In 1993 an aspiring music executive established a label that would eventually lay the foundation of a movement that would literally have a global impact. Fashion, multimedia and food/beverage were a few of the industries that were influenced by the kid from Harlem, Sean Combs aka Puff Daddy, with the golden touch.
At the root of it all was a set of platinum ears. Having established himself as a visionary capable of creating hit-makers, Combs created his own imprint with Bad Boy Records and straight out the gate it popped. To prove that the success of his first two signees, Craig Mac and The Notorious B.I.G, weren’t a fluke, an ill roster was assembled. Who was the crew that could lay claim to being the illest? Well, May 20 and May 21 at the Barclays Center the audience will be able to judge as The Bad Boy Family Reunion (now announced as a tour) commences. “This isn’t just a concert—this is a moment in hip-hop and R&B history,” said Combs. “The family and I are so excited to welcome fans into this once in a lifetime experience. This tour is 20 years in the making and is a celebration of the hits and the Bad Boy lifestyle. The Bad Boy Family has set the standard for concert excellence, and this tour will be a testament to that!”
Marvin Scandrick, a 20-plus-year industry veteran, echoed those sentiments as he stated enthusiastically, “This is the first time we all have come together to go bananas and we want to make this one of the most talked about events, point blank, period. The production, the preparation, the gear, the performances are all gonna be at an all-time high. The timeline of the music will have you feeling like you did when you heard it the first time. It’s going to be historical. Buckle your seats for this one.” Yes indeed, it’s an exciting time for Scandrick. You can hear it as he speaks. And it’s for good reason. He and his team 112 are one of the featured acts on the bill, and Scandrick, the man professionally known as Slim, just released his sophomore solo album, “Refueled.”
As a unit, the group 112 comprises four capable leads and airtight harmonies. Slim provided the group with a distinctive sound, however. When you heard it you were quick to say, ‘that’s them dudes.’ The trick for Slim now is to get people to say ‘Oh it’s THAT dude.’ The easy thing to do would have been to ride the wave of what 112 established. Yet expressing himself as a risk-taking solo artist is a challenge that Slim relishes. He shared, “You have to know how to adapt. That’s the secret to being successful for a long time. At the same time, you need to keep certain principles in order. For myself it’s about the content.” For instance, “When I did ‘So Fly,’ there wasn’t anything around that sounded like that. I did that for a reason. The tempo was able to fit in with what was hot and not skip a beat. At the same time when you heard the vocals, you knew it was Slim, straight up. If you didn’t know me then, after the song you asked, ‘who is this man?’ I stayed true to the philosophy that had me around for the past 20 years. Hard beats layered with meaningful lyrics that everyone could relate to. I plan to keep my feet on the accelerator and continue to give classy, timeless material.”
It’s been a significant gap between Slim’s debut project, 2008’s “LOVE’S CRAZY,” and by the response it received to say the next project was long-awaited is fair. He is eager to get back out there for the second go-round and label debut with Shanachie Entertainment. “Like the title says, I’m refueled, I’m ready to go. When I go into a project I have to know the team is 10 toes down and ready to move also. I need to know that the team gets what I’m trying to do and say, and I have that. Shaniche and I have an amazing relationship. It’s more creative than anything. It’s not about the business of numbers. It’s about the art. This is the most fun I’ve had doing a solo project.”
Guest features are minimal and somewhat surprising. The lead song “Never Break Up” guests rapper Rich Homie Quan, an artist of big expectations in 2016 and beyond. For other pairings, however, Slim took it back home with former labelmates Mase and Carl Thomas. The sound beds provided by Patrick “Guitarboy” Hayes, Keyshia Cole, Tank, Oddz & Endsz, Bridgetown and Kevin Rockhill are contemporary and versatile but for those looking to find the bridge between 112 and Slim in 2016, point to the fourth song on the album, “Truth Is.” That track combines the efforts of Slim and producer Tim Kelly. Slim and Kelly, who is one half of the super production duo Tim and Bob, take it back to those tracks that made the 112 introductory album the classic it was. Remember “Can I Touch You,” “Now That We’re Done” and “Come See Me.” Slim in describing “Truth Is” said, “The facade for guys is love is an option. Something he don’t really need. He acts likes he doesn’t care when he really does. I understand. I’m an alpha male also. I run things a certain kind of way. When it comes to my lady though, I let her know that I run the kingdom, but you have the throne. In order for that flow she has to know that there’s no walls, no hidden agendas, that with me she’s safe and secure and how I feel about her. So I was honest and vulnerable and worded the song in a way that it works for both guys and ladies who don’t say those type words. They can just pop the CD in and let the music do the talking.”
Big picture though, the album represents a word that’s important to Slim: legacy. He’s looking to solidify a spot in music in general but isn’t afraid to stand on it with strong Black, soul music. He expresses his honor and respect for the lineage with, “It’s who we are. It’s what we stand for. My culture is involved in this. Our culture depends on this. When we say music we think culture, because that’s what it is. Anytime I’m in the studio and I put the pen to paper, I’m taking the memories from the age of three up and bringing all of that energy into the records. All the passion, struggles and experiences of life go into one song. Then another and another. So we come to feel they’re not just songs, they’re who we are. Then when the record is presented it comes with impact! Hopefully I can put together enough of those that when they discuss some of the greats of their time our name will come up.”
If you can’t make it to Barclays this weekend, you’ve officially been alerted. Tickets for the show at the Prudential Center Sunday, Sept. 25, produced exclusively by Live Nation, will be available at www.livenation.com and www.ticketmaster.com beginning Friday, May 20.
Over and out. Holla next week. Til then, enjoy the nightlife.