Slum Village Release Just Like You Feat. Larry June & The Dramatics

Credit: Frankie Fultz

Slum Village announce their first new album in seven years with “Just Like You” featuring Larry June and The Dramatics. Young RJ and T3 have kept busy since Vol. 0 with solo projects and features but they have now returned to their SV home. In 2022, Young RJ released his World Tour album. “Just Like You” is a flirting session with a potential date and the added enticement from The Dramatics’ vintage soul. Young RJ produced “Just Like You” which straddles both an R&B and hip-hop groove. The new song and album announcement comes not long after the premiere of the New York Times J. Dilla documentary. “Just Like You” is another chapter in the legacy of the group he co-founded with Baatin and T3 years ago.  The Great Escape is scheduled for an August release.  




The Dramatics L.J. Reynolds Settles Dispute With The Estate Of Ronald Dean Banks

The Dramatics, L.J. Reynolds and Sandra Banks, wife and Estate representative of deceased group member Ronald Dean Banks mutually agree that the Estate of Ronald Dean Banks shall receive a fee from each concert performed by The Dramatics featuring L.J. Reynolds. Banks was a founding member of  The Dramatics and he passed in 2010 after almost 50 years of hit songs and sold-out tours. Reynolds is the lead singer of the group and handles their business affairs.

Their timeless music soared in the ’70’s with their classics including “Whatcha See is Whatcha Get,” “Get Up and Get Down,” “In the Rain,” “Be My Girl” and more totaling 40 Top Ten singles.

Snoop Dogg introduced The Dramatics to Generation X when he collaborated with them on “Doggy Dogg World” and they later recorded “Ballin’.”

Reynolds’ current solo album, Get To This features the hit single, “Come Get to This/Stepping OutTonight,” which peaked at No. 24 on Mediabase’s Urban Adult Contemporary chart. Other chart toppers include “Cheating on Me,” and “You Sure Love to Ball,” each song has an accompanying video on YouTube.

Reynolds’ ninth solo album is scheduled for a 2017 release during the second quarter. He has recorded and produced a remake of Marvin Gaye’s classic, “Mercy, Mercy Me/Stop The War, Save The World” (I Just Can’t Stop Dancing). He also re-recorded a brand new version of his ’70s hit classic, “Key To The World,” now retitled “Giving All My Love, Key To The World.” He rededicates this song to his lifelong fans. The album will also feature “Bad Girl,” featuring The Dramatics.




Throwback: The Dramatics-Ocean Of Thoughts And Dreams

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The Dramatics recorded “Ocean Of Thoughts And Dreams” for their 1977 Shake It Well album. The song was co-written by Don Davis and Eddie Robinson and was the second single from the album with “Shake It Well” being the first.The lineup for the Detroit based group at the time included L.J. Reynolds, Lenny Mayes, Ron Banks, Larry Demps and Willie Ford. The ’70’s was a peak time for The Dramatics as they released many songs that entered R&B’s sacred catalog, including “Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get,” “In The Rain,” “Hey You! Get Off My Mountain,” “Me And Mrs. Jones,” “Get Up Get Down,” “Be My Girl” and others racking up more than 30 hits. The group broke-up in 1982 so that L.J.Reynolds and Ron Banks could pursue their solo careers. They recorded their 1982 New Dimension album without Reynolds or Banks. Original member William “Wee Gee” Howard returned and worked with the full group in 1986 and 1989 before leaving again for good. The Dramatics re-introduced to pop culture when they appeared in Snoop Dogg’s “Doggy Dogg World” video in 1993. Their last recording was the 2002 Look Inside album. Members Lenny Mayes, William Howard, Ron Banks, James Mack Brown and Elbert Wilkins have all passed. “Ocean Of Thoughts And Dreams” was famously reincarnated on the Destiny Child’s song, “Girl.” The group is still touring and the Concord Music Group just released a compilation of their songs and called it Greatest Slow Jams.




The Dramatics At Ron Bank’s Memorial Service




Ron’s group gave him an appropriate send-off in song. Of course LJ Reynolds speaks on his best friend and singing buddy. Some of you remember seeing The Dramatics in Snoop Dogg’s “Doggy Dogg World” video from 1994. And others may remember 9th Wonder’s sampling of “Oceans Of Thought And Dreams” for Destiny Child’s “Girl” from 2005.