Edd’s MANtra: Artists Who Should Be Stars
A couple of days ago, I mentioned former Kut Klose singer Athena Cage in one of my infamous “Whatever Happened to…” columns. To this day, I still don’t understand why she didn’t get a fair shake as a solo artist. She could sing, she was attractive, and she had the all-important stamp of approval from an already established artist.
I guess we could blame the tepid response to her mediocre first single, but I don’t see how that alone did her in. People still think Usher’s first single was 1997’s “You Make Me Wanna,” forgetting all about the super-cheezy “Can U Get Wit It” video from ’94. Whose idea was it for the boy to fake a nosebleed? If he rebounded, why couldn’t she?
The Lady of Rage
I guess the world will never know.
Here are a few other artists who should have progressed much further than they did.
Bubba Sparxxx
Initially known as “Timbaland’s Eminem,” Bubba proved that he was no Marshall Mathers clone when he picked up a mic. Although he’s best remembered for 2001’s “Ugly,” his early albums (especially the criminally underrated Deliverance in 2003) showcased witty wordplay that painted vivid pictures of the South. Timbo was at the height of his beatmaking creativity too, making quite a dynamic duo.
Why it didn’t work out: While he overcame the Eminem comparisons, I think his “hick-hop” shtick came off as gimmicky. Sadly, people missed out on some excellent verses.
Kiley Dean
Pat yourself on the back if you remember this girl. Kiley, another Timbaland protege, was signed to his ill-fated Beat Club records in 2002. Despite an amazing voice – sounding like mix between Christina Aguilera and Brandy – her album was shelved. Which is a shame – everything I heard from it was pretty good. She had truckloads of potential. Last time I checked, she was signed to Beyonce’s daddy’s label. But he’s too busy being Beyonce’s daddy and having kids out of wedlock to be bothered with her.
Why it didn’t work out: Easy. For those who don’t remember, check out her first single, “Make Me A Song,” which featured this hook: “Can you give me a song like Rock The Boat/Rock The Boat/ Rock the Boat?/Can you give me a song that you and Missy (Elliott) wrote/Missy wrote/Missy wrote?” Aaliyah had passed away just a year earlier and her fans were PISSED. In their eyes Dean was using Aaliyah’s name in vain and was blatantly vying to be her replacement. Poor Kiley didn’t stand a chance.
The Lady of Rage
“Rockin'” Robin Allen is probably only remembered for her afro puffs and for being “the big girl” on The Steve Harvey Show. But no one remembers her demolishing microphones in the mid-90s. Her awesome 1997 debut, Necessary Roughness, combined with her Hollywood clout and support from big names like Snoop Dogg, seemed like a recipe for success. I thought she’d pick up where Queen Latifah left off.
Why it didn’t work out: Check the year – 1997. That year was dominated by Lil Kim and Foxy Brown. And while both were pretty decent artists, let’s be honest, it was their money-grubbing sex talk that got them in the spotlight. Sadly, that’s still the case today. That wasn’t Rage’s forte’.
Kelly Price
I remember it like it was yesterday – when I heard “Friend of Mine,” Kelly’s first single back in 1998, I got chills. But I had no idea who she was! This was back in the Stone Ages when artists didn’t have stuff all over the Internet. It was tough tracking down new songs. With the help of Desiree (who was on her Progressive Soul grind even back then), we realized that Kelly was the woman who sang backup in a lot of Bad Boy’s hits in the late 90s. Kelly’s debut, Soul Of A Woman, still stands as my favorite album of all time. Listening to it, I just knew we were witnessing the birth of our generation’s Aretha Franklin. Kelly certainly had a fair share of success but she never reached superstardom.
Why it didn’t work out: Bad timing. If she came on the scene five years earlier, she would have taken Toni Braxton’s role. Heading into the 2000s, it was all about showmanship. For instance, she was completely overshadowed in her “Friends of Mine Remix” by R. Kelly and Ron Isley pretending to be Scarface, despite having the best vocals by far. Music was moving beyond “people who can sing well” to “people who are entertaining.” A shame.
Can you name some artists who should have made it big but didn’t?
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