This one works better than most as it portrays Jaheim leaving jail and hitting the streets once more.
The journey begins with the obligatory spoken interlude. Add to that a sample-rich production overseen by the always interesting Kaygee and the end result is a satisfying mix of the rough and the smooth - a soulful ride for these troubled times. The resultant sound is still R&B-based but of a quality and emotional richness that has been sadly lacking in recent times. That is Jaheim - young, toughened by the perils of ghetto living and with a voice reminiscent of the old Bluenotes maestro. To get an idea of what is going on here, try and imagine the type of record Teddy Pendergrass would make if he were 21 in Y2K, came from New Jersey and had spent too many of his teenage years in Correctional Facilities.
Even if he doesn’t, he has at least shown that Stevie Wonder is not the only voice from the past worth copying if you want to give your music some real class. With a bit of luck Jaheim Hoagland might set a trend for full, rich vocal stylings, the sort that have been in such short supply since the tricksy, nasal mannerisms that emerged in the days of Swingbeat pushed soulful male vocals to the margins of the urban scene. There may be better albums released this year but there won’t be any better vocal performances. What we have here is the best male voice to come out of R&B since…well, since ever, actually. Jaheim is going to be big and for once you can believe the hype. This, for a first release, is unusual but Ghetto Love is no ordinary first effort. Just like his soul forefathers, everything about Jaheim is honest and heartfelt.There was such a buzz around this album that the amount of bootlegs circulating caused release dates in the US and Europe to be changed. For "Everywhere I Am," Jaheim recorded a postcard to his mother, who died before he gained fame it's another testament to his power as an artist that Still Ghetto never descends into maudlin sentiments. The single "Fabulous" is simply beautiful, balancing a back-in-the-day feel with self-esteem issues and riding out with a chorus of children's voices. Better yet, Jaheim takes the loverman persona to another level, devoting more songs here to relationships than love itself one of the best is "Put That Woman First," his remake of the Stax nugget William Bell's "I Forgot to Be Your Lover," a great performance that's a natural fit with his persona. As before, it all begins with his voice: a deep, throaty croon that makes him sound at least ten years older than he actually is (basically, about as old as the soul samples dotted throughout the record) and marks him as one of the few R&B artists active who can summon the spirit of a Teddy Pendergrass.
Jaheim's considerable vocal talents only increased during the recording of his second album, and a stronger set of songs made Still Ghetto a definite improvement over the debut.
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