![]() ![]() This song was so earnest and buttery as late 90s R&B was, but it was also a certain swagger from these four dudes that let you know that not only could they sing and mean every word, they could also fight if need be and weren’t to be messed with. Soon as Brandon/Brian croons that first line you knew these dudes were here to stay. It may sound cliche but this track was just a hit, and as soon as you heard it you knew JE was IT. Lord, they’re gonna yell at me next, aren’t they? Name the first song that made you a fan of JE The lyrics are cringey, the trap production is horribly generic and the twins are downright unrecognizable under all that autotune. Call it recency bias but “Peanut Budder,” the single from the dreaded Layover album, is much more deserving of our wrath. Heartbreak 2, so I get why it didn’t make a mark with you. “Hope!?” Nah “Hope” was great! But I know you weren’t feeling J.E. Even though this song had the makings of everything that has made so many of their prior tracks classics, the mix felt forced and old, and just fell sort of flat, and it was a sad preview to the album that wasn’t awful but in no way captured the essence of its original namesake of babymakin’ music that is responsible for many 18-19 year olds walking around now. There was so much fanfare and dare I say … “hope” when JE reunited with Jermaine Dupri to create part two of their classic album J.E Heartbreak. There’s a sincerity here that is SO lacking in today’s brand of R&B – warm, inviting but not without a little, ahem, edge as well. I said earlier that JE’s defining album is JE Heartbreak, so it’s no shock that their best standout there is also the best song of their career. The best part however was that not only was this single a smash hit, the album they delivered with Jagged Little Thrill was damn good too. Even more impressive was that it was their first single after releasing what many considered a classic album. What’s Jagged Edge’s best single?īack in the late 90s/early 2000s very few R&B groups made the cross over to mainstream success (Shout out to Sisqo from Dru Hill with “Thong Song”, and Next with “Too Close” - believe me, this was no easy feat.) So for JE and Nelly to create a cross-over hit that is still included on “Party Mix” compilations to this day is pretty damn impressive. Here’s hoping their next release A Jagged Love Story recaptures their old magic. ![]() Second, like God-is said, Layover doesn’t work because it doesn’t feel like a JE album, it feels more like JE cosplaying as Bryson Tiller. First off, y’all gotta stop calling fans “haters” for having constructive criticism. A couple of weeks ago on Instagram, I spotted one of the twins yelling at a fan who was criticizing the autotune JE has employed lately, including on Layover. Anyway, yeah, no surprise at which album winds up circling the drain. ![]() Heartbreak II? I thought it was actually pretty solid. Wait a minute playa, you didn’t like J.E. Jagged Edge is a true R&B group, and to see them at their best is rhythm and blues (with a touch of hip hop swag) at its finest. Although severely underrated (see my later post here) their self-titled 2006 album delivered that same cohesion, dynamic mix of great R&B even without much of the radio fanfare. Delivering uptempo cuts like “Cut Something” and impressive ballads like “Goodbye” and “Without You” and “Can We Be Tight,” JE set the early 2000s on fire. Jagged Little Thrill came through just a year later with that same magic and a crossover lead single to boot. This album was JE and Jermaine Dupri at the peak of their collaboration together. ![]() Tracks like “Healing” and “What You Trying to Do” were just as great as classic singles like “He Can’t Love You” and “Promise”. Bringing back that attitude of Jodeci with powerful vocals and sensitive, sexy writing, J.E. was blending beautiful harmonies while rockin’ Timbs and a fitted, and we were all mesmerized. Heartbreak one of their best albums, it’s probably one of my favorite albums of all time. ![]()
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