Tag: Demetria McKinney

3 Remarkable Remakes

1. You Give Good Love (Whitney Houston & Demetria McKinney)

Who would dare come for THE legendary Whitney Houston’s vocals? With such audacity, one must come correct or not come at all.

At the age of 21, Whitney released “You Give Good Love” on February 22, 1985, as a single from her self-titled debut album. Written by La Forrest “La La” Cope and produced by the late singer/producer, Kashif, “You Give Good Love” garnered Houston an AMA win and two Grammy nominations and went on to become a pop and R&B classic.

With that said, it takes a brave soul to attempt to revamp such a timeless classic that was originally belted out by one of the most amazing vocalists of all time.

I can confidently say that the multi-talented Ms. Demetria McKinney has come correct.

We may know Demetria McKinney as the stunning actress who has graced our television screens in various series including Tyler Perry’s House of Payne and the Bounce TV drama Saints & Sinners. She also portrayed Whitney Houston herself in the Bobbi Kristina television film on TVOne. However, respect is due in her talent as a vocalist as well. Around the time the Bobbi Kristina movie aired, Demetria released her album, Officially Yours, in October 2017 which included the “You Give Good Love” remake.  

Sometimes remakes are cringy and aggravating, making you even question your love for the original song. This is not one of those instances.

In her rendition, Demetria kept it close to the original script with a little bit of a modern twist. Her vocals were on point and the vibe will definitely cause you to close your eyes as you sway your head back & forth with a finger snap. Demetria’s version somehow manages to induce the same nostalgia as the original, which is a clear sign that this was a job well done.

2. Prototype (Andre3000 & Kevin Ross)

“Prototype” is a single that originated from rap royalty Andre 3000 on the double album for the iconic rap duo OutKast. The song was the melodic creative expression of Andre 3000 and was released along with Big Boi’s “Ghetto Musick” from their 2003 double album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.

Obviously a rapper but lending us his palatable vocals, Andre 3000 gave us a new anthem. If bae doesn’t make you feel like you’ve found your “prototype”, they are not the one. With its funky yet chill vibe, we are walked through the love experience of finding the one who resuscitates our heart and inspires hope. An ode of gratitude for the one capable of rekindling the flame of love in our life and bringing us “back to this world”.

Singer/song-writer Kevin Ross gave the song a true R&B vibe with a minimalistic musical tone and smooth lyrical delivery. Kevin’s voice is perfect and the emotion he provides gives the song a new dimension. His rendition appears on his 2017 EP, Drive, released on Motown Records.

3. Stay (Jodeci & June’s Diary)

The 90s was the decade R&B music ascended to a new level of amazing. Groups like Jodeci arrived and thrived on the scene during that time, creating timeless music that became the soundtrack of our lives. “Stay” was the third single released on Jodeci’s debut album, Forever My Lady, in 1991.

An ode to rekindling an old flame, the mellow jam is a staple on everyone’s love song playlist. Jodeci is one of those groups with a distinct sound and flavor that is hard to replicate, which is why remaking their music is a daunting task.

Nevertheless, girl group June’s Diary was up for the challenge. Founded by Kelly Rowland right before our eyes on their reality show, Chasing Destiny, the group is stocked with stellar vocals from five beautiful women.

Putting their own spin the classic song, June’s Diary added a feminine element to the lyrics while keeping it reminiscent of the original. “Stay” was on their debut mixtape, Male Edition, released in June 2017.

3 Actors Whose Vocals Rival Their Thespian Abilities

Rotimi

Image: Instagram

Most prominently known for his role as the club-managing, drug-moving character, Andre, on Starz Network’s show Power, the Nigerian-American actor is also a formidable crooner. He’s a force to be reckoned with on the small screen, as well as the big screen — starring in such movies as Black Nativity and Divergent, but his vocal skills are not to be undercut. With four mixtapes and an EP under his belt, he’s no newcomer to the music scene. If you’re a Power fan, try listening to Rotimi’s “Want More” & “Baecation” from his a debut EP, Jeep Music Vol. 1 (released in August of 2017), and you’ll [almost] forget how much of a prick his character,  Andre, is becoming on the show.  All jokes aside, dude’s got major talent – and sex appeal. Try listening to “Anything Goes” from his Royal Wednesday mixtape while simultaneously scrolling down his Instagram page and you might start to view him in a different light, seriously.

Demetria McKinney

Image: Instagram

Demetria McKinney is widely known for her recovering drug-addict character, Janine, on Tyler Perry’s House of Payne. McKinney appears on the show Saints & Sinners, which airs on Bounce TV as the network’s first original drama, and she has a recurring role on BET’s college drama, The Quad. Demetria takes on the role of the legendary icon, Whitney Houston, in the controversial movie highlighting the life of Houston’s late daughter, Bobbi Kristina, which is set to air on TVOne October 08, 2017 at 7 pm.  She also had a short stint on the popular reality show, The Real Housewives of Atlanta, and released a song titled “Unnecessary Trouble”, featuring castmate and fellow vocalist, Kandi Burruss, in late 2015. The song hits on the topic of staying out of our girlfriends’ relationship problems and it’s actually a banger. She released a few singles prior to her reality TV fame, including “Still Believe In Love”, featuring Musiq Soulchild, and “Work With Me” in which she requests compassion in dealing with her past relationship baggage. We see her beautiful face on our TV screens as someone’s mother or wife, but her music deserves just as much attention. Not only is the writing superb, her vocals are AMAZING. A favorite, “Easy”, which was released in early 2017, in which she proclaims her self-worth over a mellow beat, showcases her top notch vocals. To catch more of this multi-talented queen’s singing ability, try listening to “Is This Love” and you will be left feeling like you just stepped out of the 80s with some Deniece Williams vibes. Her debut album, “Officially Yours”, will drop on October 06, 2017.

Antonique Smith

Image: Instagram

Antonique Smith’s claim to fame was her role as R&B singer Faith Evans, the ex-wife of the late hip-hop artist, Notorious B.I.G., in his biopic, Notorious.  She was previously a Broadway star, with a role in the musical Rent, but Smith exited stage left to focus on film and music. Her striking beauty landed her in music videos for hip-hop artists such as Nas and Rick Ross, but Antonique is far more than an actress with a pretty face. This girl can SANG! Her debut single, “Hold Up Wait A Minute (Woo Woo)”, was up for a Grammy in 2015. Her album, “Love Is Everything”, showcases her vocals and the woman did not come to play. “Higher” is a favorite – serving vocals and lyrics! Hopefully, we’ll hear more music from Antonique in the future.