Present Day Marvin Gaye: The Love is Real

Words- Kenji Summers

Not since D’Angelo’s Voodoo album has a soul artist had such anticipation for their debut follow up album. Raheem Devaughn has captivated audiences around the U.S. while maintaining his roots in the DMV (D.C./Maryland/Virginia) area. His live performances have made him a fixture amongst soul music enthusiasts of every generation. Ladies love him and fellas respect him for his authenticity and ability. Raheem has even been said to remind fans of an R&B martyr by the name of Marvin Gaye. With large shoes to fill, the self-proclaimed "R&B Hippie Neo-Soul Rock Star" has started a movement of musical art that is sure to be emulated in the future. Raheem agrees, “My music is very much R&B, but it’s also very much neo-soul, and also a splash of rock star, you know? It’s about just really tying it all together and bringing attention to the lane that I’ve created.” From the portraits that are painted by artist, Demont Peekaso (www.demontpeekaso.com) during live shows, to the fresh urban boutique gear, to the string of vastly popular mixtape albums that helped Raheem get signed to a major label, Mr. Devaughn is blazing a new trail in soul music. Now with the follow up album Love Behind the Melody, Raheem is set to enter the mainstream conscious of music fans in the manner that Marvin, Stevie, Maxwell, and D’Angelo did in the past. Raheem comments, “Everyday there's somebody new who finds out about the music via word of mouth, MySpace, Youtube, coming to a show, or whatever.” Let this article be your whatever, and before delving into the new album let us examine what makes Raheem Devaughn such as rare gem in such an oversaturated music industry.

Hometown Hero

Raheem is a native of Prince George’s County, Maryland as well as Washington DC; which he admits groomed and prepared him for the national spotlight. Raheem won multiple awards and shows in the DC metro area while releasing an array of independent music compilations. While the DMV may not be as notable as New York and Philadelphia in terms of industry recognition, plenty of artists are creating dynamic music and furthering the soul music genre. Raheem asserts, "I think DC is just on the rise as a whole, with me kind of being the spearhead of it with the success of my underground movement, and crossing over to a mainstream movement.” Raheem Devaughn hopes that the success of his second major label album will open up the flood gates for other talented artists that have paid their dues in the DC area. Raheem adds “You got artists like W. Ellington Felton, Bilal Salaam, One Way, Tabi Boney, King Pin Slim, Wale, just to name a few. And there are also some mainstream cats. For me personally, if you’re an artist coming out of DC, and you ain’t done the real DC grind through the street, you’re on thin ice, artistically.” Authenticity and passion drive the music of Raheem Devaughn and expect the next crop of successful artists out of DC to fit a similar mold.

Show Stopper

If you have never been to a Raheem Devaughn concert you are missing out on a high energy masterpiece of artistic expression. Each show is loaded with a mixture of Raheem's music catalog, an amazing band, legendary soul hits, live paintings, talented background singers, and a beautiful interactive crowd. Critics have stated that Raheem’s shows leave event goers in a ‘gimme more’ state of mind. The visual creator for Raheem Devaughn, Deemont Peekaso paints the vibes on stage to canvas, which are auctioned off following each performance. The background singers Steve Smith and Bilal Salaam, the latter who is in group, the Crossrhodes with Raheem Devaughn and DMV notable W. Ellington Felton bring contrasting singing styles that blend well with Raheem’s vocals. Raheem’s band, the Loveaholics, complement his style and add a musicality to each show and performance. In addition, Raheem interacts with his crowd and fellow performing artists on a higher level than current R&B and soul stars, he creates an experience that fans and peers alike will remember for a life time. Raheem points out, “I wanna give you your money’s worth...I genuinely enjoy performing and getting on stage…It’s the ultimate high for me…A lot of times a show is not the same, and a lot of things that go down at that moment are improvisational.” The passion Raheem brings as a performer is a breath of fresh air, and with every performance, it is hand crafted to ensure that each member of the crowd fully enjoys the time they sacrificed to take part in the Raheem Devaughn experience.

Love Behind the Melody

Love Behind the Melody features guests such as Floetry and Big Boi of Outkast, however like The Love Experience; Raheem is the star of his own album and commands the listener’s undivided attention from start to finish. Love Behind the Melody’s first single “Woman” is a tribute to all women, similar to “You” off of The Love Experience. The track has been heating up radio stations nationwide and getting tremendous attention in the DMV area. Noting the subject matter of “Woman” a perfect song for limited edition release would be a duet with Angie Stone, who penned the song “Brotha,” a tribute track for all the good men in the world (just a thought *wink).

Love Behind the Melody is 17 songs deep with an array of contemporary R&B hits, mellow down tempo neo-soul, and classic soul ballads. Stand out tracks are “Customer” a metaphorical song that has Raheem singing from the point of view of a love waiter. Think R.Kelly “Ignition” or Trey Songz “Grub On.” A crowd favorite of the ladies is “Marathon” a song where Raheem goes into depth about how when he gets a break from work he enjoys a length session of romance, the track may also be blamed for some unexpected child births in late 2008. But not all the tracks are geared strictly towards women, brothers can enjoy the perspective that Raheem employs on tracks such as “Cocaine Dreams," which has an old school Curtis Mayfield vibe to it. In addition the upbeat "Energy" will keep brothers moving and grooving with their ladies because of the song’s funky bass and catchy lyrics. Each track on the album has a unique value to it and will be enjoyed for its timeless feel. Raheem has crafted a remarkable second album which will be well received by his diehard fans as well as those who will give him a try after reading this article. So until the Love Behind the Melody can reach you, let the Love Experience keep you warm through these winter months.