DAR Music: 6 Classic 90's R&B Remixes

By @TrueGodImmortal

90's R&B is a frequent topic on this site and rightfully so. Nostalgia for many is seen as a place of comfort, but for me, I look to the music of the 90's as a marker for when the genres were at their peak. It's not that the music today isn't good, but it just pales in comparison without question. With that in mind, today, I wanted to take a look back at some 90's R&B remixes. Once upon a time, remixes were so important to the music scene and they were plentiful. Today, I wanted to look at 6 classic 90's R&B remixes and detail what made them so important. Let's get into it.

*Jodeci featuring Ghostface Killah and Raekwon- Freek'n You (Remix)

-One of the greatest groups in R&B history are responsible for one of the greatest R&B/hip hop crossover remixes. The original track is a smooth bedroom ballad, while the remix is slightly more bouncy with booming drums, and features one of the most infamous remix openers by Raekwon, when he enters the track saying "you got stacks like the International House Of Pancakes" before stealing the show with the rest of his verse. Ghostface doesn't disappoint either, but his verse isn't quite on the level of Raekwon. The vibe on this one is perfect, and when we look at R&B remixes, this might be my favorite.

*112 featuring Notorious B.I.G and Mase- Only You (Remix)

-The original features just Biggie by himself and is solid, but the remix takes it a step higher and puts another Bad Boy artist, Mase on the track. Of course, the most memorable part of the song comes from Biggie with a smooth and catchy verse that you can rap along to every single time, but Mase manages to hold his own as well. The group itself does their thing as well, but of course, there isn't MUCH of a difference with this remix from the original besides Mase being added. Mase adds an extra flare to the song and takes it a notch higher, and when I think of the remixes from the 90's, this is one of my personal favorites.

*Mariah Carey featuring Mase and The LOX- Honey (Remix)

-If you ever doubted that Mariah Carey was a white woman, look no further than this video for true proof. Okay, that is probably not the way to start this off, but it has always been my favorite observation of the music video that she was so awkward and moved so offbeat. That aside, this Bad Boy remix brought more and more of the hip hop appreciation out that Mariah had as Jadakiss and Styles kick off the remix with some bars before Mase brings it home with his verse. Of course, besides the hook itself, the most catchy part of the song comes from Mase with his slight bridge "Harlem World we won't stop, Mariah take us higher". All in all, this is one of the better remixes and a fun listen.

*Brandy featuring MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, and Yo-Yo- I Wanna Be Down (Remix)

-If there was ever a remix that showcased female solidarity in hip hop and music, this was the one. Some 24 years later, and this remix still feels important to the current culture, perhaps due to the lack of true solidarity in hip hop amongst women now. Regardless, this remix took the original Brandy smash and gave it a slight spin, with Brandy kicking it off with the opening lines of her verse before MC Lyte steps in and drops her show stealing verse (with Brandy's adlibs adding a little extra to it).  While Yo-Yo and Latifah don't disappoint with their verses, Lyte definitely steals the show here, and has the most memorable verse on the song (though the Latifah opening bridge for her verse stands out some). All in all, this was a different type of remix, as the original artist was barely showcased and the featured artists dominated the track.

*Dru Hill featuring Jermaine Dupri and Da Brat- In My Bed  (So So Def Remix)

-Everyone knows this remix well and most people love this track. The original is a heartbreaking ballad, as the group sings about the women they love cheating on them. The production and the vocals on the original coupled with the harmony were perfect, but the remix is extremely memorable, despite being upbeat and bouncy (which shouldn't fit for the content, but it works). The hook, the sung verses are great over the bouncy production, but then you get to Dupri and Brat rapping about the most random shit and you would think this ruins the song..... but it doesn't. If anything, this is a remix that doesn't fit exactly to the original (mostly due to the rapping verses being on an entirely different topic), but still remains a classic.

*SWV- Right Here (Human Nature Remix)

-Of course. How could anyone deny this one? SWV debuted with the original "Right Here", and it didn't necessarily hit as hard as they would have liked, so they would double up with a recognizable sample and make one of their biggest songs ever with this remix. This was a formula that was bound to work of course, as using one of the most popular Michael Jackson songs ever was sure to be success. The original was a bit too fast paced, while the remix slows things down perfectly and the Michael Jackson adlibs in the background also add a little flare to it. Of all the remixes here, this is the only one that didn't need any hip hop artists to make it better, instead they utilized the GOAT, which is always going to win.

-True