Prince, Morris Day & The Time, and The Jets, among others, helped establish Minneapolis as a music hub in the ’80s. In the ’90s, The Twin Cities’ music scene would see a resurgence with acts such as Mint Condition, Sounds of Blackness, and Next. Let’s talk about the latter and their debut, Rated Next.
The ’90s was a good decade regarding R&B — and a freaky decade, courtesy of the genre. RL, T-Low, and Tweety contributed to the cause with their first album.
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“Butta Love,” the first single, was self-explanatory. It was a compliment to the ladies with creamified benefits. The track did what it was designated to do, which was gain radio play and get R&B listeners to pay attention.
The single peaked within the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In terms of singles, bigger success would come with their second one, “Too Close.” The trio would borrow a tune from Kurtis Blow to detail being turned on by exotic dancing.
“All the songs on you requested,” T-Low sing
“You’re dancing like you’re naked. Ooh, it’s almost like we’re sexing.”
“Too Close” topped the Billboard Hot 100.
Next would temporarily veer off from the sex-induced cuts. “Cozy” was the pre-age Netflix and chill. “I Still Love You” was dedicated to the courtships that’s experiencing rocky times.
However, they would veer back into the sex lane with tracks like “Sexitude” and “Penetration.” The latter consisted of an exceptional guest appearance from Naughty by Nature.
Rated Next peaked at the number 37 spot on the Billboard 200. It was certified Double-Platinum.
Some may say the trio from the Twin Cities crossed the line with the excessive sex-themes — but keep in mind the album’s title. And if you were to take the “N” from the word “Next,” you would clearly see that the album stayed within it’s boundaries.
Next’s ‘Rated Next’; Classic, Jammin’, Regular, or Not Impressed?
Jammin’ – Unanimously
Not Impressed – 0%
Regular – 0%
Classic! – 0%
