Jahiem: Rough Edges, Smooth Sounds

Jaheim’s smooth lyrics and powerful voice has put him in a class of his own when it comes to the R & B genre. When he sings you can feel the passion in his voice. His music is an ode to old school R& B but with a modern twist. His music is about his life. According to his interview with JET magazine his stories come straight from the inner city and his sound comes from what is happening in the streets. His songs encompass everything he’s lived through and serve as a testimony to those that have experienced similar situations.

Born in New Brunswick, NJ the artist experienced many adversities, which included the death of his father at the age of 2 years old. Despite his struggles the love of his mother and music has helped him overcome any obstacle thrown in his path. “Singing was my way out. No matter how hard life got, I could always make myself and my Mom feel better with a song. It was our salvation,” he said in an interview with JET magazine.  At the age of 15, he had a three-time winning streak at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, NY.  Two years later his mother died. The artist at that time didn’t have the strength to pursue his career, but he knew it was something he wanted.  On his second album “Still Ghetto,” he shares his feelings regarding his mother in the song “Everywhere I Am.”

 “ I can feel the her presence all around me when I sing and I know that she’s watching everything I do. That gives me the confidence and faith to keep on giving my best.”

His motivation to keep giving his best has definitely paid off. According to his official website “Jaheim released three albums over five years: his 2001 debut, Ghetto Love; 2002′s sophomore set, Still Ghetto – both of which reached RIAA platinum status; and 2006′s Ghetto Classics. During that time, he also scored nominations for the BET and Soul Train Music Awards. In 2007, the chart-topping artist returned with his Atlantic Records debut, The Makings of a Man. “ The artist has also made the Billboard 200 Albums of the Year chart in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, and in 2010.  In addition, in 2002 and 2003 he made the Billboard Hot 100 songs of the year.

After taking time off following the release of Ghetto Classics, Jaheim returned with a renewed focus on the direction in which he wanted to take his career. He had been working in the studio over the past year on his milestone project that reflects the change and transition he’s gone through.

While  working on “The Makings of Me” he has experienced several revelations. Jaheim adopted a new lifestyle through healthy eating and exercise habits. He’s purchased his first home and is really in love with another person. His experience is documented on the album’s first single, “Never.  ”It’s about that relationship you thought you would never find,” he says in his biography. The song also serves as the perfect reintroduction for the artist.  Jaheim recalls, “After we did the song, it was incredible. As a singer, I really felt it, and to come back in the ballad mode, I’m filling that gap” left by departed pioneers like Luther Vandross, Gerald Levert, and Barry White.

A personal near-tragedy helped put things in perspective for the performer, who miraculously emerged virtually unscathed from a recent car accident. ” When you’re taken through the storm, the only thing you can do is write about it… get your pain off. So I’m going to take this story and change somebody’s life.”

-Deja Cromartie