JASON'S LYRIC (EX)

Producers: Brian McKnight, D'Angelo (track 1); Kenny Whitehead (track 2); Chad "Dr. Ceuss" Elliott (tracks 3, 7); Mint Condition (track 4); Dwayne Wiggins (track 5); James Mtume (track 6); Aaron "Freedom" Lyles, Ike Lee III (track 8); Warren G (tracks 9, 14); QD III (track 10); The Whole 9 (track 11); Brian McKnight (track 12); Ahmad, Brian C. Wells (track 13); Jam Master Jay, Tony "T-Funk" Pearyer (track 15); Ed Kramer (track 16); Blackjack (track 17); Brad Jordan, N.O. Joe, Mike Dean (track 18); Savory, Mars Lasar (track 19); Narada Micheal Walden (track 20). Engineers: Chris Wood (tracks 1, 12); Larry Gold, Mitch Goldfarb, Kevin Reynolds (track 2); Eli Tubo (track 3); Steve Hodge (track 4); Thomas Vercillo (track 6); Chad "Dr. Ceuss" Elliott (track 7); Kenneth Lewis (track 8); Greg Geitzenhauer (tracks 9, 14); Rob Chiarelli, QD III (track 10); Steve Young, Mike Hersch (track 11); Richard Hunedia (track 13); Anthony Cox (track 15); Mark Schaffel (track 16); Josh Azhziger (track 17); Mike Dean, James Hoover (track 18); Scott Blockland (track 19); David "Frazeman" Frazer (track 20). Where many of the soundtracks to movies about contemporary black culture tend to emphasize the new jack aspects of today's sounds, the songs which make up JASON'S LYRICS portray a much richer vision of inner city life. That's because this tale of inner city brothers whose father has been killed--one caught up in the gangsta life, the other trying to stay on the straight and narrow--summons up a more complex web of human emotions and urban characters. Thus the range of music represented here, while steeped in the new jack conventions of modern hip-hop, establishes a solid set of connections with the foundation of modern black music: gospel, blues and soul. Thus you have the spiritual epilogue of Oleta Adams' "Many Rivers To Cross," and the gospel-inflected overture of "U Will Know" by B.M.U., with its Southern soul groove, all-star contemporary cast and unyielding positivity. "If Trouble Was Money" (by Mint Condition and the late blues guitarist Albert Collins) and "This City Needs Help" (by guitarist Buddy Guy) match contemporary soul balladry to powerful traditional blues forms, while on "Nigga Sings The Blues," Spice declaims a powerful double-time rap over soulful strings, wah-wah guitar and juke joint organ. But by contrast, "First Round Draft Pick" (from The Twinz/G Funk Era) and "Brothers And Sistas" (by Jayo Felony) contrast soft focus West Coast backgrounds against dark, fatalistic rhapsodies in blue. Audio Mixer: Charles "Prince Charles" Alexander . Recording information: Battery Studios, New York, NY; Capitol Studios, CA; CRC Studios, IL; Sweat Shop, GA; Victory Studios, Philadelphis. Jason's Lyric left the theaters quickly, but the soundtrack is an impeccable collection of contemporary urban R&B and hip-hop. In fact, it's more consistently entertaining than many albums released by the artists featured on the record. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine