RJ’s Latest Arrival has returned with new music after more than three decades with the single “One Step At A Time” featuring Slum Village. The group took its former funk and R&B sound and swapped out the funk for hip-hop. “One Step At A Time” has all the polish of perfectly executed ballroom dancing and car cruising with the added texture of Slum Village’s words. DeDe Leitta still has the same effortless control over her silky vocals as her delivery in the ’80s. The single is the true definition of coming full circle because RJ Rice’s Barak Records worked with Slum Village back in the ’90s. Today they have reconnected for the next era of two classic Detroit groups.  RJ Rice and Leitta conveyed their excitement to be working artists again in a press release.

“It’s a great change to get from behind the desk, working with so many artists, to now create music for ourselves.” – RJ Rice

“I’m so excited with the new direction our music is taking, it’s fun to sing!” – DeDe Leitta

RJ’s Latest Arrival was reintroduced to the public earlier this year when their hit “Shackles” was heard on STARZ’s BMF series. Their sophomore Harmony album was also remastered and re-released under  Shackles. Listen to “One Step At A Time” and hear the rebirth of the beloved group as they reclaim ownership of their creativity. 

BLK ODYSSY shares “You Gotta Man” featuring KIRBY from his upcoming DIAMONDS & FREAKS album. The Austin, Texas-based singer deals with the sexual tension he has for her by reminding her again that getting together is not possible because they are both seeing someone else. “You Gotta Man” fits the album’s concepts of lust, fame and identity. DIAMONDS & FREAKS is BLK ODYSSY’s sophomore album and it will arrive on June 9th which is two years after his 2021 BLK VINTAGE debut. The new album is presented as an erotic novel by poet and musician Keisha Plum and has narration from funk bass legend Bootsy Collins. Rapsody, The Alchemist, Cory Henry, Stout and Eimaral Sol also have features on the album. The chapters explore the pursuit of success and ODYSSY’s feelings about sex. He previously shared “ODEE” and “Honeysuckle Neckbone” also from DIAMONDS & FREAKS.

Summer Walker and Dos Dias dropped the Clear 2: Soft Life EP four years after Clear. Since then Walker became a mother of three kids, had several public relationships, released two albums and dealt with her mental health. Those life changes are evident in Clear 2 by way of her honest reflections that can be crass and elevated at the same time. Walker fearlessly confronts the topics of relationships and self-wellness with Dias’ emotive guitars, squiggly synthesizers and jazzy drums. Childish Gambino and J. Cole have features offering up humor, praise and a different perspective from Walker’s. Clear 2 means the ultimate clarity and Walker shares the process to that state of mind with vulnerability and staunch conviction. The RnB queen closes the EP with spoken word, spiritual insight and laughter.  

The Isley Brothers’ “It’s A Disco Night (Rock Don’t Stop)” was one of the rare times they made a club record. They were known for funk, rock and soul but disco was not a genre they had directly approached despite having helped lead the way to its creation. Winner Takes All was their 17th album and it was unusual in other ways because it was their only double album and there were no ballads. But their prolific creativity persevered in their versatility. They mastered a disco groove with the Isley funk percolating in the middle of a rhythm designed for satin slip dresses and oversized collars on the dancefloor. Ron Isley’s songbird falsetto gave smooth instructions to the dancers while his brothers Rudolph and Kelly commanded everyone to keep rocking. Winner Takes All became a certified Gold album and “It’s A Disco Night (Rock Don’t Stop)” survived the disco backlash to emerge as another quintessential party jam. The Isley Brothers released their 31st studio album Make Me Say It Again, Girl in 2022 and are long overdue for a biopic.