New Jack Swing Reunion

The sound of R&B radio has been defined by super-producers like Timbaland and the Neptunes for so long that it's difficult to remember a time when that wasn't the case. For Teddy Riley (who actually discovered the Neptunes), it's not such a trick: History might well single him out as...

By Mikael Wood

April 27, 2006

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The sound of R&B radio has been defined by super-producers like Timbaland and the Neptunes for so long that it's difficult to remember a time when that wasn't the case. For Teddy Riley (who actually discovered the Neptunes), it's not such a trick: History might well single him out as the guy who ushered in the era of producer-as-star, a shift he instituted in the late '80s with the hip-hop-attuned style he dubbed New Jack Swing. Riley's cultural currency has dwindled, but this reunion tour suggests he's not ready to let go yet. Riley's trio Guy headlines, yet the supporting acts are worth showing up early for: Blackstreet, Riley's post-Guy outfit (and, of course, the act behind the smash "No Diggity"); the underappreciated Tony! Toni! Toné!; and the stalwart girl group SWV (Sistas With Voices, duh).

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