WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JAYMES Reviews ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ EARMILK- Recent Hip-Hop www.Earmilk.com Liz Choi Baby Jaymes - What Ever Happened To Baby Jaymes? "Ghetto retro"? When I first read the genre Baby Jaymes placed himself under, I had to wonder what this category of music actually sounds like. After giving one listen to his soulful, fun-loving rendition of 50 Cent's "21 Questions", I was convinced this is a genre I could take a great liking to, enough that I'd feel convicted to share it with all of you. Baby Jaymes - 21 Questions A meld of funk, pop, and hip hop -- with an emphasis on the funk -- the Oakland-based artist brings us a sound we might have missed had we only stuck to Raphael Saadiq or Outkast, both of whom we can hear shades of in his music. But don't get me wrong, Baby Jaymes' music is not far from a rip off anything we've already heard before. It's for anyone that appreciates stellar vocals and tastefully done, throwback music to another era. What Ever Happened To Baby Jaymes?, the EP, was released just last week off Clear Label Records, which is run by Tajai Massey, of Hieroglyphics and Souls of Mischief fame, which in my opinion, only further qualifies Baby Jaymes music as worth listening to. Be sure to give this music a spin. Baby Jaymes - Heart and Soul ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Kickmag Urban music and culture www.kickmag.com Posted by Audible Treats Oakland R&B singer Baby Jaymes released his Whatever Happened to Baby Jaymes EP today on iTunes. A juke-joint worthy version of 50 Cent’s “21 Questions” is included in the five-song set. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Muphoric Sounds www.muphoricsounds.com Author: Vanessa Warren It’s not every day you come across an artist who has a background that makes you wonder, “Why haven’t I heard about them before?” Baby Jaymes is one of those. Born and raised in Oakland, California, and under the tutelage of Raphael Saadiq and George Clinton—he can call these greats his mentors—Baby Jaymes has come to do his thing! First hearing “Heart & Soul,” the infectious hook that is vintage soul mixed a hip hop flavour, there was anticipation for his 5-song EP. Baby Jaymes does a rendition of 50 Cent‘s “21 Questions” bringing in live instrumentation and inverting the song to sound melodic. Calling his style “ghetto retro,” largely in part due to his sound having subtle leanings to Motown but also containing enough soul, hip hop and live instrumentation to make it a sound of now. Baby Jaymes is fun and I look forward to seeing what his live performance is going to look and sound like. Being on the West Coast he definitely asserted himself within the right circles and has had songs featured in motion pictures, such as Malibu’s Most Wanted, My Baby’s Daddy, and Any Given Sunday. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Note Noted www.notenoted.com The latest and Greatest in Music Music Blog Posted In Hip-Hop/RnB This is the first I’ve heard of “Ghetto Retro” and I guess it’s love at first site. After listening to Baby James I would say “Ghetto retro” does fit. Blending funk, pop and hip-hop….with a emphasis on the funk. The Oakland-based artist play tribute to an era with this unique throwback sounding style. This is a very fun and soulful cover of 50 Cent’s “21 Questions”. Following the release of the soulful single“Bump My Head,” Oakland native Baby Jaymes is excited to release his new EP, What Ever Happened To Baby Jaymes. The five-track project carries a sound that jumps from vintage to boundary pushing, showing off a range and diversity that the rising singer-songwriter is fast becoming known for. Standout tracks include Baby Jaymes’ R&B rendition of rapper 50 Cent’s early career hit “21 Questions,” with Jaymes forgoing samples for live instrumentation and effortlessly flipping the lyrics into a sing-song ballad. “Streets,” with Bay favorite The Jacka, features Jaymes singing his woes and praises of urban life experience, while “California” flips a driving, horn-heavy instrumental into one of the more fun love songs you’ll hear to close out the year. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ YOUR MUSIC MAGAZINE www.yourmusicmagazine.com Written by Your Music Magazine Critical Praise for Baby Jaymes: "Baby Jaymes is a hip-hop generation throwback to the days when you just weren‘t hip if you didn‘t have a stack of soul 45s under your arm at all times." - XLR8R Magazine The Song: In anticipation of his forthcoming EP, Whatever Happened To Baby Jaymes, and following the release of his single "Heart & Soul," Oakland bred singer/songwriter Baby Jaymes is excited to release his latest single, "Bump My Head." On "Bump My Head," a combination of lush keys, pulsating horns, and a smooth bassline provide the perfect backdrop for Baby Jaymes to tell a tale of falling victim to the temptations of a pretty lady, all the while ignoring the warnings of friends. As he continues to trail blaze his self-anointed genre of Ghetto Retro, Baby Jaymes is refusing to be put in a box, pushing the envelope and redefining what a modern day urban singer is 'supposed' to sound like. Refreshingly soulful, with "Bump My Head," Baby Jaymes gives an answer to those who wondered Whatever Happened To Baby Jaymes: he's doing just fine. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ HEART & SOUL single reviews from "What Ever Happened To Baby Jaymes" 38th Notes Music www.38thNotes.com Posted By Coolhand Luke “I put my heart in it, heart it / Go home or hard with it / I’m not going home, so let me turn you on,” sings Baby Jaymes on his latest single “Heart & Soul.” The singer/songwriter, who has worked with Raphael Saadiq and George Clinton, uses this track to explain his approach and his motivation for creating music. The smooth, two-step worthy groove, which includes scratches from DJ Toure, is a sample the style Jaymes has dubbed “Ghetto Retro.” You can see the man that some refer to as “The Black Beck” tomorrow night at Monday Soul. Don’t forget to report back and let us know what you thought of the show. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Oakland Local Posted by Eric K. Arnold www.oaklandlocal.com *** Oakland’s Baby Jaymes has always been an intriguing character. One part Prince, one part Michael Jackson, 100% East Oakland born and raised, the singer-songwriter has been a great addition to the urban R&B genre. After returning from a sojourn in LA with his “comeback” album, Whatever Happened to Baby Jaymes?, he’s been making moves of late. Jaymes was recently nominated for an Oakland Indie Award, and makes a cameo in the indie film “The Shop.” The Shop - The Official Movie Trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Q8R3bA0iBg (Look for Jaymes at the 2:17 mark in the above trailer.) Plus, his latest video, “Streets,” featuring The Jacka, recently jumped 103 positions, to land at number 32 on the California Music Channel’s charts. Filmed entirely in the streets of Oakland, the video is a somewhat self-explanatory ode to Oakland’s avenues and boulevards, and the hustlers who navigate them daily. What’s cool about the song, though, isn’t the subject matter, but the way Jaymes approaches it, from the viewpoint of a survivor who wants to do better for the next generation, who’s striving to “do everything I can not to die on these streets.” Rather than emphasize the inner-city’s rough edges, Jaymes accentuates its positives, similar to Too Short’s “The Ghetto.” Along the way he adds his silky tenor, a smooth falsetto, and a melody lifted from the Jackson 5’s “ABC,” while coaxing an emotionally-resonant guest verse from The Jacka. I’ve always been a fan of “reality R&B” – that is to say, songs with sung vocals and strong melodic hooks which go past the superficialities of banal pop efforts. It doesn’t hurt that “Streets”’ beat slaps, either. *** ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ “I put my heart in it, heart it / Go home or hard with it / I’m not going home, so let me turn you on,” sings Baby Jaymes on his latest single “Heart & Soul.” The singer/songwriter, who has worked with Raphael Saadiq and George Clinton, uses this track to explain his approach and his motivation for creating music. The smooth, two-step worthy groove, which includes scratches from DJ Toure, is a sample the style Jaymes has dubbed “Ghetto Retro.” You can see the man that some refer to as “The Black Beck” tomorrow night at Monday Soul. Don’t forget to report back and let us know what you thought of the show.