Old Soul

Baby Jaymes is the new sound of the Bay

By Meathooks

Over the phone, Baby Jaymes comes off laid-back and mellow as we discuss the inner workings of his forthcoming Ghetto Retro LP. A slight contrast from the small figured, but dominating powerhouse that emanates from both his record and live performances. With his new single, “Nice Girl” featuring Bay Area’s mix tape king Balance (his own record due out later this year) getting radio attention, labels will surely come a knocking, but Jaymes admits “it wasn’t until I took control for myself that things started happening”. That’s not to say that he wouldn’t mind easing the burden of being artist, manager, and promoter, but that’s exactly what’s gotten him so far.

Musically, though, help does come in the form of the Ret Network, a collective consisting of himself, Uglyfingers and Bryanadelic that are responsible for the old soul vibe that can be heard throughout the record. Reminiscent of Oakland’s funk heyday, where on any given night you could hear local legends Johnny Talbot duet with Sugar Pie or Marvin Holmes laying it down at Eli’s Mile High club, the Ret Network manage to capture the essence of Bay Area soul. It’s not surprising to hear then, that Baby Jaymes is an avid record collector whose appreciation stems back to his early childhood. He recalls, “... a family who live down the street [whose] dad had a bunch of old records...” exposing him to the art of vinyl and the potential that music has. Since then, artists such as Prince and George Clinton (who appears on the album) have played a major role in dictating Baby Jaymes’ path. His stature and sense of style can be compared to that of The Artist and his music’s unforgiving funkiness hints to years of listening to Parliament.

Although, when it came down to it, it was George Clinton who inquired about working together. After listening to songs from Ghetto Retro, George asked if he could be on a track and, although somewhat modest, Jaymes immediately recognized the significance of such a request. “It was an honor,” he says, “coming from a funk vibe on the record, he adds a lot”. Eventually, they decided on “Miss Taboo” and Baby Jaymes got to see, first hand, George Clinton do his thing: “ I can relate to him and how he creates, his free flow…[although] he’s able to do it in front of people and I’m more private”. This may be true and Baby Jaymes may do his thing in private, but he lets it all hang out on the record. Nothing is sacred and the songs are littered with honest confessions and observations, such as race, which comes into play throughout the album. At one point he apologizes to Minister Farrakhan for having a thing for a white girl, but he also shows how women are universally beautiful. He talks about women’s relationship habits on “Black Girl/ White Girl” which is one of the catchiest hooks you’ll hear in a minute:

You just a black girl, who grew up without your daddy/ Your relationships, they be shady/ But I forgive you when you try to play me/ just like the white girl, who grew up without her father/ Her relationships, they be harder/ But I know I can take you farther

The hook manages to both, embrace these behaviors, as well as comment on the social situations that have led to them. “Black Girl/White Girl” is a refreshing take on a subject that usually comes off as too fluffy or lacking in compassion. This may be what makes Baby Jaymes stand out above the usual R&B acts. He makes it apparent that he would rather be musically ambiguous than pigeonholed into a nicely fitted category. “I think it’s very limited, the idea of what an R&B artist is… just by being a black artist, automatically if you say you sing [the industry] says you’re R&B… when I walk into a room… I either gotta be a singer or a rapper”. It’s this mentality that Baby Jaymes is trying to avoid and he starts by critically looking at his contemporary counterparts. In regards to the all-but-abandoned Neo Soul movement, Jaymes points out that few artists are actually able to balance conscience awareness with feel-good music. Even when this is achieved, the industry steps in and wants to fit you into a nicely labeled box, which in turn, dilutes any differentiating qualities that an artist might have possessed. In other words, it’s these labels that inhibit the music from transcending as well as cheat potential listeners out of good music. Realizing this, Jaymes is grateful for the freedom that comes with being an independent artist. No one can tell him what hook to sing or song to write thereby, allowing himself the chance to create music that can actually transcend genres. He points out that it doesn’t have to be R&B to be considered soul music; it just has to have soul. All and all, Jaymes isn’t too preoccupied with the negativity that the music industry has to offer. He knows what he’s capable of and is undeterred by any struggles he may encounter. In the end, the music speaks for itself and he’s confident that his voice will be heard.