How well do you know your music? Let’s find out with a quiz that accompanies this week playlist.
The subjects du jour are : Spearhead, Boyz II Men, Total, M People, Ultra Naté, Monie Love, Jodeci, Lena Fiagbe, Prince & The New Power Generation, Whitney Houston, Maxi Priest, Shara Nelson
They are the performers of twelve vintage hip-hop, soul, etc. tracks that were ranked in various charts, this week (29/52) BUT … in the Nineties 90s.
1. What genres are blended in Spearhead’s track ‘People In Tha Middle’ from their debut album *Home*?
- A Jazz and Blues
- B Hip hop and Neo soul
- C Reggae and Rock
2. What musical styles are showcased in Boyz II Men’s ‘Can’t Let Her Go’ ?
- A R&B and Pop/Rock
- B Classical and Country
- C Jazz and Hip hop
3. Which artist features in Total’s debut single ‘Can’t You See’ alongside them?
- A The Notorious B.I.G.
- B Tupac Shakur
- C LL Cool J
4. ‘Search for the Hero’ by M People includes saxophone parts by which musician?
- A John Coltrane
- B Snake Davis
- C Kenny G
5. What production team worked on Ultra Naté’s ‘New Kind of Medicine’ ?
- A The Neptunes
- B D’Influence
- C Jam & Lewis
6. What notable recognition did Monie Love’s ‘Monie in the Middle’ receive?
- A Grammy Award
- B Brit Award
- C Grammy Nomination
7. Who directed the music video for Jodeci’s ‘Feenin” ?
- A Hype Williams
- B Spike Lee
- C David Fincher
8. Which album featured Lena Fiagbe’s track ‘You Come From Earth’ after its initial single release?
- A *Visions*
- B *Earth Songs*
- C *Planet Music*
9. What was the unique aspect of the UK release of Prince’s ‘Sexy M.F.’ ?
- A Double A-side with ‘Strollin’’
- B Exclusive UK edition
- C Triple A-side with another track
10. What iconic film inspired the music video for Whitney Houston’s ‘My Name Is Not Susan’ ?
- A *Casablanca*
- B *Vertigo*
- C *Rope*
11. Which 1962 instrumental is sampled in Maxi Priest’s ‘That Girl’ featuring Shaggy?
- A ‘Green Onions’ by Booker T. & the M.G.’s
- B ‘Tequila’ by The Champs
- C ‘Wipe Out’ by The Surfaris
12. On which label was Shara Nelson’s ‘Down That Road’ released?
- A Island Records
- B Atlantic Records
- C Cooltempo Records
For TWELVE more Hip-Hop & Soul – Vintage 90s Music Videos – week 29/52 – click here
Tracklist
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1 . Spearhead – People In Tha MiddleFeatured on the 1994 album “Home”.
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2 . Boyz II Men – Can’t Let Her GoFeatured on the 1994 album “Evolution”.
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3 . Total – Can’t You See (w/ The Notorious B.I.G.)Featured on the 1995 album “Total”.
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4 . M People – Search for the HeroFeatured on the 1995 album “Bizarre Fruit”.
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5 . Ultra Naté – New Kind of MedicineFeatured on the 1998 album “Situation:Critical”.
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6 . Monie Love – Monie in the MiddleFeatured on the 1990 album “Down to Earth”.
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7 . Jodeci – Feenin’Featured on the 1993 album “Diary of a Mad Band”.
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8 . Lena Fiagbe – You Come From EarthFeatured on the 1994 album “Visions”.
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9 . Prince & The New Power Generation – Sexy M. F.Featured on the 1992 album “(Love Symbol)“.
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10 . Whitney Houston – My Name Is Not SusanFeatured on the 1990 album “I m Your Baby Tonight“.
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11 . Maxi Priest – That Girl (w/ Shaggy)Featured on the 1996 album “Man with the Fun”. |
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12 . Shara Nelson – Down That RoadFeatured on the 1993 album “What Silence Knows”.
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And the correct answers (in case you missed one or two) are:
1. Blending hip hop, funk, alternative hip hop, and neo soul, ‘People In Tha Middle’ offers a genre crossover. The track celebrates personal themes with a political undertone.
2. ‘Can’t Let Her Go’ by Boyz II Men highlights their R&B roots with a nod to pop/rock. It’s a quintessential example of their late ’90s style and production quality.
3. Total’s debut single ‘Can’t You See’ features The Notorious B.I.G. His rap adds a unique edge to the R&B harmony of the group.
4. M People’s ‘Search for the Hero’ includes saxophone by session musician Snake Davis. His contribution is part of the song’s layered production.
5. The track ‘New Kind of Medicine’ was produced by D’Influence. They brought a nu-disco and garage house touch to Ultra Naté’s single.
6. Monie Love’s track ‘Monie in the Middle’ received a Grammy nomination. It’s remembered for its high school romance narrative and impactful lyrics.
7. Hype Williams directed the music video for Jodeci’s ‘Feenin” . Known for his iconic style, Williams’ video adds a dramatic visual element.
8. Lena Fiagbe’s song ‘You Come From Earth’ appeared on the album *Visions* post its single release. The track marked her entry into mainstream music.
9. In the UK, ‘Sexy M.F.’ was released as a double A-side with the track ‘Strollin’’ . Its explicit content necessitated radio edits.
10. Whitney Houston’s video for ‘My Name Is Not Susan’ was inspired by Hitchcock’s *Vertigo*. It plays with identity themes creatively and visually.
11. Maxi Priest’s ‘That Girl’ featuring Shaggy samples ‘Green Onions’ by Booker T. & the M.G.’s. The iconic riff adds a soulful early ’60s vibe.
12. Shara Nelson’s ‘Down That Road’ was released on Cooltempo Records. As her debut single, it set the stage for her solo career.
For THE FULL HIP-HOP & SOUL COLLECTION click here
