Released: September 6, 1988
Genre: R&B ∙ new jack swing
Label: Warner Bros.
Producer: Babyface ∙ L.A. Reid ∙ Jeff Lorber ∙ Karyn White ∙ Ian Prince ∙ Steve Harvey
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Karyn White is one of my favorite R&B divas of all time, and rightfully so. Karyn’s voice is a true masterpiece! Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, White grew up in the church and eventually grew up to being a backing singer, singing background for Jeff Lorber’s records like Facts of Love, True Confessions and Back in Love.
Karyn eventually signed to Warner Bros. Records and began work on her self-titled debut album, which was released on September 6, 1988. Karyn White is a R&B album with influences of the sub-genre new jack swing, which put Karyn up there with some of the biggest artists of the time who were successful with that genre like Guy, Janet Jackson & Keith Sweat.
Karyn White is also the album that put Babyface & L.A. Reid (from the R&B band The Deele) on the map in regards to being in demand songwriters and producers before the launch of their record label LaFace Records. The album peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Top Black Albums and 19 on the Billboard 200 charts respectively. The album has since been certified Platinum by the RIAA.
Ladies & Gentlemen, I present to you Karyn White.
The Way You Love Me
Written by Kenneth Edmonds ∙ L.A. Reid ∙ Daryl Simmons
The album opens with The Way You Love Me, which has the singer discussing how she is infatuated with the way her man loves on her. Released as the lead single from the album, the song became one of Karyn’s first top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 7. Also, The Way You Love Me peaked at number 1 on the Hot Black Singles chart, giving Karyn her first number one on that said chart. The song has been certified Gold by the RIAA.
The Way You Love Me was sampled for:
- Warm It Up, Kane by Big Daddy Kane
Secret Rendezvous
Written by Kenneth Edmonds ∙ L.A. Reid ∙ Daryl Simmons
Secret Rendezvous was one of those new jack swing classics that I love to discuss, especially from L.A. Reid & Babyface’s production catalog together. From a lyrical perspective, the song is about a romance that is so sacred and passionate but it is kept under wraps..and rightfully so! Sometimes the beauty of love has to be sheltered from the world.
Released as the fourth single from the album, the song peaked in the top ten on the pop and R&B charts at numbers 6 and 4 respectively.
Slow Down
Written by Steve Harvey ∙ Daryl Simmons ∙ Karyn White
Released as the fifth and final single from the album, Slow Down is inspired by Janet Jackson’s Let’s Wait Awhile record.
Superwoman
Written by Kenneth Edmonds ∙ L.A. Reid ∙ Daryl Simmons
Superwoman is one of those classic records you have to sing even if you’re a man. From a lyrical perspective, the song is about the emotions that you feel when you are feeling like you are not being appreciated in the relationship you’re in. Superwoman was released as the second single, being her second number 1 hit on the R&B charts, and number 8 on the pop charts. The song has since been certified Gold by the RIAA.
Superwoman was sampled for:
- Don’t Waste My Time by Full Force
Superwoman was covered by Gladys Knight featuring Dionne Warwick and Patti LaBelle
Family Man
Written by Kenneth Edmonds ∙ L.A. Reid ∙ Daryl Simmons
Family Man is a song where the singer is telling the man she’s involved with that she’s fed up with him playing in her face and that she wish she would’ve known he was married with a family. Cause what a man is going to do? LIE TO EVERYBODY.
Love Saw It (featuring Babyface)
Written by Kenneth Edmonds ∙ L.A. Reid ∙ Daryl Simmons
Love Saw It is a MASTERPIECE, and is forever my favorite song from Karyn. A duet with Babyface, the song is lyrically about a pair’s personal journeys and how the discovery of love changed their perspectives of it. Released as the third single from the album, Love Saw It peaked at number one on the R&B charts!
Love Saw It was covered by Chanté Moore and Kenny Lattimore
Love Saw It was sampled for:
- We Ready by Da Brat
- Girl’s Gonna Getcha by Steady B
Don’t Mess with Me
Written by Kenneth Edmonds ∙ L.A. Reid ∙ Daryl Simmons
Don’t Mess With Me is basically Karyn saying she isn’t falling for the nonsense that men think they’re doing in the beginning way too soon chile. One of my favorite cuts from the album!
Tell Me Tomorrow
Written by Evan Rogers ∙ Arnie Roman ∙ Karyn White
Tell Me Tomorrow is a song where the singer is noticing the change in her significant other and is basically telling him to let her know what it is for the next day and to not break her heart tonight.
One Wish
Written by Ian Prince ∙ Jimmy Scott
One Wish closes out the album with great production from Jeff Lorber and Ian Prince. From a lyrical perspective, the song is a beautiful plea for the world to be on one accord when it comes to being united and having some type of peace in the world. Especially in a world that’s STILL so divided, i think people need to revisit this song and make Karyn’s wish come true.
Karyn White was an extremely solid debut album, especially for being so influential to the new jack swing era. Karyn would go on to release 3 more albums, but it is something so delightful and refreshing as the debut that always makes me appreciation how fire music was in 1988. Karyn SNAPPED OKAY! -MW.
markizdj.com 