In the mid-90s, romantic Black films experienced a resurgence, and one of my favorites from that period was Chris Cherot’s low budget charmer Hav Plenty. Not only did I feel the song mirror my life to a fuckin’ t, it also had a bangin’ soundtrack thanks to film producer Tracey Edmonds and her then-husband Kenneth. You may know Kenneth by his stage name, Babyface.
Like with Waiting to Exhale the year before, Babyface executive produced the film’s soundtrack, and this track was one of the highlights. Featuring my generation’s favorite white boy crooner, SWV’s lead vocalist, and (of course) Jay-Z, “Keep It Real” was a jaunty, midtempo tune that often stayed on repeat in my stereo’s CD player.
Remember those? Ha!
Keep it real, love. Keep it realer than real …
The Hav Plenty soundtrack was released in 1998.
