1996 Rewind: Remembering Total’s Debut Album

1996 is one of the most beloved years in hip-hop and R&B, so we’re going to spend all month celebrating its greatness! All 2026, we’re turning the clock back 30 years to review, revisit and relive the most pivotal moments of Black music in that era. And, of course, I’ll be joined by a host of music homies as we debate the best of the best.

In 1996, Bad Boy Records was on top of the music world, and you can’t have bad boys without bad girls. Total’s debut landed this year, and while their success is often overlooked in modern debates, don’t sleep – Kima, Keisha and Pam had a RUN. My little bro from the Va Motherland Darius Keeton returns to talk about Total’s maiden voyage, ALL the remixes and why they don’t get the love the deserve.

Let’s get started! Take us back to when you first heard this album.

Darius: Well of course, I heard this album in full many years later because in 1996, I’m pretty sure my mom was getting my shots and paperwork ready for me to enroll in preschool but maybe a couple years later, I did see them perform “Can’t You See” on a rerun of Nickelodeon’s All That (man, what a time to be alive). The album overall is a really dope album with solid, gritty production and it’s definitely a great launch into the world. However, It does fall just a tad flat due the typical Bad Boy sample-hop formula which does make certain parts of the album sound a little too samey and there’s also a couple of moments that felt a little TLC-esque circa CrazySexyCool (especially through Pam) but the tracks in general are still dope tracks.

Edd: I hadn’t though about it until this post, but Total’s debut is among the first CDs I purchased. Like everyone with functioning ears in the mid-90s, I was a MASSIVE Bad Boy Records fan, with both their hip-hop and R&B records dominating my collection. And for some reason, Total was the first Bad Boy CD I purchased. Yes, before Faith, before Biggie, Kima, Keisha and Pam were my background music while I played TMNT Tournament Fighter or Final Fantasy 6 or Mortal Kombat 3 on my Super Nintendo. While the record was mainly known for those singles – and trust, we’ll get to those soon – the album cuts were solid enough that I’d just let the record play in its entirety. When we say that albums are the soundtracks for our childhood, that was literally the case for Total in my household.

What’s your No. 1 song from this project, and why?

Darius: “Kissin’ You”

This arguably Total’s best song in their catalog. Alongside the album’s hip-hop flares and funky sample heavy grooves, “Kissin’ You” sits perfectly in-between with its blend of smooth acoustic guitars and a semi-neo-soul approach. Was Total ever singers like Aretha, Whitney and Mariah? Nope. Did they needed to be belting and running all over the place on this track? They could have tried but what they did here worked extremely well and that’s why I think this is their best song … well, at least on this album.

Edd: “Can’t You See”

I REALLY REALLY REALLYYYYYYYYYY wanted to go with the “No One Else Remix” but I strive to be your Unbiased and Objective Reviewer, so I’m putting personal preference aside. “Can’t You See” is a marvel is so many ways. That James Brown sample. That SCORCHING guest verse from the Notorious BIG. Total’s commanding presence – they might not be vocal powerhouses but they were distinct and they knew how to ride that adamantium-hard production. A classic track that covers every base.

Which single produced the best video?

Darius: “No One Else”

I always enjoyed the typical styled hip-hop and R&B of that era and this video is a prime example. It’s sleek, cool and the girls look stylishly beautiful. A 90s Hype Williams directed video will never leave you unsatisfied.

Edd: “No One Else (Puff Daddy Remix)”

Dary’s more generous than I am here – I never was a fan of Total’s videos. They usually amounted to Women Standing Around In Leather Moving Their Arms Weirdly. My real answer would be the “Kissin’ You Remix” but since that song isn’t on the album it feels like a cheat. I’ll go with the “No One Else Remix” bank heist.

Best production goes to:

Darius: “When Boy Meets Girl“

This track lands the foundation for the future signature Neptunes sound of the next decade. This songs sticks out on the album but in the best way. It has that signature spacey and futuristic synth but has a more subtle groove compared to the other Neptunes songs that will soon come after it in the years later.

Edd: “No One Else”

This is an impossible choice – as I mentioned earlier, this album is just SO well produced. Raphael Saadiq’s “Kissin’ You” is so elegant; the aforementioned “Can’t You See” is an outright banger; Dary touched on the Neptunes working magic on “When Boy Meets Girl” but I’ll go with “No One Else.” That Boogie Down Productions sample feels like sonic electricity. The ladies’ mellow tones meld perfectly with the chaos of the beat – it shouldn’t work but … it absolutely does.

Which song deserved to be a single?

Darius: “Spend Some Time”

This song would have been a great radio hit and/or airplay only single. This feels like a “Red Light Special” moment but it works well and plus, you can’t go completely wrong with a Teddy P sample.

Edd: “Spend Some Time”

“When Boy Meets Girl” should be the obvious answer but it WAS a single, we were just tragically denied a video. Instead, I’ll cosign Dary. If the ladies were looking for another Quiet Storm hit, “Spend Some Time” was the way to go.

The most underrated song is…

Darius: “When Boy Meets Girl”

I feel like this song rarely gets mentioned amongst the other Total singles and tracks. Maybe it’s due to its lack of a music video but this song definitely should get mentioned way more. Another underrated favorite of mine and honorable mention is “Do You Know” even though is kinda like a twin sister to “Can’t You See.”

Edd: “When Boy Meets Girl”

“When Boy Meets Girl” is absolutely the winner. Between the big-time singles and even bigger-time remixes, “When Boy Meets Girl” was instantly overshadowed. But the early Neptunes production and Bee Gees inspiration make it a winner. WHY DIDN’T WE GET A VIDEO!?!?

Let’s talk songwriting. Which track is the best showcase of superior songwriting?

Darius: “Kissin’ You”

Raphael has always been sick with the pen, but he really knew what he was doing with crafting this beautiful and descriptive love song. We rarely get writing like this anymore and I’m not really sure if this was specifically written for Total but it definitely fits them like a glove … or this could have also easily been given to T-Boz, Left Eye and Chilli.

Edd: “Kissin’ You”

I know we oldheads complain in 2026 about romance being absent in R&B but believe me – the 1996 oldheads were making the same complaints about R&B back then. Of course the lack of love wasn’t as prevalent as it is today, as this song proves. On an album dominated by street bangers, Saadiq pulled out a traditional R&B love track with a modern spin. “You’re my pride and joy boy/That’s why I’m dreaming of you” – I always love how that line was delivered. On a related note, props to that rumbling bassline, which adds the right amount of edge to what otherwise could have been an sickeningly sweet track.

Who had the standout feature on the album?

Darius: Everybody on “No One Else (Puff Daddy Remix)”

I mean we get Foxy and Kim together on this one alongside Brat. It should be no more questions mentioned!

Edd: Everybody on “No One Else (Puff Daddy Remix)”

I just can’t pick one. Foxy’s opening line, Lil Kim is Leona Hemsley (taxes is gettin’ axes), Da Brat is a MANIAC sptting a mile a minute – this is one of my favorite posse cuts ever and the reason why my heart will forever be in shambles because we’ll never get that Foxy and Lil Kim collabo album.

1996 was the era of remixes and Total had a ton. Which song featured the best remix?

Darius: “Can’t You See (Bad Boy Remix)”

NOW THIS REMIX?! I LOVE THIS REMIX! And I might add that I might like this one slightly better than the original. The way they used the same James Brown sample from the original version and flipped it to make it sound way more grittier was actually genius plus Keith Murray did his thing here. This is my joint!

Edd: “No One Else (Puff Daddy Remix)”

YOOOOOOOOOO! I totally forgot the “Can’t You See Remix” existed until Dary named it! Which is insane because it got tons of airplay in my corner of Virginia in 1996. My answer is no surprise – see the “No One Else Remix” entry above, but we HAVE to shout out the “Kissin’ You/Oh Honey Remix.” That video made me want to buy a house so I could throw a party like that.

(I did buy a house, we have had many parties, but I haven’t gotten to that level yet. Give a playa time!)

Kima or Keisha or Pam – who did you rock with the most?

Darius: Kima

I always root for the underdog and I always have felt that Kima was very underutilized. Vocally, Pam could be considered their vocal glue and Keisha does many leads as well but i don’t think Kima has ever had her shot to fully shine but at the same time, she was definitely still a present figure in the group.

Edd: Pam

Gotta go with Pam. I agree that Kima was underutilized and Keisha was slightly underrated but when you think Total, you think Pam and those husky vocals. Also the Matrix owes her residuals – I swear they based  the Trinity character solely on Pam’s swag.

Despite a solid run Total doesn’t get mentioned often among other 90s girl groups. Why?

Darius: Well, when we look at the landscape of the many, and I mean many 90s R&B girl groups, En Vogue, TLC and SWV were the Big Three in both mainstream successes and million sellers. A close runner up, in terms of crossover hits, Xscape could be #4 despite them not having the huge mainstream success as the fore mentioned groups and that could quite possibly be the Heavenly Four of 90s R&B girl groups. But, I don’t think Total are completely left out of the convo, largely due to them being the first girl group signed to Bad Boy … emphasis on BAD BOY (no pun intended). I believe that they have one song that stood the test of time which is “Can’t You See” and they can’t be considered one hit wonders because even though their run was kinda short, they accumulated a string of R&B hits along the way but I can also see why they would be the last 90s R&B girl groups to ever be mentioned amongst others.

Edd: Dary nailed it. The 90s were a HIGHLY competitive time. When a group as incredible as Xscape is relegated to second tier, you understand the level of quality we’re dealing with. And here’s the second issue – Total often felt like an afterthought in the Bad Boy marketing juggernaut. Sure we got two albums that yielded several hits each, but they didn’t seem to be favored as strongly as 112 and Faith Evans. Add the fact that the ladies essentially vanished post 2000 and its not hard to see why they’re often overlooked today. That’s a shame – their spotlight might not be as bright as their peers but they were still key components of the Bad Boy machine.

The debut or the sophomore album – which Total project is best?

Darius: The sophomore album gets continuous play over here and is by far the better of the two. Missy Elliott stepped in and gave them a sound that feels like it gave them the confidence to be more edgy and sexy at the same time while having an album to back it up. It was needed and a match made in Heaven.

Edd: Both albums are good but the sophomore record gets a slight edge. Dary’s correct – their work with Missy helped them stand out from their Bad Boy siblings, it gave them a distinct voice. The album also felt more consistent than the debut, which certainly lags in spots. But that doesn’t mean Total’s debut is a failure, far from it. Their debut album was the foundation to produce an even better project. I just wish we got more.

Who do you agree with, Edd and Dary? Let us know and share your Total memories below.