Post by Admin on Nov 26, 2016 19:51:26 GMT -8
“Remember the Time” by Michael Jackson:
It took new jack swing and my style of music to the next level. After Michael, my whole career just got turned up. Michael gave me a new life and a new perspective on my career. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be the performer that I am today. Learning from him was like going to college. His lessons about staying power, learning how to cope and sustain with the direction of the business as it changes … it all rubbed off on me.
“No Diggity” by BLACKstreet:
This year is the 20th anniversary of the song, and it’s still among people’s favorites. I looked online recently and saw an artist doing a country version of “No Diggity.” It’s been a part of so many things like the film Pitch Perfect and the Beck’s Sapphire commercial. It’s a twist on new jack swing by implementing blues into the style. The other members of Guy [who Riley offered the song to before BLACKstreet] didn’t understand it. That’s the reason why I’m singing the first verse. They thought, "This is Teddy experimenting again and it may fail." But it wound up doing so well.
“My Prerogative” by Bobby Brown:
He didn’t want to sing it the way I suggested and walked out of the studio. Louil Silas Jr. [former promotion executive at MCA Records], God bless, said, "Man, if you don’t get back in that studio, listen to the man and sing that song …" It was some major come-to-Jesus talk. Bobby came back to the studio and sang the record. But he still had to put his two cents in there: "If it doesn’t go right this way, we’re going to do it my way." I’m like, "OK." And it wound up going my way. He gave me five and walked out. After that, Bobby and I became really good friends.
“I Want Her” by Keith Sweat; “The Show” by Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew:
That was the birth of R&B and new jack swing. That’s when we started that sound. I’m just this kid from Harlem who was taking a chance on experimenting. The new jack swing name was coined by writer Barry Michael Cooper. He told me, "You have to give it a name so people can follow it." Barry later co-wrote the screenplay for the film New Jack City. I didn’t know what Barry meant until people started saying new jack swing. Us people who take chances, we’re just following our dreams and don’t know where we’re going to end up. I ended up having a genre. That’s crazy.
“Groove Me,” “I Like” and My Fantasy,” among other hits by Guy:
This was the start of my career as a singer. I can’t exclude that. There are so many records I’ve done that have taken me in different directions and become game-changers for others.
www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/7588016/teddy-riley-michael-jackson-new-jack-swing-no-diggity-interview
It took new jack swing and my style of music to the next level. After Michael, my whole career just got turned up. Michael gave me a new life and a new perspective on my career. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be the performer that I am today. Learning from him was like going to college. His lessons about staying power, learning how to cope and sustain with the direction of the business as it changes … it all rubbed off on me.
“No Diggity” by BLACKstreet:
This year is the 20th anniversary of the song, and it’s still among people’s favorites. I looked online recently and saw an artist doing a country version of “No Diggity.” It’s been a part of so many things like the film Pitch Perfect and the Beck’s Sapphire commercial. It’s a twist on new jack swing by implementing blues into the style. The other members of Guy [who Riley offered the song to before BLACKstreet] didn’t understand it. That’s the reason why I’m singing the first verse. They thought, "This is Teddy experimenting again and it may fail." But it wound up doing so well.
“My Prerogative” by Bobby Brown:
He didn’t want to sing it the way I suggested and walked out of the studio. Louil Silas Jr. [former promotion executive at MCA Records], God bless, said, "Man, if you don’t get back in that studio, listen to the man and sing that song …" It was some major come-to-Jesus talk. Bobby came back to the studio and sang the record. But he still had to put his two cents in there: "If it doesn’t go right this way, we’re going to do it my way." I’m like, "OK." And it wound up going my way. He gave me five and walked out. After that, Bobby and I became really good friends.
“I Want Her” by Keith Sweat; “The Show” by Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew:
That was the birth of R&B and new jack swing. That’s when we started that sound. I’m just this kid from Harlem who was taking a chance on experimenting. The new jack swing name was coined by writer Barry Michael Cooper. He told me, "You have to give it a name so people can follow it." Barry later co-wrote the screenplay for the film New Jack City. I didn’t know what Barry meant until people started saying new jack swing. Us people who take chances, we’re just following our dreams and don’t know where we’re going to end up. I ended up having a genre. That’s crazy.
“Groove Me,” “I Like” and My Fantasy,” among other hits by Guy:
This was the start of my career as a singer. I can’t exclude that. There are so many records I’ve done that have taken me in different directions and become game-changers for others.
www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/7588016/teddy-riley-michael-jackson-new-jack-swing-no-diggity-interview
