The New Jack Swing Era owes a substantial part of its foundation to Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and the signature ‘Laface’ sound, crafted with ex-Deele bandmates L.A. Reid, Daryl Simmons, and Kayo. The Babyface touch was first felt on the hit “Rock Steady” by the Whispers in 1987; after that, his lyrics and melodies were being enlisted for acts including Bobby Brown, Pebbles, Whitney Houston, and much more. An interesting thing about Babyface was he made a habit of making other artists sound like him; it’s especially on Bobby Brown’s “Rock Witcha” that one can successfully imagine Babyface singing instead.
As a solo artist, Babyface was the consummate sensitive lover man in the late 80s. His double platinum sophomore effort Tender Lover contained the hits “It’s No Crime,” “Whip Appeal,” the title track, and “Soon As I Get Home.” With a voice as soft and smooth as creamy molasses, urban audiences truly appreciated the ultra-plush recordings that Babyface churned out during the New Jack Swing Era.
Notable New Jack Era ‘Babyface’ songs include: “My My My” (Johnny Gill), “Love Makes Things Happen” (Pebbles & Babyface), “Superwoman” (Karyn White), “Every Little Step” (Bobby Brown) and “Dial My Heart” (The Boys).
By the time the New Jack Swing Era came to an end, Babyface had included hits by Boyz II Men, TLC and Toni Braxton into his repertoire, and circa 1993 released For The Cool In You. This album was a notable departure from the trademark LaFace sound, entering a new phase in Babyface’s solo career – his less rhythmic, more acoustic/straightforward approach. It was 1994’s summer hit “When Can I See You Again” that broke the fact that the urban audience already knew (that Babyface was special) to the mainstream.
Since then, Babyface has come to be recognized one of the most important figures in pop music history, particularly during the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. Notable ‘Babyface’ songs during the 1990s are:
“Can We Talk” (Tevin Campbell), “Red Light Special” (TLC), “End Of The Road,” “I’ll Make Love To You,” “Water Runs Dry” (Boyz II Men), “Change The World” (Eric Clapton), and “Breath Again” (Toni Braxton).
Babyface has re-invented himself as an artist ready to tackle neo-soul on his latest album Face To Face (2001). Whether Babyface’s audience will fully accept his new look and sound remains to be seen. But at this point, Babyface has nothing more to prove, and he can do whatever he wants. His songs have broken records, and his “midas touch” songwriting ability remains unrivaled. Babyface is among Pop/R&B’s finest producers ever.
Babyface: Tender Lover
