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Our Top 10 Jaheim Songs list looks at a popular r&b star. He’s considered the next Teddy Pendergrass because of his deep voice. He prefers an urban style to traditional r&b music. He sold over five million albums throughout his career. He was nominated for several awards. Jaheim is known for his urban love songs. He was compared to legendary singer Luther Vandross. Some of his hits include “Put That Woman First,” “Could It Be,” “Fabulous,” “Anything” as well as others.
Jaheim H. Hoagland was born on May 26, 1978. Music is in his blood. He is the grandson of legendary soul singer Hoagy Lands from the group the Drifters. Jaheim turned to singing to cope with his father’s untimely death. He felt it was his only way to get over the terrible loss. He auditioned for talent shows and was considered the next Luther Vandross. Jaheim sent out demo tapes to different recording companies. His demo landed in the lap of an important man in his life. KayGee from Naughty by Nature got hold of his demo and the rest was history.
Ghetto Love came out in 2001. The album peaked at number two on the r&b charts and number nine on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “Could It Be,” “Just in Case” and “Anything.” The album sold over one million copies. Still Ghetto was released in 2002. It peaked at number three on the r&b charts and number eight on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “Fabulous,” “Put That Woman First,” “Backlight” and “Diamond in da Ruff.” The album sold over one million copies. Ghetto Classics came out in 2006. The album peaked at number one on both charts. It features the singles “Everytime I think About Her,” “The Chosen One” and “I Ain’t Never.” The album sold over 500,000 copies.
The Makings of a Man came out in 2007. The album peaked at number three on the r&b charts and number 11 on the Billboard 200 charts. “Never,” “Have You Ever,” “I’ve Changed” and “Lonely.” The album sold over 500,000. Another Round came out in 2010. The album peaked at number two on the r&b charts and number three on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “Ain’t Leavin’ Without You,” “Finding My Way Back” and “Impossible.” Appreciation Day was released in 2013. The album peaked at number three on the r&b charts and number six on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “Age Ain’t a Factor” and “Baby x 3.” Struggle Love came out in 2016. It peaked at number two on the r&b charts and number 24 on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “Back in My Arms,” “Struggle Love” and “Be That Dude.”
Jaheim is known as the urban version of Luther Vandross and Teddy Pendergrass. He is known for singing r&b love songs with a twist. He talks about love in the hood. He has to compete with artists such as Robin Thicke, Jesse Powell, Tank, Avant, Next, Lyfe Jennings, Donell Jones, Tyrese, Jagged Edge, Case, Ginuwine, Justin Timberlake, Jon B., Joe, Anthony Hamilton, Musiq Soulchild, Carl Thomas, Ne-Yo, Dave Hollister, Charlie Wilson, R Kelly, Nelly, Dru Hill as well as others. He is more known in the urban community, but he does have some crossover hits. He is an underrated artist, and our list is our chance to give him the flowers he deserves. Our Top 10 Jaheim Songs list will feature his best songs.
# 10 – Ain’t Leavin’ Without You
The first song on our Top 10 Jaheim Songs list is “Ain’t Leavin’ Without You” from the album Another Round. The sound has an r&b beat. It’s a flirtatious song about a man who sees a girl at a club. He becomes interested in her and decides he doesn’t want to leave without her. He doesn’t care if she showed up alone or with someone. He doesn’t care where she’s going. He is determined not to leave the club without her. He loves the way her body looks, and he’s immediately attracted to her. He considers himself the woman’s number one fan.
This is the type of theme most artists have in their arsenal, but he put a different spin on it. He found a way to make clubgoing sound sexy and romantic. We won’t learn anything from this song that we don’t already know about meeting in clubs, but he does a good job on it. He samples De La Soul’s “Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)” for this track. It doesn’t seem like it would be a good fit, but it works for the song. Jaheim’s presence on this song is what makes it stand out from other tracks like this one. He is the star of this track. His velvety vocals are sexy and sound great. He has the type of voice that will drive women wild.
# 9 – I’ve Changed ft. Keyshia Cole
The next song on our Top 10 Jaheim Songs list is “I’ve Changed” from the album The Makings of a Man. The song has an r&b beat. The redeeming song is about a couple who have changed their ways. They talk about how they don’t act the way they did in the past. They don’t want to lose each other. They need to have a second chance. She doesn’t want him to leave her. She asks him not to take his love away. She admits that she lied to him, but she wouldn’t do it anymore. She asks him to trust her because she won’t mess up again. He describes what he will do for her. He will take cooking classes for her. He would romance her to make up for what he didn’t do for her. He was a player and he was willing to give up that status to be with her.
This track gives couples on the verge of breaking up some hope. If they are willing to put their prides aside for love, they might work things out. The lyrics tell an honest portrayal of a couple who aren’t perfect. They are willing to admit and correct their flaws in order to make the relationship work. This is the song people in love need in their lives. The song teaches you that you can have flaws and still be in love. It’s not your typical love ballad, but it serves its purpose. Jaheim and Keyshia Cole recorded an excellent banger. They work well together. Their voices sound good together. Jaheim and Keyshia Cole give each other room to shine in the song. Jaheim could have taken all of the glory in the song, but he gives her room to showcase her vocals too.
# 8 – Struggle No More (the Main Event) ft. Anthony Hamilton, Jaheim and Musiq Soulchild
The heartfelt song is from the Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls Soundtrack. The song has an r&b beat. It’s a motivational song about a man who is going through hard times. Bad things keep happening to him. He tries his best to stay out of trouble, but trouble finds him anyway. He wants God to help him get through the struggle. He doesn’t want to stress anymore. He wants things to get better. He prays every night for things to get better. He wants God to help him stay strong so he can provide for his family. His family helps keep him sane.
This song fits in with the movie. The plot is about a struggling father so this song works. You don’t have to watch the movie for this song to touch you. If you are struggling, you know the lyrics to the track. The words will read like poetry to you if you are struggling too. The song will be music to your ears. Jaheim, Anthony Hamilton and Musiq Soulchild are like urban r&b royalty. They don’t record together much so this was the equivalent to a supergroup. They have different singing styles, but it didn’t matter for this song. Their voices came together to make one solid gold track. You won’t be struggling to listen to the guys pour their hearts out for this song. Jaheim channels his inner Teddy Pendergrass on this song. Anthony Hamilton has an old soul and raspy vocals. Musiq Soulchild sounds similar to Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson on the song. They need to record more music together.
# 7 – Finding My Way
The reflective song is from the album Another Round. The track has an r&b beat. This thought-provoking song is about a man who wants to find his way back to the woman he loves. He will do anything possible to get her back. He is lost without her and wants her in his life again. He realized he lost a good woman because he didn’t treat her right the first time. He wants to make things right now and get back together with her. He will continue to find ways to get her back until he succeeds. He is miserable and needs her back to feel whole again.
This ballad was written to make you think. The song isn’t like other relationship songs on the radio. It’s a creative way to talk about getting someone back after breaking up. The music will touch your heart. The song is a ballad with tempo so you can tap your foot to it. The hard beat will hold your attention. Jaheim sings in time with the hard beat. He’s channeling Teddy Pendergrass on this track. He sings in his lower register for the verses and goes up an octave for the chorus. He sings a couple of notes in falsetto and it’s not a disaster. He holds notes in the song that weren’t expected.
# 6 – Never
The promising song is from the album The Makings of a Man. The song has an r&b beat. It’s a loving song about a man’s dedication to the woman in his life. He promises that he would never hurt her. He wants to be the man in her life. He’s willing to give up his player ways in order to have her. He recites the things that he will never do to her. The woman in his life changed everything for him. He would never do anything to hurt her. He vows not to break her heart. He will never love anyone like he loves her. He refuses to leave her.
The lyrics read like wedding vows between a couple. This would be a nice song for a husband and wife to dance to especially if the couple had problems. They can make up and listen to Jaheim’s promises for an everlasting love. If your relationship is moving towards the intimate stage, you can play this song to serenade you. “Never” is a track that will drive woman wild. They would love to hear this song being dedicated to them. Any woman would be moved by the words. She would have to have a heart of stone not to melt when she hears it. Jaheim’s voice will drive you crazy. He knows his way around a ballad the way drivers know their way home from a trip. He is at home singing meaningful ballads. He commands the song while he sings the passionate lyrics. You won’t want him to stop serenading you with his sexy baritone vocals.
# 5 – Just In Case
The next song on our Top 10 Jaheim Songs list is “Just in Case” from the album Ghetto Love. The song has an r&b sound. “Just in Case” is a vulnerable song about a man who wants to let his woman know how he feels about her in case he doesn’t make it home. He wants her to know how much he loves her no matter what happens. Bad things happen all of the time so he wants to be with her before it’s too late. He wants her to know that he might not make it back home safely. He knows the streets aren’t safe for him so there’s a good chance he won’t make it back home.
There’s no way he wants to leave without letting her know how he feels about her. He also wants to make the night special in case he can never be with her again. The lyrics are romantic and sad at the same time. They are sweet because he wants to be with her for one last time. They are sad because he believes he won’t make it back to her. He is thinking that something bad will happen to him to tear him away from her. The midtempo banger will make you move. “Just in Case” sounds similar to Next’s songs “Too Close” and “Wifey.” The melody is also similar to Koffee Brown’s song “After Party.” Kay Gee from Naughty By Nature worked with Jaheim, Next and After Party.
He worked on the songs sampled so it’s not a surprise the melody is similar on all these tracks. Here is some trivia about the song. The song was originally supposed to be a ballad. Koffee Brown recorded the demo for this song. Jaheim heard the song and wanted to record the version that we know of today. Jaheim did his best on this song. We couldn’t hear anyone else’s vocals on this track, but Jaheim’s. Jaheim’s vocals are incredible on this track.
# 4 – Fabulous ft. Tha Rayne
The touching song is from the album Still Ghetto. It has an r&b sound. “Fabulous” is an uplifting song about what goes on in the hood. He gives a description of life in the hood without degrading the people who live there. He could have talked about the bad things that go on in the hood, but he went in a different direction. He believes people could still be “fabulous” even if they aren’t rich. Being “fabulous” is a state of mind and not about your wallet. He lets listeners know you don’t have to be rich to be “fabulous.” He wants to inspire everyone to be “fabulous” no matter how much money they have.
This song is exactly what we need to hear now. It was written years ago, but the message is just as important today as it was when he recorded it. Jaheim is from an urban area so he could have talked about the bad aspects of the area. He wanted to talk about something positive. He wanted to bring light to the darkness, and we applaud him for it. There are a lot of hip-hop songs that talk about the bad things about living in the hood, but Jaheim wanted to give awareness to the hood while maintaining positivity. Jaheim shows his vulnerable side when he sings about the hood. He doesn’t turn it into a power ballad, but the song is powerful without him belting. Tha Rayne do a superb job supporting him in the background.
# 3 – Anything ft. Next
The sentimental song is from the album Ghetto Love. The track has an r&b beat. The tender song is a man who wants to give the woman he loves “anything” she wants. He assures her that she can have “anything” she wants. He will give her all that she has. He tells her that he doesn’t want her to leave. She can have what she wants as long as she stays with him. He offers her a mansion as long as she will be there. He would give her material things, but he can’t do it. He’s not able to give her everything she wants, but he would do what he can so she can stay with him.
If you were the woman in Jaheim’s life, there’s no way you could hear these lyrics and walk away from him. She should jump at the chance to stay with him. She would have to be a heartless woman to leave a man who is willing to do everything to keep her. It’s a woman’s dream come true to have a man who’s willing to do whatever he can to get her what she wants. It’s also a man’s dream to have a woman who is worthy of doing that. In this song, the man and the woman get what they want. He found someone he is willing to work hard for and she found someone who would do that for him. The lyrics are heartfelt and might make you cry. The song will send shivers up and down your spine. Jaheim and Next’s vocals are on point for this track. They make you believe they will do anything for the women in their lives. They match each other throughout the songs. They do fantastic runs in the song. Their vocals will blow you away.
# 2 – Could It Be
The questionable song is from the album Ghetto Love. The song has an r&b beat. This ponderable song takes you on a different journey. Jaheim wonders why his woman is interested in him. He wonders if she’s interested in his car, jewelry or his reputation. He also wonders if she’s interested because of him. She tells him that she loves him but has doubts about it. He’s not sure if she’s with him because he has money. He’s doubtful about her because she suddenly approaches him and wants to be with him. After she tries to seduce him, the red flags start popping up for him.
Our previous entry is different from this song. He talks about doing “anything” for the woman in our previous entry. He questions her love for him in this song. He thought his possessions were the reason she’s with him. He might come off braggadocious because he talks about the possessions he has as well as his thug life. He should question her motives. This is a song that’s relatable if you are with someone who acts like a golddigger. Jaheim likes to write songs that people from the hood can understand. You don’t have to be from the hood to understand it. In fact, this song peaked in the Top 40 on the Billboard 100 charts. This song helped the listeners get to know Jaheim because it’s one of his first singles.
We got the chance to hear his ghetto r&b music for the first time on this song. He sounds angry on this track and it works like a charm. He sings the song with a lot of passion. He reaches for the stars when he does his runs. We are cheering him on while he sings the lyrics. If you aren’t singing along with him by the end of the song, you might have to make sure that you are okay.
# 1 – Put That Woman First
The number one song on our Top 10 Jaheim Songs list is “Put That Woman First” from the album Still Ghetto. The song has a sou sound. The romantic song is an ode to the woman he loves. He lets her know that he will put her first above everything. He explains that a woman is meant to be loved and respected. He realizes he should have put her first before everything else. He took her for granted and didn’t think about her feelings. He treated her like an afterthought when he should have put her first. He realizes that she will move on with someone new if he doesn’t get his act together and put her first.
The lyrics read like a warning to men. If you don’t treat your women right, they will find men who will do it. If you’re a man who is too busy to take care of your woman, you need to listen to this song. The song will open your eyes to what can happen if you don’t put your woman first. The song is reminiscent of the Jones’ Girls’ single “You’re Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else” and Raydio’s single “Woman Needs Love.” There are other songs that are similar to this one. You can see how many songs you can think of that are similar to this track. The song mixes r&b and soul with hip-hop music. Jaheim is at home with this type of song. He commands your attention as he warns you to treat women right. If he were singing this song live, women would go nuts hearing him serenade them with these lyrics. He stays in character throughout the track. This is one of his signature songs and we can see why that’s the case.
Top 10 Jaheim Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2022
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![Rob De Luca of Spread Eagle, Sebastian Bach & UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life From humble East Coast origins to grandest stages worldwide, veteran bassist Rob De Luca has seen and done it all. De Luca first hit the local Boston rock and metal scene in the late 80s after meeting guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bonding over Van Halen before forming Bang. Regional success came quickly, but eventually, the members of Bang went their separate ways, with De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo heading to NYC and hooking up with Ray West and, later, DiBartolo to form Spread Eagle. By 1990, Spread Eagle was on the fast track, with a contract through MCA Records and a self-titled debut album poised to crush skulls. But poor timing and MCA's sad indifference left Spead Eagle out in the cold despite being a hard-boiled answer to Guns N' Roses's West Coast sleaze. Spread Eagle's first chapter came to an end in '95. 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