Let’s be unequivocal: were Jeanine Smith not to have taken out the ad directly to your right, this post would not exist. After all, I can count on one finger the amount of female R&B singers we’ve covered on the Passion (one, see E. Badu). But when Jeanine (not some major label, not some svengali manager) decided to buy me two Poquito Mas dinners in exchange for one week of ad space, I figured the least I could do was give her music an honest shot. Plus, she’s affiliated with Quannum Records (she recently completed a tour of Australia/New Zealand with Blackalicious and the Mighty Underdogs), and in the words of the great Dallas Penn, “I fucks with them cats.” Er, dogs.
Despite fearing the worst (I mean anyone who pays for advertising on this blog….), I can safely say that I’m impressed with Jeanine’s music. Blessed with a breathy, rich voice and an excellent ear for beats, the two tunes posted below straddle the line between Badu and Keyshia Cole. Not to say that she’s in that rarefied company just yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Smith has a very bright future ahead of her. So no, I wouldn’t have bothered to give her music a listen had she not taken out the ad–nor do I want to start a trend of ads equaling coverage–that’s just deplorable. But if you’re into rhythm, blues, or girls named Jeanine, check her out.
Plus, the chicken tostadas and tortilla soup that I ordered with the ad money were delicious.
Download:
MP3: Jeanine Smith-“It Ain’t Over”
MP3: Jeanine Smith-“Runnin'”
MP3: J Dilla-“Pay Jay”
