Line #26 Music/Jodeci


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jodeci.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:The Bad Boys of R&B. From left: K-Ci, [=DeVante=] Swing, [=JoJo=], and Mr. Dalvin]]
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4	Jodeci is an American [[RandB R&B]] quartet whose members consists of two sets of brothers from Charlotte, North Carolina: the [=DeGrate=]s (Donald [[=DeVante=] Swing] and Dalvin [Mr. Dalvin]), and the Haileys (Cedric [K-Ci] and Joel [[=JoJo=]]).
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6	All of the brothers were raised in heavily Pentecostal families, with the Haileys releasing several gospel albums as children, and the [=DeGrates=] touring with their family. Through a mutual acquaintance, the duos eventually met, and decided to pursue musical careers together. After several failed attempts by [=DeVante=] to audition for Music/{{Prince}} at Paisley Park, he returned to Charlotte, and began working with the rest of the group, improving his production and songwriting. By this point, the group eventually formed into Jodeci, and began crafting demos for record labels.
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8	Traveling to New York in 1991, the group managed to arrange an impromptu audition with Creator/{{MCA}}'s Creator/UptownRecords division. Uptown founder and president Andre Harrell was skeptical of the high quality production on their demo, and asked Jodeci to perform acapella in front of label A&R Jeff Redd. Music/HeavyD, then the label's vice-president, overheard the performance, and convinced Harrell to sign the group. Music/SeanCombs, one of Uptown's A&R's at the time, helped the group develop their image, wearing the street clothes and hats that were popular among hardcore hip hop artists instead of the typical refined suits that R&B artists usually wore, helping them stand out.
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10	In May of that year, Jodeci released their debut album ''Forever My Lady''. A [[DarkerAndEdgier somewhat gritter and more sensual]] take on Teddy Riley's NewJackSwing sound, it was met with critical and commercial success, selling over 3 million copies, and spawning several Pop and R&B hits, including "Come and Talk to Me", "Stay", and the title track, helping usher in the HipHopSoul SubGenre. 1993's ''Diary of a Mad Band'' saw similar success, but its release was mired by a feud between the group and Uptown, culminating in the group signing with [[Creator/DeathRowRecords Suge Knight]]'s "West Coast Management Firm" alongside Music/MaryJBlige to increase their royalties and creative control, and threatened to sign with Death Row outright. In response, Uptown [[InvisibleAdvertising barely promoted the album]], though its success rendered the sabotage moot. The group released their third album, ''The Show, the After-Party, the Hotel'' in 1995, before taking a break, and focusing on either side projects or writing and producing for other artists.
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12	In 2015, 20 years after their last album, the group returned to the spotlight, and released the Timbaland-produced ''The Past, the Present, the Future'' through Creator/EpicRecords.
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14	No, neither [=JoJo=], or the group in general are [[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure Joestars]], though "Freek'n You" gained the group [[ColbertBump memetic status]] among the [=JoJo=] fanbase after being the first closing theme for ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind Golden Wind]]'''s anime adaptation, to the point where a [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff Japanese-only]] [[https://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/UICY-15807 greatest hits collection with JoJo cover art]] was released with several exclusive remixes. [=JoJo=] Hailey should also not be confused with fellow musician Music/{{Jojo}}.
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16	!Discography:
17	* ''Forever My Lady'' (1991)
18	* ''Diary of a Mad Band'' (1993)
19	* ''The Show, the After-Party, the Hotel'' (1995)
20	* ''The Past, the Present, the Future'' (2015)
21	----
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23	!'''Tropes associated with Jodeci:'''
24	* BreakUpSong: "Stay" has the trappings of one, but is actually an inversion, with the protagonist having a change of heart post-break up, and wants to get back with his ex.
25	* CoverVersion: Only two: "Cherish" (The Association), and "Lately" (Music/StevieWonder).
26	* DarkerAndEdgier: Jodeci's sound was this to the new jack swing subgenre, however, it reached its peak with ''The Show, the After-Party, the Hotel'', thanks to Death Row Records' heavy influence on the group, despite not being officially signed to the label.
27	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: ''Forever My Lady'' features several energetic new jack swing tracks, a direct contrast to the more laid back grooves and ballads the group became known for from their second album onward.
28	* HipHopSoul: The [[TropeMaker Trope Makers]], with it initially starting out as a more streetwise take on new jack swing.
29	* IntercourseWithYou: "Freek'n You", "Feenin'", and dozens of others. There isn't a single album where Jodeci ''didn't'' invoke this trope.
30	* NewJackSwing: Started out with the sound, and it greatly influenced their later Hip Hop Soul albums.
31	* RagingStiffie: Implied in "Freek'n You", where K-Ci mentions he always wakes up horny from his [[EroticDream erotic dreams]] about his girlfriend.
32	* RecordProducer: [=DeVante=] is the main man, though Music/AlBSure and Music/{{Timbaland}} have lent a hand from time to time.
33	* RedBaron: Collectively known as "The Bad Boys of R&B".
34	* SeductionLyric: Jodeci's lyrics [[TropeCodifier took this to new heights in the 90s]], to the point that subtlety was thrown out the window by the time of their second album, and and became the overarching theme of their third. Even their more pop-friendly hits like "Bring on Da Funk" aren't immune to it.
35	* UnpluggedVersion: They participated in the ''Uptown Unplugged'' event with the rest of the Uptown roster on Creator/{{MTV}}, and performed acoustic versions of "Stay," "Come and Talk to Me," "Forever My Lady," and their cover of "Lately."

Context Music / Jodeci