Hey There Beautiful People!!

Rahbi: A man of epic proportions
"R&B impresario crooner Rahbi unleashes an arsenal that speaks volumes with the 2008 funk savvy “Raw.”
By Marcus Scott
Rahbi is on his way to do big things. After a stint with Laface Records as one fourth of R&B’s unreleased 4th Avenue at age 14, this indigenous Atlanta local later found success touring with the likes of music favorites Floetry, Erykah Badu, India.Arie, and teen sensations Marques Houston and Pretty Ricky. Fugees’ legend Lauryn Hill even beckoned an appearance for a clandestine New York City jam session in 2005. But what is it about this guy? What makes him so special?
Honestly, Rabhi is poles apart from any artist out there. He lacks the diva of say artists like Beyoncé Knowles and Rihanna, the teenybopper quirkiness of say Chris Brown or the commercial appeal of say the Auto-Tune fueled T Pain. He’s uncanny in his delivery. He’s mystique in music persona. That’s probably why he’ll never have a star on the boulevard of Hollywood’s walk of fame. No one likes the avant-garde: On first listen, he could possibly be described as the love child of Madame Satã and Freddie Mercury and on another; he sounds like Andre 3000 on Gwen Stefani acid trip. With his relaxed, soulful vibrato and his flamboyant coos, this R&B crooner brings something to his record: substance.
Dripping with a souped up a synth anthem funk rock resonance, nu soul connoisseur Rahbi unleashes a sound that’s part drag ball, part after-hour rave bash in the flamboyant tour de force “Raw;” a gospel groovy pop-rocker that vocalizes a guy unwavering in his decisions to live life to the fullest. “Raw” encompasses a rather difficult style in pop music. For starters, Rahbi talks about everything from mass conformity to the romantics.
Rahbi creates an element that recalls a young Rick James, Cameo and Prince in this 24 hour party starter, kicking off the festivities with an introduction by the record’s emcee Clementine, recalling a night out at a cabaret. “He’s here,” featuring Madam CJ, introduces the music glamazon himself and warns listeners that they are in for the experience of a lifetime. Just after the introductions, Rahbi turns up the volume with “Bittersweet Sweet Dreams,” a re-visioning of the heavily-recycled 80s Eurhythmics’ classic “Sweet Dreams.” With this song, Ranbi talks about the relationship between record companies and artists, and creativity or the lack there of in popular music. Rahbi does Lennox proud in his attempt at songwriting, addressing the issue on rather one should blame the record label or the consumer for the current enlightening zeitgeist in today’s music scene with lyrics like: “Turn on the TV/ What do I see? / Not one trace of creativity” and “Who is to blame consumers or the record stores/ if someone can’t cook should we really ask for more?”
The album is rich, however, its not until its seventh track—“Edge of my life”—that the album finds a happy medium. Arguably the best track on the record, it enters with a familiar synth jive and is complemented with Rahbi’s jazz-lounge tenor, the song swings into full force into a 80s-style R&B high voltage hook. Its addictive Wahoo loops is something any artists of Rahbi’s caliber would kill for: Backed with operatic falsetto balladry between singer and back up a la Prince, Rabhi shines light that he is good music arranger.
However, the album has some dead spots. Tracks like “Never hurt you,” “Brothas and Sistas,” “Superstar,” and “Giving up,” are great songs but with such a high voltage album, the songs become mere fillers, thriving on a slow steady funk-soul binge. “Giving up,” a highlight on the record for example, is a song rooted in northern soul, complemented by a quiet lounge style that showcases Rahbi’s high-octane belting ability. The song would be excellent if the song was on a quiet, smooth jazz or soul recording, however, Rahbi makes an ill decision on including the song.
The album closes on a sexy romp. “Take you 2 a dream,” with its quiet synth tinkering acoustics gives us Prince’s best Sign ‘O’ Times impersonation yet! Its short duet with Lady J is something to make babies to with her Lady J’s soft mezzo soprano and Rahbi’s now-gruff tenor.
The record is a great mess of songs over all. The 80 Rick James mash-up “Another chance/Give it to me baby,” the hidden track of “Darling Nikki” (no doubt, from Prince’s landmark 1984 “Purple Rain” album) and the album’s concert feel show that Rahbi is on the rise to be a critical success to those of contemporary radio upstarts. With more experience, Rahbi is sure to warp the minds with his sure-fire creativity; however, there are some things he must endure. Rahbi relies too much on heavily-recycled 70s/80s inspired instrumental favorites, and while “Raw” is high energy is some spots, viewers may sum the record up as merely copying old school personalities. To add to the mixture, Rahbi is bigger than the record, showing much promise, but relies heavily on a neo-variation of scat-singing, melismatic hiccups and coos, and doesn’t go there: he holds back several times it seems, showcasing his talents, but not putting his heart soul into the songs he sings. The album is also inconsistent and therefore, finds itself in an identity crisis; it like Rahbi can’t decide if it’s an attempt at gospel jukebox or a funk-rock concert reincarnation.
Irregardless, Rahbi is a rock star. This is not the last we’ve heard of him. He’s too big to be cast in to the puddle of mediocrity seen in past pop-rockers.

See the edited and published version @ http://blog.nu-soulmag.com/?p=208