Jon B
Waiting on You (released March 21, 2025)
If good things come to those who wait, Jon B’s fans are about to get the blessing of a lifetime.
Because we’ve been waiting a long, longgggggg time for this moment.
It was way back in 2019 when I joined my boys at YouKnowIGotSoul.com in crowning Jon B and Donell Jones’ “Understand” the R&B song of that year.
Yes, 2019. Before anyone knew what COVID-19 was, before you had to take out a second mortgage to afford concert tickets and way before y’all made the Tesla guy the president of the U.S.
Simpler times.
Jon has since said that the pandemic became a creative blessing in disguise, giving him more time to perfect the sound of his big comeback release – his first since 2012’s Comfortable Swagg.
And when you think about it, the timing couldn’t be better. The aptly titled Waiting on You arrives on a R&B landscape that’s light on worthy contenders. Sure, we had Durand Bernarr’s stellar Bloom earlier this year and a couple of promising prospects in the coming months but the current lane is completely clear for Jon.
There’s no better time to capture R&B’s undivided attention. And Jon wastes no time seizing the moment.
Album opener “Chozen” is the perfect way to kick off a project more than a decade in the making. The heavy guitar licks, the haunting background vocals, the unmistakable groove – it’s a simmering ode to the grown n’ sexy crowd, perfect for a steamy summer night full of sundresses and cocktails.
The album’s production is quite the feat, always matching the mood but never overpowering or underwhelming Jon’s vocals. Waiting on You thrives on this sonic diversity – “Natural Drug” is elevated by the elegant soundscapes, while “Pick Me Up” seeps with mellow grooves that harken back to Jon’s 90s heyday. The biggest surprise might be the album closer “Driftin’,” a yacht-rock-esque lullaby that serves as a soothing finale to the project.
Another big win is the album’s various duets, and they all hit the spot. Jon showcases immaculate chemistry with current R&B it-girl Alex Isley on “Show Me.” Their tones blend seamlessly while they lift the listener across the Milky Way. Seriously, it’s an interstellar experience. Jon’s chemistry with Tank is also strong on the title track and, of course, we can’t forget “Understand.”
I know, I know, that song is now twice the age of ChatGPT, and that would be enough for some artists to abandon it, but I’m so happy it found a home here. Donell and Jon’s message of growth and maturity is sorely needed in today’s world. It’s some of Jon’s best work post-Pleasure U Like.
That said, “Bandit in the Night” just might be Understand 2025 – my favorite R&B track of the year. It’s tailor-made for a big-budget movie score, with layered production that’s as elegant as it is powerful. It’s all capped off with a stunning vocal performance that’s so engrossing that you don’t want the track to end. THIS is the one.
As solid as Waiting on You is at the best of times, it’s not without flaws, and those mostly reside with the more uptempo tracks early in the album’s run. “Hills to the Hood” is a catchy steppers anthem, but not very memorable. Our boy Rick Rawse shows up too, and thankfully he’s rapping on topic for once. But his contribution isn’t very noteworthy. The bouncy “Priceless” is a bit in the same vein – you’ll bop along to the groove in real time but it doesn’t stick to your ribs afterward. And some of those later verses sounded like one big run-on sentence to me. “Still Got Love,” however, gets it right, successfully capturing that fell-good energy for your next black tie affair.
Was the wait worth it? Absolutely. Waiting on You is a solid edition to Jon’s underrated catalog. In an era where veteran R&B artists seem to run from their core base to chase the new hotness, it’s refreshing to see him deliver exactly what his fans want, with a few fresh twists here and there. Waiting on You is his love letter to them.
Thirteen years between projects is an eternity in the music industry, but that’s the beauty of R&B – real talent never goes out of style.
2012, 2019, 2025 – it doesn’t matter. Jon’s still stylin on ‘em.
Best tracks: “Bandit in the Night,” “Understand,” “Show Me”
4 stars out of 5
Leave A Reply