Why Ray Ray's a genius, pt. 1

Raphael Saadiq is the most consummate, multi-dimensional producer of the 21st century. Yes. A very big statement. I shall prove this theorem in four parts.

Let us begin with the production/album that had me walk 5 minutes to work today instead of 10 as I damn near floated here.

An itchy artist formerly known as Charlie Ray Wiggins was ready to record again, but not with his cousin and brother in Tony Toni Tone anymore. Raphael Saadiq, D’Angelo, & Q-Tip had talked of forming a group, but it may just have been too much artistry for one unit. Lucy Pearl was the confluence of Ali Shaheed Muhammed from A Tribe Called Quest, Dawn Robinson from En Vogue, and Raphael Saadiq. That was easy enough to sell as all three acts had scene platinum and groundbreaking success in their respective fields. But LP was more than merely the communing for the audiences, the brilliance of one man whose vision and music it mostly was. Raphael was not ready to be a solo artist. He was more comfortable with crew, but his stamp on every song and ability to play lead or support is the formula his later solo albums.

The fact that the introduction is even a remake of Raphael’s first solo single, “Ask of You,” makes it pretty clear who to focus on, no matter how fine Dawn is. “Trippin’” has a bass line nearly incomprehensible and is merely Saadiq showing off. I love him for it. What a fool I look like trying to “air guitar” this shit. Then Saadiq’s grown man (older than most think) shows up with the inclusion of Benjamin Wright’s strings and orchestration for the lead single, “Dance Tonight.”

Who da heck uses strings in 2000? Damn that Saadiq.

The adorable “Lala” feels like peeking in on Dawn and Raphael cuddled in a hammock, it’s too cute. “Everyday” immediately follows with bottom and bass for days. It also brings along one of Tony! Toni! Tone!’s most crucial ingredients with John T. “Jubu” Smith on guitar. Follow that with “Can’t Stand Your Mother” and yes, even when juvenile, the grooves keep coming. Honestly there is no good reason to skip for the first ten songs, which by many a classic album’s standard is a finished record. The tracking and programming Shaheed brought to the table was significant, I’m sure, but nothing Raphael wasn’t capable of doing on his own, evidenced in productions for others out around the same time. Dawn is a perfect co-star, but make no mistakes, the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role here goes to Raphael Saadiq.

Amidst the new shunning of neo and death of funk music as we knew it, Ray Ray, Dawn and Shaheed came without something over thought, over baked, or corporately labeled. They with Raphael’s direction delivered simple good well rounded music, and though the shine would never be quite this bright for any recordings they touched after, for a minute there was hope for the millennium.