artist spotlite: kevin michael

It’s likely you missed Kevin Michael’s self-titled debut album when it was released back in ’07 by Atlantic Records. Unfortunate, since it was exactly what the radio was missing – a politically-inclined, bi-racial, R&B crooner with equally relevant and sentimental lyrics for the Obama era. He had two singles released; that if charting, could’ve easily knocked Ne-Yo from his pedestal. The problem with his Atlantic management was the fact that most of his album sounds exactly that – Ne-Yo. His tracks were placed in videogames, cell phone commercials, and as the free “single of the week” on iTunes; creating a false pretense for what he could actually do. Michael is no Ne-Yo. He’s old soul. He sounds best with acoustics and meaningful verses, in a way Amy Winehouse and Raphael Saadiq do not. His singles sound more current and sincere with less reliance on retro-novelty than those aforementioned. His tenor chops and afro-pick add to his 60′s-era simplicity. He takes these characteristics and juxtaposes them against current-day lyrics like DJ’s in the club, Jesus freaks and thugs, We all want the same things, We all want the same thing. At 23 years old, Michael’s already saying things Marvin Gaye only got to saying before his untimely death. To think of the possibility Michael had to become the voice of his generation so shuddered by bling – it’s hard to understand what went wrong. Cross your fingers he gets another round to prove to Top 40 that songs with substance can, in fact, hit harder than anything Taylor Swift or T-Pain. Hits should be measured in their impact socially, too.

Listen to the single version of “We All Want The Same Thing” below, featuring Lupe Fiasco. Although it’s not my favorite version of the song (peep the acoustic version), it sure is a porch stomper.

Here’s the acoustic version, featuring guitar by Akil Dasan…

“It Don’t Make Any Difference to Me (Acoustic)” is another track accompanied by guitarist Akil Dasan. People treat you different when you’re in between / But it don’t make any difference to me. Love ain’t got no color…