huge record, it was the first INIDE (real indie) Label release to chart 5 singles on the HOT 100, their second album saw them still successful but getting a little more POP and then by the third album which was 91-92 it was a good record but it was far removed from their freestyle days, with "wishing on a star" being HUGE for them at the time, and then their 1996 album that really went away from their roots with a pretty bland RB ish album.

In 1994,Lisa Lisa released a solo album titled LL77.The first single "Skip To My Lu" received some airplay.

I only own their debut, which still sounds very fresh (much better than Full Force's debut IMO). Never had a hit in UK (freestyle never broke over here).

This thread reminded me to seek out more of their stuff