(October 3, 2020) It doesn't take but a few moments on your social media feed or a glance at your TV screen to understand what turbulent, tension-fueled times that we live in: High unemployment rates, an election year and yes, that little thing called Covid-19 blanketing us all. But once upon a time, back in the day, fun was more of a priority than an option. That's the era that Mr. Dalvin is reminiscing about and wants to recreate in the midtempo party joint, "Goodtimez."
(October 3, 2020) It doesn't take but a few moments on your social media feed or a glance at your TV screen to understand what turbulent, tension-fueled times that we live in: High unemployment rates, an election year and yes, that little thing called Covid-19 blanketing us all. But once upon a time, back in the day, fun was more of a priority than an option. That's the era that Mr. Dalvin is reminiscing about and wants to recreate in the midtempo party joint, "Goodtimez."
Those who consider themselves 90s music aficionados already know Mr. Dalvin as one-fourth of the award-winning multi-platinum quartet Jodeci: his skills behind the boards fueled their debut album, Forever My Lady, leading to millions in sales, and his affinity for talent helped to bring rapper and producer Missy Eilliot to the foreground, as well as the emergence of hitmaker Stevie J. That's why "Goodtimez" is an immediately-catchy earworm, incorporating snippets of classic Chic and Rakim, spread across an early J5-era MJ hit, "I Wanna Be Where You Are."
Iin a cadence that's half-sung and half-spoken, Mr. Dalvin takes you back in the day to cookouts, roller skating rinks, friends that were family and nights of ease instead of angst -- "Bring back the days of barbecues and family reunions, the sun is shining, wedding bells in the month of June and/house parties with no violence, no cops to silence." Tali (from Topic of Discussions) injects a sweet cameo about the innocence of you and that crush on the dance floor, as Mr. Dalvin keeps dropping that mission statement throughout: easy-breezy please, ixnay on the ama-dray.
Is there a Jodeci reunion on-deck, along with the bio-pic allegedly in the works? Time will tell, but while we wait, why not crank up "Goodtimez" (from Mr. Dalvin's K.A.M.P. Muzik imprint) when we're moving through our day, reminding us of what we grew up with...and want to recreate as soon as possible?
By Melody Charles
Mr. Dalvin feat. Tali - "Goodtimez"