Its safe to say that R & B reached its unadulterated peak in the 1990s. From its humble beginnings as a purely African American affair in the 1940s till it finally succumbed (like so many genres did) by the early 2000s
Unlike today where they are rarely notable, movie soundtracks were just as if not more popular in the 90s as the movies themselves and in 1994 the movie Jason's Lyric was released and while it wasn't much of a commercial success despite Jada Pinkett and Treach (from Naughty By Nature) the music from the film was great, the most brilliant was the anthem by Black Men United, a collaboration of the best R & B crooners of the day and probably the best we will ever see again.
The song is now twenty years old and is a time capsule of 1990s black music. It is a reminder of how far creativity has fallen from the days when you had guys with real talent and powerful voices singing their hearts out without studio enhancing tools like voice filters and vocoders that produced questionable acts like T.Pain and Nicki Minaj. Back in the 90s you were either a great singer or you were not and could never become a star.
'You will know' was written and composed by D'Angelo and produced by Brian McKnight. These two men were the creative henchmen behind Black Men United that included Boyz II Men, Tevin Campbell, Christopher Williams, R Kelly, Keith Sweat, Gerald Levert, Silk, H Town, Aaron & Damion Hall, Portrait, Mint Condition, D'Angelo, Brian McKnight, Usher, Lenny Kravitz, Lil Joe, Al B Sure and Tony Toni Tone among others (the biggest acts at their peak all in one song!)
An inspirational 'coming of age' song for the underdog black youth. A classic if there ever was one. You will know...
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