After twenty years in the business, Maxwell is still as relevant as the day he dropped his debut in ’96. His fifth album BlackSUMMERS’Night drops today, and reflecting on his long career reveals a velvety-smooth transition from his early years to adulthood.
Other artists around the same age haven’t been quite so fortunate. While Maxwell’s music has reflected his growth as an individual, artists like Juicy J are embarrassingly giving us the same salacious material as 40 year-old men that they were serving up as young bucks in 1996.
Who has adapted with age, and who is still stuck in the 90s?
Common
Juicy J
Maxwell
1996: 23 years old, drops debut album Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite, becomes every woman’s favourite singer.
2016: 43 years old, releases fifth album BlackSUMMERS’Night, still your girl’s favourite singer.
Maxwell is the don dada of this whole conversation. While R&B singers have come and gone around him since 1996 (Anthony Hamilton, Akon, Lyfe Jennings where ya at?), Maxwell has stayed relevant purely by staying true to himself.
Never one to work with the hottest producer or pursue an ill-fitting rap collab, Maxwell has stuck with the same in-house production team, eschewed guest spots and created five exceptional albums entirely on his own terms.
From the sensual grooves of Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite, Embrya’s afrocentric response to neo-soul, and the uptempo celebration of BlackSUMMERS’Night, the subject matter might vary with every release, but the soul is always there.
Working to the same formulas but updating them slightly as he transitioned from a 23 year-old silk-shirted lothario to a grown man; suited, booted and crooning that classic modern soul that hits you right in the feels.