The Future (Guy album)

The Future
Studio album by Guy
Released November 13, 1990
Recorded 1989-1990
Genre R&B, New jack swing, Soul
Length 72:02
Label Uptown/MCA
Producer Guy, Teddy Riley, Bernard Belle, Aqil Davidson, Brandon Mitchell
Guy chronology
Guy
(1988)		 The Future
(1990)		 Guy III
(2000)
Singles from The Future
  1. "Wanna Get with U"
    Released: October 5, 1990
  2. "Let's Chill"
    Released: February 18, 1991
  3. "Do Me Right"
    Released: April 24, 1991
  4. "D-O-G Me Out"
    Released: August 8, 1991
  5. "Her"
    Released: 1991
  6. "Let's Stay Together"
    Released: January 14, 1992

The Future is the second studio album from American R&B group Guy, released in 1990 on Uptown Records and MCA Records. The album had a much darker tone in stark contrast to their debut. Most of it had to do with things going on behind the scenes. A year after the release of their debut album, they fired their manager Gene Griffin- who they claimed allocated funds from the group.[1][2] This revelation angered all of the members, and particularly infuriated lead singer Aaron Hall- so much so that he didn't sing on half of the album. Hall revealed:

"There came a time where I just did not want to sing a single note. To be honest, it was the money. It just became too depressing. We were the biggest group in the world and we were flat broke. It took its toll".[3]

As a result, Riley assumed the duties of lead vocals for the remainder of The Future.

Also on a tour with their MCA labelmates New Edition, things got out of hand between the two acts.[4] Although New Edition were headliners, Guy happened to upstage them a few dates into the tour. This created a rivalry backstage that turned deadly. One of New Edition's production managers Ronald Boyd shot and killed Anthony Bee- a member of Guy's security detail.[5][6][7] Guy would dedicate the song "Long Gone" to the memory of Bee- as well as Wrecks-N-Effect member Brandon Mitchell, who was also killed in the same year.[8][9] The Future contained songs where they attacked their former manager Gene Griffin and his then-proteges, Motown Records recording group Basic Black.[10] By the time they released the fifth single "Let's Stay Together" in early 1992, Guy called it quits and embarked on separate endeavors, with Aaron and Damion releasing solo albums and Teddy starting the group Blackstreet.[11][12]

A couple of the songs from The Future have been covered. Priority Records singer Toni Estes covered the song "Let's Chill" from her 2000 debut Two Eleven.[13] Singer Charlie Wilson also covered "Let's Chill" from his 2005 album Charlie, Last Name Wilson.[14] R&B singer Case covered the song "Smile" on his 2009 album The Rose Experience.[15]

Release and reception

The Future peaked at sixteen on the U.S. Billboard 200 and reached number one on the R&B Albums chart. By January 1991, it was certified platinum in sales by the RIAA after sales exceeding one million copies in the United States.

Although Alex Henderson of Allmusic felt The Future was not as strong an album as its predecessor, he still gave a positive note to the work, calling it "one of the more appealing – and certainly more authentic – examples of "new jack swing."[16]

Track listing

No. TitleMusic Length
1. "Her"  Davidson, Hall, Riley 3:53
2. "Wanna Get with U"  Davidson, Hall, Riley 4:47
3. "Do Me Right" (feat. Heavy D)Heavy D, Riley, Way 4:23
4. "Teddy's Jam 2"  Hall, Riley 4:19
5. "Let's Chill"  Belle, Riley 5:23
6. "Tease Me Tonite"  Hall, Riley, Way 5:08
7. "D-O-G Me Out"  Hall, Riley, Way 4:23
8. "Total Control"  Davidson, Riley 3:00
9. "Gotta Be a Leader" (feat. Wreckx-N-Effect)Davidson, Riley 4:28
10. "The Future"  Hall, Hall, Riley, Way 4:12
11. "Let's Stay Together"  Hall, Riley 4:01
12. "Where Did the Love Go"  Hall, Hall, Riley 1:15
13. "Yearning for Your Love"  Scott, Wilson 4:35
14. "Smile"  Hall, Hall, Riley 4:25
15. "Long Gone"  Belle, Riley 5:52
16. "Wanna Get with U [Club Version]"  Davidson, Hall, Riley 7:58

Chart history

Album

Chart (1990)[17] Peak
position
U.S. Billboard 200 16
U.S. R&B Albums 1

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions[18]
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 U.S. Dance Music/Club Play Singles U.S. Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks
1990 "Wanna Get with U" 50 27 12 4
1991 "Let's Chill" 41 — 10 3
"Do Me Right" — 47 18 2
"D-O-G Me Out" — — 15 8
"Her" — — 16 58
1992 "Let's Stay Together" — — 39 16

"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Personnel

Information taken from Allmusic.[19]

Notes

  1. ↑ Neal, Mark Anthony. "Blackstreet Level II (review)". popmatters.com. PopMatters Media, Inc,. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
  2. ↑ Herrrmann, Brenda. "The King Of New Jack Swing". article. chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 5/6/2014. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  3. ↑ hampton, dream (February 2000). Hard Rock: Nas, Eve and Sisqo Take it to the New Millennium. Vibe Magazine.
  4. ↑ hampton, dream (February 2000). Hard Rock: Nas, Eve and Sisqo Take it to the New Millennium. Vibe Magazine.
  5. ↑ hampton, dream (February 2000). Hard Rock: Nas, Eve and Sisqo Take it to the New Millennium. Vibe Magazine.
  6. ↑ "allhiphop.com". interview. allhiphop.com. Retrieved 5/6/2014. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  7. ↑ Wilker, Deborah. "Violence On- And Offstage A Bitter Blow To R&b Tour". article. articles.sun-sentinel.com. Retrieved 5/6/2014. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  8. ↑ Coleman, Mark. "POP MUSIC : New Jack Swingman : Guy's leading guy, Teddy Riley, draws from rap, R&B, gospel and funk as he designs pop's hippest, hottest sound". latimes.com. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-01-10.
  9. ↑ hampton, dream (February 2000). Hard Rock: Nas, Eve and Sisqo Take it to the New Millennium. Vibe Magazine.
  10. ↑ Coleman, Mark. "POP MUSIC : New Jack Swingman : Guy's leading guy, Teddy Riley, draws from rap, R&B, gospel and funk as he designs pop's hippest, hottest sound". latimes.com. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-01-10.
  11. ↑ Neal, Mark Anthony. "Blackstreet Level II (review)". popmatters.com. PopMatters Media, Inc,. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
  12. ↑ hampton, dream (February 2000). Hard Rock: Nas, Eve and Sisqo Take it to the New Millennium. Vibe Magazine.
  13. ↑ "Let's Chill - Toni Estes". whosampled.com. WhoSampled. Retrieved 2015-01-10.
  14. ↑ "Let's Chill - Charlie Wilson". whosampled.com. WhoSampled. Retrieved 2015-01-10.
  15. ↑ "Smile - Guy". whosampled.com. WhoSampled. Retrieved 2015-01-10.
  16. ↑ Henderson, Alex. "allmusic ((( The Future > Review )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
  17. ↑ "allmusic ((( The Future > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
  18. ↑ "allmusic ((( The Future > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
  19. ↑ "allmusic ((( The Future > Credits )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-06-30.

External links

See also

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