Music: Drake Take Care Album Cover

Next month, Drake is set to release his sophomore set Take Care. We’ve already heard “Marvin’s Room,” “Headlines,” and “Club Paradise,” to name a few, and expectations are high for an album that most people hope is more So Far Gone than Thank Me Later. (Just for the record, I really liked Thank Me Later.)

Throwback: Blackstreet featuring Jay-Z – “Call Me”

Jay-Z and Blackstreet worked together quite a bit in 1997. Teddy Riley’s R&B supergroup provided guest vocals on Jigga’s “The City is Mine” from his sophomore album In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, and Jay returned the favor with this guest verse on the remix to Blackstreet’s “Call Me.”

Throwback: SWV feat. Jay-Z, The Lost Boyz, Smoothe da Hustler, Trigger tha Gambler & Busta Rhymes – “You’re The One (Remix)”

I’m sure y’all remember this one. “You’re The One” was the first single from SWV‘s sophomore album New Beginning, and it was a smash. Of course, having a hit record in the mid-90s meant you had to have a hot remix  (or three) to go along with it. While there were numerous remixes, the one DJ Clark Kent produced solely featured Jay-Z.

There was also a huge mega remix in which Jigga’s verse was followed by additional raps from Mr. Cheeks of The Lost Boyz, Smoothe da Hustler and Trigger tha Gambler (remember them?), and Busta Rhymes. That’s what’s posted above. #womp

Throwback: Changing Faces featuring Jay-Z – “All Of My Days”

I may be mistaken, but this joint from girl duo Changing Faces was probably the first R. Kelly production Jay-Z ever spit on. Changing Faces had a few classic songs in my opinion (“Stroke You Up” and “G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T.” immediately come to mind) but this is one track that never seems to come up when discussing them.

Such a shame, too. It’s such a smooth groove.

Throwback: Horace Brown featuring Jay-Z – “Things We Do For Love”

Here’s another banger from 1996, the remix of Horace Brown’s “Things We Do For Love” featuring, yep, that’s right, Jay-Z. It seems most people forgot about Horace Brown or thought his only jam was “One For The Money,” but my man had quite a few joints that were low-key bumpin’, this being one of them.

Throwback: Shai x Jay-Z – “I Don’t Wanna Be Alone (Remix)”

The other day, I was listening to a 90s mix and it dawned on me that a lot of artists collaborated for some truly all-star remixes. Then, this song came on—Shai’s remix to their 1996 single “I Don’t Wanna Be Alone” featuring Jay-Z—and I got to thinking about how many R&B remixes Jigga guested on before he really blew up in the mainstream’s eyes. In my opinion, these sort of collabos helped him rise to prominence in the urban music scene.

So I’ve decided that this week, all the throwback joints will be Jigga-assisted R&B remixes.

Throwback: The Three Degrees – “When Will I See You Again”

Yes, it’s Bill’s favorite soul song from the 70s. “When Will I See You Again” by The Three Degrees is one of the greatest songs to come from Gamble & Huff. It was a huge worldwide smash, and the reason the trio became known as Prince Charles’ favorite group.