FRESH KEPT SECRET: Jesse Boykins III

Kenny Fresh — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 08:22:15 +0000

Jesse Boykins III is a young, talented singer/songwriter who grew up in Jamaica and Miami and had always been involved in music – leading up to him eventually getting recruited by the prestigious New School University in Manhattan (whose alumni include recent innovators Bilal, Tiombe Lockhart, and Robert Glasper). While attending the New School, Jesse has been making the most of his time in NY by not only establishing his presence as a solo act, but also collaborating with fellow Brooklynites like the Def Jux-signed live funk band, Chin Chin, one of their offshoots, Big Mono, co-producer & singer, J. Most, and members of Tiombe’s Army Of Love (namely, bassist Earl Travis and drummer Jamire Williams).

But all side projects and collaborations aside, Jesse has been making some serious noise on his own with the self-released EP Dopamine: My Life On My Back, and its lead single, “Tabloids” blowing up both on YouTube and BET Jazz – and rightfully so. With his pop-friendly sense of melody, dynamic voice range, and keen songwriting sense – all laced with a post-Soulquarians tyled production sense, JBIII manages to bridge the gap between underground soul and radio R&B. And all of that was on just on an 8-song EP.

Following up to the short-but-sweet Dopamine EP this fall, will be the full-length debut, The Beauty Created, dropping November 11th. With only a few tracks leaked so far, this album is already shaping up to be a winning close to an already great year for soul albums (Coultrain, The Foreign Exchange, Badu… need I go on?).

But before the album drops next month, JBIII is dropping the deluxe single, “Pantyhose” – a concise bedroom bumper, which he co-produced with band member Marion Ross III. While “Pantyhose” may be one of Jesse’s more overt and blunt songs to date, he manages to keep it more in the arena of the more soulful, Marvin Gaye-styled sex romps, without going near the over-the-top, Sisqo-esque side of things. And most importantly, this song still serves its purpose of being the perfect mood music for when it’s about that time. Also included on the EP are “SunStar” (co-produced with guitarist Steve Wyreman) and “Chanel” (produced by the homie Hadyn for Phantom Luvr Productions – check out his page for JBIII’s “Loopy” & more) – plus the dance remix of the Dopamine, “Tabloids,” by Brooklyn DJ, MeLo-X.

So below is a free download of “Pantyhose” & the “Tabloids” remix, plus feel streams of all 4 tracks from Jesse’s imeem page. And as a bonus after the jump is the video for the original, album version of “Tabloids.” Apologies for the lateness – I’ve been meaning to make this post all week, but respect due to both Trees For Breakfast and MOOVMNT for beating me to the punch.

Jesse Boykins III Pantyhose(Deluxe Singles)

Fresh Selects » MeLo-X

FRESH KEPT SECRET: Jesse Boykins III

DOWNLOAD: Jesse Boykins III “Pantyhose”

BONUS DOWNLOAD: Jesse Boykins III “Tabloids (MeLo-X Dance Mix)”

AFTER THE JUMP: Jesse Boykins III “Tabloids” video directed by Dr.WOO + AD4.