Jaheim, Appreciation Day

The New Jersey representative known for his gravely but smooth voice and hardcore yet suave demeanor just dropped his sixth studio effort, Appreciation Day. He obviously knows he kind of left fans hanging since 2010’s Another Round, because this one, as Jah says, was inspired by his desire to show appreciation for his fans. The lead single, “Age Ain’t a Factor” (dedicated to all the MILFs and cougars out there) should keep a lot of women happy. But if that’s not your steez, Jaheim has generally succeeded in created a feel-good album his fans will love.

Available at iTunes.

Raheem DeVaughn, A Place Called Loveland

Raheem DeVaughn, the self-proclaimed (and rightfully so) King of Love, has just released his fourth studio album, A Place Called Loveland. The Grammy-nominated crooner is once again doing what he does best: sanging about love and sex and hitting us with those killer falsettos. Fans are already acquainted with the first single, “Love Connection,” which became the most added single at Urban Radio, and then “Ridiculous,” with a romantic video in rotation since August 21.

Hit makers like Ne-Yo, Mario Winans, Dre King and more helped Heemy craft this album, and they’ve definitely got an R&B classic on their hands. Raheem likens sexy joints like “Pink Crush Velvet” to Bobby Brown’s “Tenderoni,” saying, “After you hear it a few times, you’ll figure out what it’s about.” Most won’t need to listen to any of this album more than once—though they’ll want to run it into the ground—to figure out what it’s about. Just try not to make too many babies.

Available at iTunes.

John Legend, Love in the Future

What happens when R&B singers fall in love and make music? Their lovers become their muses. I suspect this is the case with Love in the Future. As John Legend looks forward to his forthcoming married life with fiancée Chrissy Teigen, he also channels the past in a project that sounds like an ode to his love for her.

John Legend’s vocals and arrangements are as rich, harmonious and soulful as always. He taps into his modern day musical sensibilities on joints like “Asylum,” and “Who Do We Think We Are” (featuring Rick Ross) while paying homage to the old school via reworked classics like Anita Baker’s “Angel” (featuring his artist Stacy Barthe) and Bobby Caldwell’s “Open Your Eyes.”

Mack Wilds, “Henny”

Tristan Wilds (a.k.a. Michael from The Wire, a.k.a. Mack Wilds, which is what he’s going by these days) is getting serious about transitioning to music. The Staten Island native dug into the crates and pulled the beat from Mobb Deep’s “The Learning (Burn)” to help add some grit to his vocals as he sings (more like a sing-rap) about his crush. It’s a sexy gritty song that reps NYC and ’90s hip-hop well. “Henny” is from his upcoming album, New York: A Love Story, due out on September 17.

Listen here.

Sevyn Streeter ft. Chris Brown, “It Won’t Stop”

Sevyn Streeter is having a good year thus far. The singer/songwriter behind Chris Brown’s “Fine China” and Tamar Braxton’s “All the Way Home” still finds time to put herself out there as a soloist. The CBE artist tapped her business partner Chris Brown for her latest single, “It Won’t Stop.” Its ethereal melody tells the tale of a love in progress as they breathily serenade each other about being head-over-heels and “loving each other until infinity.” “It Won’t Stop” is the second single from Streeter’s forthcoming debut.  

Listen here.