Ranking the Best Dave Hollister Albums

A couple of days ago in the Soul In Stereo Cypher on Facebook, I lamented the lack of strong male R&B voices in the game today. Apologies if one of your faves caught a stray.

Actually, I take that back – tell them to step their games up.

I miss rich, distinct male vocalists, artists whom you instantly recognized the second a couple of notes left their voiceboxes. I miss stirring performances and relatable lyrics.

I miss Dave Hollister.

Dave famously cut his teeth as a lead vocalist in the early days of Blackstreet’s fame before embarking on a successful (and as this post will prove, very underrated) solo career.

Longtime Soul In Stereo fans know my infinite love for this guy. Years before this site allowed me the privilege of connecting and interacting with some of my favorite artists, Dave Hollister was one of the first celebrities I encountered in real life. I always respected him for taking time to chat about random nonsense in Chesapeake Va’s Greenbrier Mall one random summer day circa 2000. That chance meeting became the measuring stick for all artist interactions I had from that day further.

You might be cool, but are you Dave Hollister cool? Probably not.

So today, let’s do what we do around here – celebrate Dave’s career by revisiting every solo album in his catalog, ranking them from bottom to the top. And even though we’ll skip his Blackstreet efforts, I did find one group album for this list that may surprise you.

In case you forgot, Dave’s got joints.

9. The Book of David Vol.1 – The Transition (2006)

Soul in Stereo rating: 3 stars out of 5

Edd said: “Transition” proved to be a pretty accurate title for this project. After spending more than a decade on the secular side of music, Dave pivoted here, releasing his first of several gospel projects. Though his heart is in the right place, this transition isn’t as smooth as you’d hope. Not only are there few standouts, the 21-track setlist loses its momentum about halfway through. “What Do You Do” made it on a few of my youth group playlists in 2006 but there’s little that stands the test of the time. But never fear, he wasn’t finished giving praise just yet.

Forgotten favorites: “Help Me,” “Pray (Til I Get an Answer)”

8. Real Talk (2003)

Soul in Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Edd said: HOL UP, FABOLOUS, you weren’t the only playa to drop a blue-tinted album named Real Talk in the 2000s! Unlike the hefty Book of David, Real Talk was a streamlined release, his leanest project to date at that point. Featuring “Never Gonna Change” aka the Doo Rag Song, Real Talk retains Dave’s position as the realest man in the room. It’s a true love letter to the hood but despite a fun single and a few notable album cuts, it struggles to find its identity next to his more well-known works.

Forgotten favorites: “Pleased Tonight,” “Almost,” “Real Talk”

7. Witness Protection (2008)

Soul in Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Edd said: Like The Book of David before it, Dave dives deep into his gospel bag for Witness Protection (dope album title, BTW). Thankfully, Dave seems much more comfortable this time around, with the project feeling a little more cohesive and polished than its predecessor. His vocals are tailor-made for these hymns, producing more than a couple powerful performances. But once again, it’s another album that gets sidetracked by lesser cuts. Trim three or four songs and we’d really have something special.

Forgotten favorites: “Striving,” “Don’t Stop,” “I Know I Can”

6. Chicago Winds … The Saga Continues (2014)

Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5

Read our review here

Edd said: Dave’s more recent albums don’t get nearly enough love, so allow me to cheerlead for a bit. Specifically, I thought Chicago Winds was criminally underrated in 2014, and time hasn’t proved me wrong. After a few years of gospel releases, Dave returns to his trademark sound with newfound maturity. Dave finds incredible chemistry with renowned hitmaker Warryn Campbell, who gives him a more mature swagger without sacrificing his trademark edge. The result is an album brimming with OG wisdom but doesn’t skimp on the romance. Underrated.

Forgotten favorites: “I’m Different,” “Spend the Night,” “Cold”

5. Things in the Game Done Changed (2002)

Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5

Edd said: Dave was still riding high in 2002 when he dropped his third solo release, so some longtime fans might find this ranking a bit low. But more on that in a second. With a name like Things in the Game Done Changed, you might think this is will be a major shift for Dave, but for the most part, he sticks to the script. The honest reflections on love, the gospel-tinged vocals, Dave and his toxic relationships – it’s all there. My main complaint is the album’s sequencing. The album has a pretty slow an uneventful start before picking WAY up on latter half. Overall, it’s another good Dave release, it’s just takes awhile to reach its potential.

Forgotten favorites: “Tell Me Why,” “My Everything,” “I’m Wrong”

4. The Manuscript (2016)

Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5

Edd said: Take everything I said about Chicago Winds and amplify it right here. Dave’s final album to date is designed as a guide to love – by a brother, for the brothers – and it lives up to it to that billing with marked maturity and creative concepts. But this ain’t called MANsplaining, after all, so he spends a lot of time celebrating women as well. It’s another album that was unfairly overlooked at the time yet it holds up pretty well. Plus “One Great Love” is one of his best songs ever.

Forgotten favorites: “One Great Love,” “Ooh Ya-Ya,” “Creation (H.E.R.)”

3. United Tenors (2013)

Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5

Edd said: Of all of Dave’s gospel projects, this one stands tallest. In 2013 Dave teamed up with vocal titans Fred Hammond, Eric Roberson and Brian Courtney Wilson for the United Tenors project, and their voices meld together flawlessly. This four-man choir instantly sounds like a band of brothers who’ve been performing for decades. Between the strong production and heaven-shaking performances, it’s yet another album that deserved more attention than it received. Honestly, I had totally forgotten about this project until researching this post and I’m so glad it’s firmly back in my memory. It GOES.

Forgotten favorites: “My Heart Is Yours,” “I’m In the Midst,” “Here in Our Praise”

2. Ghetto Hymns (1999)

Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5

Edd said: If you were creating a Dave Hollister Greatest Hits playlist, you could just throw everything from Nos. 1 and 2 on this list and come away with a banger. Dave’s solo debut (and its follow up) are just that good. Ghetto Hymns had a dubious distinction – it was here to introduce us to a brother we already knew. But this project was far from a Blackstreet rehash. Produced by heavy hitters like Erick Sermon, Jazze Pha, Tim and Bob, Stevie J and more, Ghetto Hymns stands as a soulful yet authentically street exploration of love in the hood. I know we old heads complain about the excess of toxic drama in R&B today, but man, some of these songs were downright radioactive – in the best ways. Dave’s distinct style and incredible vocals produced one of the best releases of late 90s R&B, but he’d top himself soon after.

Forgotten favorites: “Round and Round,” “Bring it to Dave (interlude),” “Keep Forgettin”

1. Chicago 85 … The Movie (2000)

Soul in Stereo rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Edd said: If you asked a Dave Hollister fan to name their No. 1 album, it’s a safe bet Chicago 85 is the first thing that spills from their lips. And for good reason. Everything that made Ghetto Hymns so great is taken to another level on the sequel. The production? Even more stellar. The storytelling? Even more vivid. The vocals? Even more defining. Sure it’s home to Dave’s biggest hit, “One Woman Man,” but that’s just the start of what this album offers. If you have a soul, songs like “Destiny” and “I’m Not Complete” will bring chills to it. Chicago 85 is Dave Hollister at his best, a crowning achievement for 2000s-era R&B.

Forgotten favorites: “I’m Not Complete,” “Destiny,” “Don’t Take My Girl Away”

Are you Team Chicago 85 or Team Ghetto Hymns? What did you think of his gospel efforts? Yell at me about the No. 5 ranking and more in the comments below.