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  • » Name: William E. Ketchum III
  • » Location: East Lansing, MI
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Viewing Posts Tagged "Letoya Luckett"   View All

Ketchums' Top 5 (Underrated) R&B Wifeys


June 20, 2007 | Tags: R&B, Soul, Chrisette Michele, Corinne Bailey Rae, Letoya Luckett, Teedra Moses, Jill Scott

The Game's line about Mya in 2005's "Dreams" was just bringing to light what's been a reality for years - rappers have always had a thing for R&B chicks. Interestingly enough, it seems like relationships between artists of the two genres have many of the same dimensions as other relationships in other forums. You've got the hook-up between industry heavyweights (Jay-Z/Beyonce), the seemingly genuine (Nelly/Ashanti), the publicity stunts (Jamie Foxx/Fantasia) and everything in between. So, of course, hip-hop heads/listeners are going to have many of the same R&B diva fantasies. We all wonder if Beyonce's ripe TV sexuality videos translates to the bedroom, fellas still hate on Nick Cannon because he was smashing Christina Milian while they weren't [1], and even if you were going to front like you weren't infatuated with a young Mariah Carey, we wouldn't believe you anyway.

But what about the ones equipped for the long haul? Given the trendy nature of the entertainment industry, fellas often overlook the songstresses that'll keep them engaged after the eye candy isn't as sweet and after the records fall out of Billboard's 100. In light of this, here's my Top Five list of R&B Wifeys.



EDIT: Amerie didn't slip my mind; I only didn't include her in the list because she's no longer underrated. After her last joint, she was up there with the likes of all the premier R&B divas. Now, if I would've made this post around the time that her first album, All I Have, came out, then she'd be #1.

5.) Chrisette Michele

Granted, she had the opportunity of a lifetime by being featured on two of Def Jam's biggest singles of the year (Jay-Z's "Lost Ones" and Nas' "Can't Forget About You"), but as anyone in her position should, she took made a strong impression on those tracks her own with her passionate vocals and Billie Holiday-esque inflections. Her I Am debut finds her injecting production from heavyweights like Babyface, will.i.am and Salaam Remi with her same old school voice, youthful energy and solid songwriting, laying the groundwork to be a star in her own lane for years to come. With her face, her unmistakable voice and her musical sincerity, I assume the rest would just work itself out.

4.) Corinne Bailey Rae

Corinne Bailey Rae has a bit of the "girl next door" attraction to her - she was the girl who was too cute for you to actually approach, but so sweet that you felt like you somehow had a chance anyway. The contrast between her youthful, innocent beauty and the soulful maturity of her self-titled debut is what earned her a spot on this list. Plus, English chicks are sexy.

3.) Letoya Luckett

I may be biased since I got a chance to interview her, but she's still got many of the crucial wifey elements. Even back when Destiny's Child was singin "No, No, No" alongside Wyclef, brothas like me were giving her just as much props as Beyonce. When her and LaTavia were unceremoniously kicked out of the group, she kept grinding - after their "Anjel" group fizzled out, shorty kept at it, and last year saw her "Torn" become a runaway hit single. That consistency, her respect for hip-hop (her album had several Houston MCs make cameos), her hustler mentality (she's using music, modeling, her own clothing store, and real estate to pay the bills), and her adorable southern drawl make her a top candidate for me.

2.) Teedra Moses

Little Brother fans may remember Phonte and DJ Drama trippin over her on a skit about MySpace on the Gangsta Grillz: Separate But Equal mixtape, but she's more than a random namedrop. The flawless N'Awlins beauty worked as a stylist for the likes of Will Smith and Kelis before getting into music. Her debut Complex Simplicity (which is now three years old) excelled with her tecnical vocal skills and her surprisingly effortless combination of conventional R&B, hip-hop and neo-soul. The fact that she appreciates hip-hop, has neo-soul sensibilities without the snobbiness that afflicts others in the genre/community, and the fact that she can put a pen to the pad (she's nabbed songwriting credits for the likes of Mary J. Blige and Nivea) makes her prime wifey material. Plus, she's already shown that she has a weakness for hip-hop heads: she has twins by Ras Kass.

1.) Jill Scott

Y'all probably saw this coming, but I can't bring myself to go against the grain in this one. Nevermind the fact that she's one of the best poets/vocalists in the industry today, or that she's naturally beautiful. If I can believe what she's conveyed through her music, she's literally the complete, total package - she can cook up a storm, she'll fuck a bitch up ("Gettin In The Way"), she can appreciate a good guy ("He Loves Me"), and she's confident in her sexuality ("I'm Not Afraid"). She's also donated $100,000 into starting the Blues Babe Foundation, a program founded to help students pay for college; such planning and compassion will be crucial when there are little Ketchums running around. Scott personifies the soul that Philly is all about, and she's got the same glowing aura on television that many artists can't even give off in person. Plus, shorty's back on the market after recently filing for divorce. Count me as first in line to help her rebound.
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[1] I'm not saying he's a great rapper or actor. But keep it real - that's not why y'all dislike him.


The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not necessarily those of HipHopDX.com or Cheri Media Group.

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