May 30, 2001
Rhona : Satisfied
The first signing to Rodney Jerkins' new label proves less than thrilling...
Rhona is the first act signed by Rodney 'Darkchild' Jerkins to his Darkchild Entertainment label, which, you would be forgiven for thinking, would dictate that 'Satisfied' is a cross between Brandy & Monica's 'The Boy Is Mine' and Jerkins' finest moment, Whitney Houston's 'Its Not Right (But Its Okay)'.
But you're wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. This is r&b for Radio 2 listeners. Sure, Rhona's trying to assert a little attitude, letting the man who whom this diluted record is directed, that it is she, not any other chick, that will keep him satisfied. But frankly, he's got to be interested in the first place... and the charmless pace of this will have him running faster than a positive pregnancy test announcement.
So, that's the original version obliterated. The mixes try to make the best of a rum situation, and Omar's 1 Step Dub Voc Up and 1 Step Dub Voc Down mixes do so by pretty much erasing Rhona's presence from the proceedings, in a garage-meets-Roger Troutman style. The X-Men Vocals do their best to modernise Rhona's aged temperament original but neither works, ironically, as well as Jerkins's Another Darkchild Remix which cuts, dices and slices quicker than Jamie Oliver on fast-forward. And like him, this is digestible. But only in small doses.
soul mama
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