If Boyz II Men are portrayed as a clean-cut, wholesome R&B vocal group, then Jodeci's wild, sexual, bad-boy image represents the other side of the coin. Made up of two sets of brothers, the group's name is a consolidation of three members' aliases: "JoJo" Hailey, Donald "DeVante Swing" DeGrate, and Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey; the group also includes Dalvin DeGrate. Natives of Charlotte, NC, all four members toured the South as young boys singing gospel music, even recording albums; both families belonged to the Pentecostal church, and the DeGrates' father was a minister. The boys were able to hear each other's gospel songs played on the radio, and eventually were introduced through girlfriends as teenagers. However, when they did meet, K-Ci was with a girl Dalvin had been dating, and a fight nearly broke out. The Hailey brothers and DeVante started hanging out together, partying and talking about making R&B records together, coming up with the name Jodeci at this time.
At age 16, DeVante ran away to Minneapolis to get a job in Prince's organization, but was refused. He returned to Charlotte, where he wrote a song and recorded JoJo singing it. The two planned on going to New York to shop the demo around by themselves, but both K-Ci and Dalvin decided to tag along at the last minute. By the time they got to New York, they had demo recordings of 29 songs, which they brought to the offices of Uptown Entertainment. They were almost rejected, but rapper Heavy D overheard the tape and talked Uptown president Andre Harrell into hearing the group. Harrell was impressed, and just like that, Jodeci signed a recording contract. In 1991, they recorded Forever My Lady, which featured the gold single "Come and Talk to Me" and went on to sell over three million copies. A minor feud resulted over the band's follow-up album, Diary of a Mad Band; Jodeci, unhappy with their treatment by Uptown, flirted with the idea of leaving for Dr. Dre's Death Row Records, which resulted in almost zero promotion for their new album. It didn't matter much, as Diary went platinum. The group's troubles got worse in 1993; DeVante and K-Ci were involved in an incident with a woman K-Ci met at a club and brought back to DeVante's apartment. The woman filed charges against the two, saying that K-Ci had threatened her and fondled her breast, while DeVante pointed a gun at her. Both pleaded guilty, but that wasn't all; shortly afterwards, DeVante's house was robbed of over 160,000 dollars in jewelry and clothes as the singer was held with guns in his mouth and at the back of his head.
Jodeci's third album, The Show, the After Party, the Hotel, was released in the summer of 1995. DeVante also was afforded the opportunity to work with Al Green, one of his idols, writing and producing the song "Could This Be the Love." ~ Steve Huey, Rovi
Jodeci Albums:
* 1991: Forever My Lady #18 US (3x platinum)
* 1993: Diary of a Mad Band #3 US (2x platinum)
* 1995: The Show, The After Party, The Hotel #2 US (platinum)
* 2005: Back to The Future: The Very Best of Jodeci (300,000)
Jodeci Singles:
* 1991: "Gotta Love"
* 1991: "Stay" (US #41, R&B #1)
* 1991: "Forever My Lady" (US #25, R&B #1)
* 1991: "Come and Talk to Me" (US #11, R&B #1)
* 1993: "Cry For You" (US #15, R&B #1)
* 1993: "Feenin'" (US #25, R&B #2)
* 1993: "Lately" (US #4, R&B #1)
* 1993: "Let's Go Through the Motions" (US #65)
* 1994: "What About Us" (R&B #14)
* 1995: "Freek'n You" (US #14, R&B #3)
* 1995: "Love U 4 Life"
* 1996: "Get on Up" (US #22, R&B #4)
Jodeci Side-Projects:
(K-Ci & JoJo)
* 1997: Love Always
* 1999: It's Real
* 2000: X
* 2002: Emotional
* 2005: All My Life "Their Greatest Hits"
(Dalvin Degrate)
* 2000: Met.A.Mor.Phic
(K-Ci Solo)
* 2006: My Book
P.I.B. 4Play
Jodeci Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
this shit is tight
sorry, sorry
wait a minute, wait a minute baby
that's my song, turn that shit up
"I be gettin' freaky baby won't come and see me...
I be goin' solo baby, won't you come and see me
.....
having sex in background
The lyrics to Jodeci's song P.I.B. 4Play seem to be quite straightforward in their meaning. The opening line "ah baby let me change the station, this shit is tight" indicates that the singer is not satisfied with the current music playing and wants to listen to something else. However, when they hear their own song playing, they change their mind and ask for it to be turned up. The lyrics that follow are sexual in nature and suggest that the singer is engaging in solo sexual activity but would like their partner to join them. The repetition of the line "I be getting freaky baby won't come and see me" emphasizes the singer's desire for the company of their lover. The final lines of the song feature audible sex noises in the background.
Overall, the song's lyrics are quite explicit in their sexual nature and detail the singer's desires and sexual activities. It is clear that the song is meant to be sensual and provocative, and the use of suggestive language and sounds only serve to reinforce this.
Line by Line Meaning
ah baby let me change the station
I would like to switch to a different music channel.
this shit is tight
I don't like this particular music.
sorry, sorry
Apologies for my language or behavior.
wait a minute, wait a minute baby
Please pause for a moment and pay attention to me.
that's my song, turn that shit up
I really like this song and want to hear it louder.
I be gettin' freaky baby won't come and see me...
I am feeling sexually adventurous and would like you to come visit me.
I be goin' solo baby, won't you come and see me
I am engaging in solo sexual activity and would like you to join me.
I be gettin' freaky baby won't come and fuck me
I am in the mood for sexual intercourse and want you to come have sex with me.
...
There is a background sound of sexual activity happening during the song.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DONALD DEGRATE, DONALD EARLE DE GRATE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind