Kids and Young Adults of the 90s Are Seeing a Musical Rebirth

Those of us who lived our teenage years or young adult years in the 90s have been in a musical drought for quite some time. If your experience has been anything like my own, then in recent years you’ve often complained about the lack of “real music” on the radio these days. Many of us have gotten so tired of mumble rap and one hit R&B wonders, that we’ve retreated into our collective musical shells resorting to coveted playlists of the music we miss so much. What happened to the art of the slow jam, slow dancing in the basement of somebody’s house party under low light? Where did all of the music go that made you want to “Fight The Power” and take it to “the man,” or made it okay for men to tell women that “I’ll Always Love You” without it being called “simpin” or being “thirsty”? If you’re tired of all of the “b*tch,” “ho,” “thot,” and “trick” music, tired of the “popping bottles,” “counting money,” “driving a [insert ridiculously expensive car here]” type of music, then I have some absolutely great news for you. REAL MUSIC IS BACK BABY! If you didn’t already know, these artists have either dropped new music or have promised new music is on the way, YOU GONE LEARN TODAY!

We fell in love with India Arie with her 2001 debut album Acoustic Soul which gave us gems like Brownskin helping brown girls everywhere take pride in the melanin we have been so graciously blessed with, and Ready For Love. While that album was released in 2001 which technically make her one for the new millennium, we are still claiming her for our own. Our sexy soulful songstress is back with her new album titled SongVersation: Medicine. Take a listen to the single "I Am Light."

Introducing Stokley

While we don’t have a new Mint Condition album, we do have a new album from Stokley. His distinctive voice is unparalleled and we’ve been in love with it since Mint Condition’s debut album Meant To Be Mint. Not only was "Pretty Brown Eyes" a chart topper in 1992 receiving constant air play, but those of us who bought the single were also blessed with "Pretty Brown Eyes (The Brown Eyed Edit)" which was a “Make me melt” quiet storm version. Album after album, hit after hit, you could never get enough of Mint Condition. The video for "U Send Me Swinging" just does something to me. It was so simplistic, yet it was something so very unforgettable about it. "You Don’t Have To Hurt No More," "What Kind Of Man Would I Be," and the ultra-sexy "Someone To Love" were all constantly on repeat in many of our tape decks. We have our boy back with his new album Introducing Stokley. You can hear the single "Level" playing on your local radio station NOW and that voice hasn’t changed one bit.

“Spread my wings, and fly away. to a place that I loooong for. And my heart will lead, the pathway. I’m searching for a love that’s ever moooore.” Who can forget Troop. While their self-titled debut album in 1988 brought us "Mamacita," we fell completely irreversibly in love with this group on their second album Attitude. That’s when they gave us "Spread My Wings" and my personal favorite "I Will Always Love You." I don’t have new album information for you, but I do know they have a new single soon to be released titled “I Know." While I haven’t been able to pin down an exact release date just yet (once I do I will update this info) it’s good to see all of the fellas together again and working on new music. A sample of "I Know" can be found on the fellas' IG pages.

Nothing is Quick in the Desert

Who could have ever foreseen that we would get another PE album (Especially if you didn’t know they released an album in 2015)? You read that right. Public Enemy, whose debut album in 1987 featured "Public Enemy No. 1," just dropped a new album. When PE jumped on the scene, I remember being in awe of a rap group that featured Black Panther-esque militants instead of back up dancers. A group that actually made it cool to wear a clock around your neck. A FREAKING CLOCK! Good times, great memories. The new album Nothing Is Quick In The Desert is actually available for FREE! Again, you read that right… FREE. Most notable on the album IMO is the interlude "Exit Your Mind" and the track "SOC MED Digital Heroin" which speaks on being caught up in social media (Get it, soc med). Let’s hope we don’t have to wait another umpteen years for the next album. (Ps. Did you know they released an album in 2015 titled Man Plans God Laughs? Marketing just isn’t what it used to be. Check out that album as well.)

I can remember when TLC debuted in 1992 with their first album Ooooooohhh… On the TLC Tip and I first saw the video for "Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg." I thought these girls were crazy and I loved it. That video looked so fun it made you wish you were there. I’ll admit that at the time, I thought they were just a novelty group. That wasn’t the case at all. The singles just kept on coming off that album with "Hat 2 Da Back," "What About Your Friends," and "Baby Baby Baby." Album after album we couldn’t get enough. Show me someone who says those ladies haven’t been on fire since day one, and I’ll show you someone who is a bold-faced lie! We were all so heartbroken when we lost Lisa (Left Eye) Lopez and that heartbreak intensified with the possibility that TLC might not give us another studio album. Thank God that wasn’t the case because now we have the self-titled TLC with its first single "Way Back" featuring Snoop Dogg. They have not missed a beat!

Who dat, who dat, who dat? Is that the group whose 1993 debut album Hummin’ Comin’ at ‘Cha brought us "Just Kickin It," "Tonight," and "Understanding?" Yes, indeed no other than Xscape together again. So far we’ve gotten to experience medleys for both the 2017 BET Awards and the Essence Festival. The ladies have confirmed that not only are they working on a biopic, but also new music. We haven’t gotten a collective yes on a full album just yet, but we are definitely keeping our fingers crossed. The fans definitely want it, so hopefully the ladies will oblige us. Until then, we are just happy to see them once again taking to the stage.

These are just a few. Find out who else you should be getting excited about hearing from again by visiting The Soundtrack Of My Life Blog. You won't want to miss the rest!