Hey everyone, I know it’s been a while since I last wrote. I have had a few things on my mind to talk about, but life took precedence over that and RichBrand had to take a break to get things in order.

Anyway…….. as I approach 30 next year, I know that I have lived a decent life and have seen and experienced my share of things for someone that’s not as social as most people in my network. I’ve met a variety of people in my journey where impressions have been shared and internalized. I am one of the first to accept accountability for how I treat and have treated people over my lifetime. I also own when my impressions weren’t exactly impressive to some people: the days when I was corny, the days when I was a jerk, the moments when I was awkward, and the times when I was offensive.
I bring all of that up because it’s funny how hypocritical we can be when it comes to looking at the positive change in others that we neglect to acknowledge, yet expect for others to see how far we have come. Maybe it’s selfishness, maybe it’s mental and emotional apathy, but either way it’s something that all of us have been guilty of more than once (some more than others).The child you were at 11 is not the young adult you were at 19 nor the adult you are at 30.

I brought this up as a question on my FB page weeks ago asking, between men and women, who has the biggest issue with this. The overwhelming consensus was this: women are less likely to forget how they felt when they met you and when they were around you (especially if it was negative or unfavorable to them). So regardless of what happens from that point on, most women will hold on to that perception of you damn near forever UNLESS something happens in your life that changes their mind about you to their short or long term benefit (i.e. you get some money or fame). If you were the introverted geek at 14, or the obnoxious jerk at 23, or the religious zealot at 26, sorry homie, but that’s who will always be, even if you become the renaissance man at 33. So fellas, if you have thought about dating ladies in your past, I challenge you to think about how you treated them then, because chances are, the effects are irreversible. Just like women fail at changing how a man rolls, we fail just as much at changing a woman’s initial perception of you. (Sidebar: Fellas, your best bet is to date a woman in your past that doesn’t know enough about you from back then to project an outdated perception onto you.)

“Come on Rich, have more faith in us ladies. We’re not all like that. And some men are like that too.”
You’re right, but most women are and it’s more common among women. Given that women are more emotional by nature, that makes it a more likely scenario. Plus, I know one man that most sistas despise, even though he has changed over the years, and sistas still hold him to the perception they had of him from years ago: Kobe Bryant. MESSAGE!!!

Now I’m not saying guys are not like this either, because in some cases we are, but most of our perceptions start in our pants, given that we’re visual creatures. Men are more likely to forgive the first impression he gets from a woman, ESPECIALLY if she is FINE. How many times have you heard this conversation:

1:(Homie/dawg/frat) I don’t know about her. She mad stuck up, she ain’t got no sense.
Dude 2: Yeah, she went to (school) with us and all, but ain’t doing nothing with herself.
Dude 1: Right, and she did a lot of our boys dirty on the low low.
(silence)
Dude 1: BUT would you still hit that though if she came at you?
Dude 2: Hell yeah (homie), she’s fine as hell.

Steve Harvey brought up on his morning show about the things that some men will tolerate to be with the “baddest chick”. I’m sure most of you who are reading this know a dude who’s in a jacked up relationship with some woman who is no good for him, but he will not leave because of his ego in the sense of “I may NEVER get a woman this fine ever again.” Do I think that’s stupid? Yep. Have I done this before myself? I would be lying if I said I didn’t. Most men don’t let go of Shallow Hal until they grow up and realize what truly makes them happy (and also that the women who are “pretty, smart, and nice at the same time” that we slept on back in the day because they didn’t have enough “style” are usually married by 25).

Like myself, we are all a work in progress and our goal should be to improve and self-upgrade whenever possible. We all have misjudged people based on where they were at the time, and where we were at the time. Remember folks, this is 2009, not 1989, 1996, or 2007. By nature, we all evolve and (for the most part) grow and continue to learn more about ourselves and about others. Everyone wants to feel prideful about who they are, what they are about, what they have overcome, and where they are going. Think about where your Creator has brought you from, what you have been brought through, the trials and tribulations of your life, and that feeling of pride and confidence you have as a result. Now imagine if those in the ballpark of your circle only see you as that nappy headed nerd who didn’t wear deodorant in middle school, or the campus player that tried to sleep with every cheerleader during senior year in high school, or the unapologetic DrewRat from freshman year at Howard, or the overnight celebrity that pledged a frat. Is that you now? Of course not. Why do you bitch and complain when people lock you in to 1999 when you do the same.

Personally, if I did that, I wouldn’t have some of the blessings and support I have now. For example, the same woman who cussed me out 5 years ago over email is the same woman who prayed for my recovery from my recent surgery. Granted, I didn’t forget that vicious email, but at the same time I have also acknowledged the God in her that she showed to me through her thoughts and words. There comes a time when we have to update our perceptions of ourselves and of other people, otherwise our personal growth is stunted. Think about that the next time you roll to that next class reunion or homecoming.

Sundays are usually my day of reflection and pondering to a degree for me. And yesterday was no exception for me. As I think of following God’s journey towards the goals he has set for me on the romantic front, I sat there and thought about the women that have been in my life the last few years and always knew that there was something missing in each one, a missing ingredient that was a virtual showstopper and halted the progression into a true courtship where the end goal was marriage. Along the same lines, there were some women that had it all, but with all humility I can say either I didn’t do it for them, or external circumstances beyond control got in the way (just being 100 with everyone).

As I was thinking on this, Traci Townsend, a low-budget “black love” movie, came on TVOne. It’s a story about a black woman who is successful, independent, and fine as hell, yet can’t seem to find a man that will marry her, and an investigation into past relationships reveals to her what her true flaws were. In the middle of that, she was at the nail shop with her girls. While there, she got schooled by the asian nail technician who had been married for 22 years because she was able to maintain peace of mind and mental stimulation in her husband.

Ironically, a couple of hours later, a friend of mine, CocoaDiva, posted a blog on her site that spoke to the way to a man’s heart. In there, she spoke to the same mantra of capturing a man’s mind in order to get his heart, and that anything else is secondary (but still essential).

Sometimes me and CD don’t always see eye to eye, but this time around we’re on the same page. However, I do need to supplement her assessment and bring a few things into perspective:
1. The ability to capture a man’s mind – to stimulate a man’s mind and bring peace of it – is THE most important and longest lasting dynamic that a woman MUST possess. PERIOD!!!! Although men have different levels of mental and intellectual capacity and aptitude, you have to find a way to strike that chord in an authentic way.
2. You must capture a man’s eye. A man must be attracted to you physically as men are visual creatures by nature. When a man thinks of your face in his mind, it should not be a haze to him where he feels he has to reach to smile at the thought of you. And that goes for in the light AND in the dark. That desire must be there 24/7, even if he’s mad at you and vice versa.
3. A good man has a relationship with God (whether Christian, Muslim, Jewish, etc), and if a man can see the God in you in how you live your life (and not just adhering to religious protocol), and it syncs up with the God in him, then you can capture a man’s spirit.
* Honorable mention: A woman that can cook and knows to keep a house clean is added bonus (to me at least). Granted, there are some triflin’ women out there who couldn’t buy their way out of a dirty house or who fail to cook water properly, and some men will ride with that. Just not me. LOL *

A caveat to remember, ladies, is that everything I mentioned above is subjective as each man is individual in what he wants, needs, and desires. Me and my boys can have a conversation about this same thing, and the discernment of mental stimulation, attractiveness, and spirituality will vary across us all if we decide to speak on a granular level.

If you’re the right woman for a man, unlocking the trinity to a man’s heart won’t be a problem for you. If he doesn’t give you his heart, and begins to pursue you with the intention to court you and marry you, without hesitation and negotiation, then you are NOT THE ONE for him (maybe not yet or not ever). If you are in that stage of romance, and any of those corners of the trinity get lost, you WILL lose your man in one way or another.

I was out with some friends on Friday to start my 365 day countdown to the new 20, and the topic came up about a facebook status that I put up the previous week concerning the reactions to when you hear that someone is in a relationship/engaged/married. By this point, I had a couple in me, so I was being totally 100 with folks and letting them know (without the politeness) what I really thought. I said that, for the exception of one woman I have dated, although I have been happy when some of them have moved on and met someone else and built with them, I don’t think any of them were better for that girl than I was. PERIOD!!! Of course someone had to say, “well Rich, maybe they wanted them more than you did and did more to get them. Like your blog said, maybe they were just pressed.”

I admitted that very well could be the case, and that sometimes I believe that a lot of women more caught up in a man who satisfies the courtship checklist versus the right man for them. Given that I personally know a couple of women who came to that epiphany several weeks before they were to walk down the aisle, it’s a valid assumption (maybe more exceptional and a pattern, but still valid). Then my homegirl said ,”well maybe because they may not be the best dressed, the most charming, the best looking, the most in shape, have the best career, etc., but they did what they had to do to get her, and maybe you didn’t”. I held my grit in that I didn’t want to react, but she elaborated further:
I have found that men and women who are attractive and/or well off tend to be lazier in the dating game because they feel they don’t need to work as hard, don’t have to do as much. They figure that, because of who they are and/or what they have, that they will always have options. It’s usually the ones with the least amount of options that more likely to land someone and get married.
With all of the experiences in my life, I have definitely seen this as a pattern. Women complain about “successful” brothas who conduct themselves in such a fashion and don’t feel they need to work to get a chick, and brothas complain about that stuck up, model looking chick with the fat ass who requires high-level caking to keep her attention but don’t do a damn thing for him. And what’s the reward? The privilege of being with that person?! Ummmmm……….. yeah. And of course you’re thinking, “Why should I bust my ass to satisfy their lazy ass?”

Ok, the LA Brotha in me struggles with this often somewhat, and so does the “successful” brotha in me. As my female best friend said to me, it’s not about arrogance or being bourgeois, it’s about staying in your lane, and if your lane has a certain speed limit, then why slow down. But……….. at the same time, having that mentality in every aspect of your life will not get you anywhere, and will not always get you what you want. Regardless of how good you think you look, how stacked your bank account is, how many degrees you have, or how deep your roster is, it takes work to obtain and more work to maintain. Nothing in life worth obtaining is going to be just given to you. In your personal AND professional life, you have to know what it is that you want and position yourself to obtain it. Just because you want it doesn’t mean you deserve it or are entitled to it.

In the working world, and in dating, aesthetics are definitely important, but it’s only part of the whole package. After while, looks fade, and competency takes total precedence over how it is you look. So ladies, if you got that (job/man) because of your looks, make sure your competency and performance are parallel. Brothas, don’t deal with any woman who wouldn’t date you if you didn’t work on Wall Street, or were a junior partner at that downtown law firm. Don’t let your looks (ladies) or your paper (brothas) dictate how you treat other people. It’s not a good look.

I know I probably rambled a bit, but I’m curious to hear what the readers think on this subject.
Do you run into this often? Let me know.

I received a very lengthy (in comparison) response to my blog about my Leverage Factor blog I wrote a couple of days ago. I also received some side comments on facebook about it as well. I was going to reply within the actual blog comments, but a lengthy criticism deserves a lengthy rebuttal. I will show, in its entirety, M’s response:
1) The idea that most women have planned out their engagements and/or weddings is a stereotype. I haven’t nor have I even heard another women talk about her perfect engagement/wedding. The only time I’ve even heard another woman mention rings was when she thought an engagement was eminent. The topic/concern for some was that the man would pick a ring she didn’t like (since she would be wearing it for a long time). The story about girl who had her ring specs decided was a fluke. We all could pull out a crazy, weird dating story, that doesn’t mean it’s the norm. (BTW, I hope your ran screaming from her)

Just for the record, I’ve never tried to make an ex jealous or broken up with someone to date an ex. I’ve never had a woman tell me she’s done this either.

Well M…………..

1. I went to school with a lot of sistas where Plan A was their MRS, and getting a degree was a backup plan just in case they had to actually have a career for themselves. Some grew up spoiled and had daddy take care of them, and it was instilled in them that a man was to provide everything for them, but until that man finds them, do for yourself. You’re talking about classical conditioning here where some women, from the time they play with Barbie Dolls, are told that these are your validations of womanhood (in which the notion of “taking care of yourself and being ok with that” ISN’T one of them). I also lived in Atlanta for a year where, despite its progression in comparison to other southern cities, is STILL the South. Still behind the times in certain things. I ran into a decent amount of women there where, once they turned 25 or headed towards it, they were in PANIC mode. It was this feeling that they failed as women because they were 25 and haven’t walked down the aisle yet. Now, while it’s good to know a woman’s intentions from jump, don’t shove your timeline down a man’s throat. And yes, I ran like hell from bridezilla. And no, the ring specs story is not a fluke. A good amount of the women I know have prereqs for their engagement ring, and some have been bold enough to say they will accept or reject the proposal based on the size of the ring. Yes, I will admit that I know some shallow women, but I’m from LA so what do you expect. LOL

2. In this case, the reality show did create the drama in the example that I used (I’ll give you that), but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t women (and men) out there that don’t engage in deliberate drama themselves. I was using the show as a high level example of the types of scenarios I have actually seen in my young life. To think that what happened with Jacklyn on the show DOESN’T happen in real life on the daily is a very naive assumption. You won’t BELIEVE some of the stories I have heard in terms of drama.

3. I definitely acknowledge that men do these types of things as well. It’s just that, as men, we’re more transparent about in most cases about it though. We’re more likely to break up with someone, and go and smash something else the next night, and not take any emotional stock in ourselves before we do so. As men, we’re conditioned to MAN UP and recover faster (or at least front like we recovered). The problem is that because of how society is, we as men aren’t given the same allowance to deal with our emotions as women are. So do we as men use chicks for leverage? Hell yeah we do. Both men and women (intentionally and subconsciously) do this. The only time you date too soon is when you don’t have full closure in your heart about a situation. I look at the past being the past, and if things don’t align (at least in the ballpark of alignment), then you need to let it go; I don’t believe in taking backwards steps, and if it’s supposed to work, you won’t need to break up with someone to make it so. But here’s the thing: bringing it to a close in your mind and heart is key before you look to move on with anyone else, and you shouldn’t look as someone else as a replacement or a substitute. A man (or woman) with high self-value will not compete for your heart with someone else that didn’t do right by it the first time, and if you’re dumb enough to remain loyal and apathetic in terms of your heart and mind, then it’s on you to figure all that out before you get back in the game.

And it’s admirable that you’ve never done this, or know anyone that has done it. Which tells me you fall into one of three categories: you’re just 100% truthful and know how to cut your losses (which I hope most likely applies to you), you’re in a relationship right now and it doesn’t apply, or… men just don’t get jealous once they’re done with you.

One of the things that’s a common trait in most women is that, from the time that they are young, there are 2 days that they dream of: the day they’re proposed to, and the day they actually walk down the aisle. They spend countless hours planning both of these BEFORE they even get the guy they want to have this experience with. They know all of the specs on the ring they want to get – for example, a girl I dated told me straight up she wants a Princess Cut m platinum engagement ring with a certified non-blood 3 karat, VS1 minimum clarity diamond on top, lined with another carat of baguettes on the side……. and it has to come from Tiffany’s – and they know what dress they want, what size they need to get down to fit into it, and they know the exact venue of the wedding, who they want on the guestlist, which one of their exes they WON’T tell about it, and the architecture of the first home she will live in with her husband.

One woman who embodied this mentality was Jacklyn from VH1’s reality show “Tough Love”. She had this goal to be married by 25, and all of the aforementioned stuff was already planned, so all she needed was the guy. Her problem was that her aggressive timeline and forwardness with her intentions scared a lot of men off, including her ex boyfriend Greg, whom she left to attend the “boot camp”.
(now we get into the meat of this blog)

While Jacklyn was at camp, she met this wonderful guy named Brock who she felt was someone who was willing to “step up to the plate” and build a relationship with her. The host Steven, however, threw Jacklyn for a loop when he set up a gathering at the house where Brock was there, along with her ex Greg, who was flown in for the show. Steven did this as a test to see if Jacklyn could let go of the past and move on. Brock showed during the party that he was more aggressive in his pursuit of Jacklyn, which made Greg feel, and look, a little salty on the show.

There’s a saying that (paraphrasing) “the most beautiful woman in world is your ex on another man’s arm”. I guess Greg took that to heart with a huge sense of urgency. Once Jacklyn returned home, Greg was at the airport waiting for her with a ring in tow. Despite what Jacklyn said on the show (more or less that she moved on and wants to build with Brock), she accepted the proposal and decided to kick Brock to the curb. Unfortunately for Greg, the ring wasn’t enough to keep Jacklyn around as she ended up leaving him a few months after because he didn’t have any act right.

What you just read is an example of what a handful of women have done since God knows when: in order to get something they want out of the man they’re with, they will use another man as leverage to get it, ESPECIALLY if what they want is an official commitment (in other words, put a ring on it like Beyonce). Most men, whether they know it or not, admit it or not, have been used in this way by women. Think about movies like “Two Can Play that Game” and its sequel “Three Can Play that Game”. The former was about a woman establishing control of the relationship by using tactics (including the leverage of another man) to exude power. The sequel was about a woman using similar tactics in order to get her man to propose (which he ended up doing).

“So Rich, what’s your point?”

Here it is ladies……….. if you have to resort to such tactics to get what you want out of your man, YOU’RE WITH THE WRONG DAMN MAN!!! If you’re not truly simpatico with your man, everything will align and you have nothing to worry about. You won’t have to resort to games for your goals to be fulfilled within your relationship because you will both be in it with the same goal in mind, which should be to build a relationship that’s headed toward MARRIAGE, not the hottest proposal or the sickest wedding day. It’s like playing a pick up game of basketball; you can have the sickest moves and the tightest dunks, but if you go away losing the game it don’t mean a damn thing. In other words, you can have the most romantic wedding proposal just like the Case video, you can have the most beautiful, shiny ring to put your girlfriends to shame, and you can have the sickest destination wedding in Turks and Caicos; you can have a man who does all of the right things for you, but NONE of that matters if your marriage fails because you’re not with the RIGHT MAN. And what you could end up doing is miss out on the right man by using another man as leverage as part of your game to reach your goal.

As I mentioned before, most men have been used in this light. To add a personal touch, I will man up and say this has happened to me on more than one occasion. However, the lesson you learn is to ask the right questions from the jump and don’t be afraid of the answers you might receive in return; get it out the way, establish expectations and boundaries, and it will lessen the BS you might encounter later on down the line. It’s not out of pocket (regardless of what women may tell you) to ask about a woman’s history early on in the “getting to know” process (not on the first date, but early on). If she is less than 100 days out of a relationship, PROCEED WITH CAUTION, regardless of the reason why they broke up. Chances are that feelings have not been totally cut off, and in the event the woman does try to use you as leverage, 60-90 days is the typical amount of time most men take to do what he needs to do to get the proposal together.

I’m a brotha who knows his worth and understands his options, hence why I have a ZERO tolerance policy for these type of women in my life. Maybe it’s the Gemini in me, but using a man as leverage is straight up disrespect, shows the pisspoor-ness of your true character and is subject to an automatic and non-negotiable exfoliation from my life. I believe that I’m a good man (as I’m sure most brothas who are reading this also believe about themselves as well), and, even though I’m an imperfect work in progress, I’m good enough for ANY la woman that comes into my life. With that mentality, I have too much pride to keep those type of women in my life; it’s not cool.

Just like I as a man am responsible for (how I treat) the women in my life, whether I date them or not, women have the same mandate. At the same time, who cares if you get what you want in the end, right ladies?

With the year I spent in ATL, I ran into a lot of people who are very well off. I am definitely able to confirm that ATL is definitely a good place to be in network with a lot of emerging black professionals and entrepreneurs. However, that same year there also brought confirmation to the arrogance (warranted or not) that we have as a people once we get a taste of success. Of course you reading this and are probably thinking “Yeah, and….. that’s not new. The black bourgeoisie have acted in this manner since at least the Civil War. What’s your point Rich?” Well……… before I get to that (in my Cosby voice), I would like to tell you a story (or two).

Not to get into detail to keep discretion, I was dragged into a situation several months back related to a dude that was playing these two chicks in the A. Because I did the right thing and facilitated a convo with the two chicks, who didn’t know each other, dude got mad and sent out a fake email telling side chick that I was going around the A saying I slept with said chick. And you know how telephone goes, it goes from one chick, to a few chicks, etc etc. Once this goes down I get an email from side chick cussing me out, talking about how I need to stop doing X, Y, and Z, and how I ain’t no good, etc etc, blah blah blah. Knowing me, I don’t just let some idiot with a degree just do that, so I came back at her. She then had the audacity to come back at me with the notion of “how dare you say (blank) about me. I am a good woman. I have a Masters Degree. I have my own place. I got a good job. I got my own, and I’m a (member of a sorority), so you can’t tell ME that I’m not a good woman.”

(wait, hold that thought, now story #2)

Keeping it in the A, one of my homegirls there, despite the mythical shortage of men in the A, has NO problem whatsoever getting men to be interested in her (fellas don’t ask who she is because she has a man now, LOL). She told me about how a lot of guys who are well off that try to get at her. But given that she’s used to that, you need more than money to cop her. So this one guy takes her out a couple of times, and he thinks he’s in, but she’s just not feeling dude like that. In order for him to not prolong the waste of his time and resources, she keeps it 100 and tells him she’s no longer interested. Ol’ boy proceeds to hit her with “(chick) are you serious?? You not interested in me?!?! Come on now, I’m dark skinned, got my own house, I make 6 figures, and I’m Nigerian. And you don’t want me?!?!?”

I shared both stories to make it clear that this is not just women doing this or just men. Here’s the deal: All of my personal accomplishments don’t mean anything to me or any of my closest friends if I don’t have the soul and heart to compliment it. There are a lot of people out there that have ivy league resumes with 13th grade character. I could have the money of Warren Buffett, have all of the women I want for every day of the week, get bathed daily like Akeem with a royal penis cleaning, live in an estate the size of South Beach, and STILL not get called home.

Any money, power, fame, success that you have means nothing if you’re not doing right by it in public OR behind closed doors. I ask anyone who is reading this to take inventory of how many blessings you have in your life compared to how many times you have been a blessing to others (or how many times you have been a curse to others). How many times have you forsaken eurocentric behavior at work to help a co-worker? How many times have you stolen someone else’s (wo)man? When was the last time you prayed for a platonic friend unsolicited? When was the last time you were genuinely happy for somebody other than yourself?

Just a few things to think about the next time you look at your resume and declare how tight you are. Are you really, homie?!?!?

Well, there’s no way I can end this without giving a little love to the honorable mentions that I jotted down. Some will argue that some of these people belong in the Top 5, and you can make a good argument for all. But in the end, they didn’t make the cut.

Unfortunately I can’t find any of The Artist on youtube because he virtually had them all taken down. So moving on to………

Brian McKnight (anyone remember this one from the 90210 soundtrack?)

You can’t forget Steveland Morris, and because of what he has done, I have to put up 2 songs. One he did:

And one Stevie did for another artist (yeah he did this one too):

Next up is black America’s favorite Chester (LOL, sorry I had to say it, but doesn’t diminish his music cred):

A man that practically owned hip hop in the mid to late 1990’s with the beats he made for Aaliyah, Ginuwine, Missy, and nowadays for Timberlake:

Now, this next artist still has his album from 1992 still played in the clubs to this day (mainly because of east coast bias and the demise of Death Row), but you can’t deny the work he did for 50 and putting his career on the map. Named the “Quincy Jones of Hip-Hop” by the Source magazine, you have to bow down to this man:

Speaking of east coast bias, this man right here NEVER comes up in a talk about great hip-hop producers. I’m sure most of y’all remember this cut from 1996, to show his versatility and still getting gangstas doing that walk:

Now this man can’t go without a shout either. They came onto the scene when they produced Noreaga’s “SuperThug” track, and have been shutting it down since.

Now this one needs no introduction:

I can’t get to them all, but what a better way to end this honorable mention tribute with 2 songs that were the conception of the man who can’t seem to keep his artists signed for no more than 3 albums at a time. But his impact to the hip hop and R&B world are undeniable.
The first one is one of the staple brown liquor songs of our generation:

And of course the one that all but started Bad Boy:

It wasn’t just R&B that had an impact in urban music, but also Gospel. You definitely had trailblazing groups in the 80’s that took gospel to new heights in mainstream consciousness such as the Clark Sisters, the Winans Family, and of course Commissioned. But when you talk about that dude, that man of God who put gospel on hip hop stations on a regular basis, it was definitely Kirk Franklin. If it wasn’t for him, Tye Tribbett, Tonex, and other similar artists would not exist in the light that they do exist. Now granted, most of the work he has done was for himself, as most gospel artists do, but it definitely cannot go unnoticed. So, allow me to share a few of his hits that some of you may (or may not) know about.

Here’s one he co-wrote with Tonex:

Now, what youth choir did NOT sing this song in the 90’s:

Now this is just the audio, but this one of my personal faves that Kirk Franklin somewhat sampled from D’Angelo. See if you can figure out which one:

The inventor of the New Jack Swing, Teddy Riley got his foot in the game at a young age. In his hey day, he was a more talented and more versatile version of Jermaine Dupree, straight up. To show his versatility, I decided to show 3 videos as a sample of his versatility.

Here’s one put out by Teddy for the Diddlydiddlydiddlydiddly D!!!

I wonder if the Ques can figure out where Teddy sampled this from (LOL):

And you can’t forget his work with Blackstreet and how Teddy flipped this classic Debarge slow jam:

To continue the MB Top 5, I have to go next to the man who the tandem that has produced countless hits for our generation. From “Slow Jam” by Midnight Star, to “Two Occasions” when they were in the Deele, to both the Boomerang and Waiting to Exhale soundtracks. Yes people, the LAFace production team. The songs I chose to show their production prowless (actually 2) are one that is known, and one that is not so known in the annals for Slow Jam cuts of all time. But, once again, those who know their music like me might know the second one. You have no excuse to not know the first one.

Now, here’s the not-so-known one: