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What Would You Do

City High

Listen to City High:

Well now, isn’t this interesting? I am really quite surprised to see “What Would You Do” reach the pop top ten. I’m not saying that because the song isn’t good – I think it’s great – it’s just that it’s been a long, long while since songs like this have charted. City High specialize in a socially conscious brand of R&B that has been out of favor for years, maybe decades. In 2001, music that is branded R&B usually consists of emotionally charged love/seduction songs whose popularity is based almost exclusively on the sex appeal of the vocalist. R. Kelly and Usher are only two of the most obvious examples of what is branded the ‘new’ R&B. Their music is perfect for late-night dates that include candles and a bottle of champagne, but there seems to be some type of emotional disconnect that prevents me from taking this stuff too seriously. In days past, a singer needed to be very attuned to his or her own personal feelings for the material to qualify as R&B/soul music. Too much of today’s R&B sounds as though the emotional resonance died fifteen minutes after the singer left the vocal booth. Instead of sounding real, it sounds slick, which leaves me with the feeling that I’m being conned. The difference is like comparing the seduction style of someone awkward but sincere with that of a playboy; the playboy may be better at it, but his words don’t really mean anything. Listen to Al Green and Usher back to back and you should get a vivid example of what I’m trying to convey here.

Socially conscious R&B seemed to have died with the outbreak of disco. Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield and Donny Hathaway (and do you remember “Smiling Faces Sometimes,” by the Undisputed Truth?) were among the first R&B artists to deal with the idea of confronting social issues in their music, but in the mid-seventies, the focus shifted drastically to hedonism. Since then, (with only a few exceptions, like Tracy Chapman, Arrested Development, et. al), R&B’s topical scope has diminished until the only things anyone sang about were either love or sex (actually, that’s only one topic, especially in the lustful world of contemporary R&B). Anybody singing about anything different came off as a renegade, which partially explains the offbeat appeal of a band like the Fugees.

Speaking of which (and although City High continually try to downplay it), it is almost impossible to avoid comparisons of City High and the Fugees. Besides the fact that both bands have the same two man/one woman lineup, the Fugees' Wyclef Jean is credited as City High’s producer. He is also credited with asking female vocalist/rapper Claudette Ortiz to join what was originally intended to be a two-man partnership between Toby Ryan and Robby Pardlo. Regardless of who is responsible, the lineup works beautifully, especially on their debut single, “What Would You Do.” The half-sung verses set up a situation where a male attends a wild party where strippers are hired and he recognizes one of the dancers as an old friend. The song’s conversational lyricism only serves to heighten the poignancy of the topic, which deals with a young mother’s justification for working as a stripper. While the male character remains judgmental of the woman’s actions, the song makes it plain that there are no easy answers. The underlying sense of despair is diffused by the sad but beautiful melody of the chorus, which provides a subtle intimation of hope for what otherwise could be considered a desperate but not-so-uncommon circumstance.

It might be too soon to celebrate, but I’m hopeful about the future of R&B. Besides City High, a few other performers are cutting unique paths and providing positive impressions. Artists like Alicia Keys and Craig David have both displayed tremendous diversity as songwriters, instrumentalists and vocalists. Of course, a great deal of their repertoire sticks closely to the love/sex standard, but they do so with a grace that suggests the possibility of much, much more. When a song like “What Would You Do” reaches #8 on the pop charts, it’s a good indication that things are only going to get better.