Rating:
Genre:
R&B
Release Date: 01/04/1992
Run Time: 52:18
The 1990s was a time when
hip-hop infused with
R&B became
pop music, and at the forefront of this movement was
En Vogue. Their most commercially and critically successful album,
Funky Divas, stands as one of the best
pop/
R&B albums to emerge from that time, incorporating
soul,
hip-hop,
pop,
dance, and
rock to create one of the era's most diverse, dazzling, and exciting pieces of work. The album, which is basically free of filler, scored no less than five hit singles, three of which became Top Ten
pop hits. Additionally, several other album tracks became
dance hits and received considerable airplay as well. These include the unstoppable
"My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)," which combined perfect harmonies, street sass, and 1990s female assertion to create one of the biggest hits of 1992, as well as a catch phrase which became ubiquitous in popular culture. Other hits include their sophisticated, shimmering Top Ten remake of
"Giving Him Something He Can Feel," a ghetto love fable initially popularized by
Aretha Franklin, the
doo wop good-feelin'
"Give It Up Turn It Loose," the jazzy
"Love Don't Love You," and the
hard rock smash
"Free Your Mind." The last was a hit which, following the summer of the Los Angeles riots, struck a chord with national audiences by coaxing people to let down their guards about racism and prejudice. Other highlights include the great opener
"This Is Your Life," the
hip-hop tracks
"Hip Hop Lover" and
"It Ain't Over Till the Fat Lady Sings," the
house track
"What Is Love," the sexy, Middle Eastern-influenced
"Desire," and their wonderful, should-have-been-a-hit version of
Curtis Mayfield's
"Hooked on Your Love." Combining sass, elegance, and class with amazing vocals and perfect production, this delightful set stands as one of the 1990s definitive
pop albums.
~Jose F. Promis, All Music Guide
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