Baby Jaymes – “Heart & Soul”
Singer/songwriter Baby Jaymes has released his new single, “Heart & Soul” via Clear Label Records, but it is hard to classify exactly what kind of song it is. In fact, his part-soul, part-R&B, part-hip-hop, part-mystery sound has led him to create an entirely new genre for himself: Ghetto Retro. The Oakland-based musician boasts a similarly expansive resume; in addition to having R&B legend Raphael Saadiq and funk luminary George Clinton as mentors and co-collaborators, he has also had songs featured in major motion pictures, such as “Malibu’s Most Wanted,” “My Baby’s Daddy,” and “Any Given Sunday.” Sometimes referred to as “The Black Beck,” in reference to the genre-pushing rocker, Baby Jaymes’ critically-acclaimed first album, The Baby Jaymes Record, has confirmed his status as a musical chameleon, as well as an artist to watch for.
And now, Baby Jaymes’ new single, “Heart & Soul,” is a declaration of who he is and his musical intentions. He addresses how his sound is different because he’s not in it for the hustle, singing “Why you always doing you, do what everybody do, if you’re really trying to get it?/ instead of trying to dumb me down, doing what they’re doing now, here’s something you won’t forget.” The track incorporates the staples of what you’d imagine Ghetto Retro to be like: DJ Touré, of Hieroglyphics fame, adds scratches that roll along with the Motown-like beat, complete with trumpets and harmony vocals, and Baby Jaymes’ smooth and passionate voice is reminiscent of throwback greats like Stevie Wonder while still sounding fresh and new. People will inevitably still try to categorize Baby Jaymes with “Heart & Soul,” but in the end, he just wants you to stop and enjoy the music.