Come 2 My House
Encyclopedia
Come 2 My House is the ninth studio album by American R&B
/funk singer Chaka Khan
released on the NPG Records
label in 1998.
Come 2 My House was Khan's first full-length album since 1992's The Woman I Am, due to the Warner Bros. Records
label postponing and eventually cancelling the release of her tenth album Dare You to Love Me (1995).
" - neither of which charted. The album however made a brief appearance on Billboard
s R&B Albums chart, peaking at #49.
After first covering Prince
's 1979 ballad "I Feel for You
" on her 1984 album of the same name
and turning it into a sample-heavy hip-hop anthem and a million-selling hit single, then recording his "Sticky Wicked" (produced by Prince himself) and "Eternity" on her 1988 album CK, followed by the recording of the track "Pain" with Prince for the Dare You to Love Me album in 1995 and earlier in 1998 appearing with both Prince and legendary bassist and composer Larry Graham
(Sly & The Family Stone
, Graham Central Station
) to promote each of their CD's on the independent NPG
label, Khan and Prince finally teamed up for their first full-length project together; Come 2 My House.
While Prince
co-produced all tracks but one and also helped write five of the songs, even two of them solo, the set was very much a team effort. As Khan pointed out in the liner notes, Come 2 My House was a different album for her because it was the first time that she was not only the producer but had also composed or co-written the majority of the songs on one of her albums. During most of her career she had with a few exceptions on select albums recorded either songs written especially for her or cover versions. On Come 2 My House no less than ten out of thirteen tracks were new compositions penned by herself, either with Prince or Larry Graham
, other longtime collaborators like vocalists Mark Stevens and Sandra St. Victor
, Robert D. Palmer, Howard McCrary
or The New Power Generation member Kirk Johnson. Two of the songs were however cover versions; Prince's "Don't Talk 2 Strangers" from 1996's Girl
soundtrack and Graham Central Station
's classic hit "Hair" from their eponymous 1974 album.
Among the musicians contributing were several members of The New Power Generation, such as vocalist Marva King, keyboardist Kirk Johnson, bassist Rhonda Smith, drummer/percussionist Michael Bland
, the horn section Hornheadz (previously known as the NPG Hornz) as well as Prince's former wife Mayte Garcia. Rapper Queen Latifah
made a special guest appearance on "Pop My Clutch".
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
/funk singer Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career...
released on the NPG Records
NPG Records
NPG Records is the current active record label owned by Prince, founded in 1993 to release his music after Paisley Park Records. Paisley Park was shut down by Warner Bros. Records in 1993. Warner Bros. distributed one NPG release in 1995, The Gold Experience. "NPG" is short for "New Power...
label in 1998.
Come 2 My House was Khan's first full-length album since 1992's The Woman I Am, due to the Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
label postponing and eventually cancelling the release of her tenth album Dare You to Love Me (1995).
Overview
The album included two single releases; "Spoon" and "Don't Talk 2 StrangersDon't Talk 2 Strangers
-Chaka Khan version:Chaka Khan released a cover of "Don't Talk 2 Strangers" which was a hit in 1998. The video featured Khan's mother, daughter Milini, granddaughter Raeven, and nephew Tallon. It was the second hit single from her album Come 2 My House. The song featured on the soundtrack of the...
" - neither of which charted. The album however made a brief appearance on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s R&B Albums chart, peaking at #49.
After first covering Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
's 1979 ballad "I Feel for You
I Feel for You
"I Feel for You" is a song written by Prince that originally appeared on his 1979 self-titled album. It became a hit single in 1984 for female R&B singer Chaka Khan, appearing on her album, which was also called I Feel for You...
" on her 1984 album of the same name
I Feel for You (album)
I Feel for You is the Platinum certified fifth solo album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on the Warner Bros. Records label in 1984.-Overview:...
and turning it into a sample-heavy hip-hop anthem and a million-selling hit single, then recording his "Sticky Wicked" (produced by Prince himself) and "Eternity" on her 1988 album CK, followed by the recording of the track "Pain" with Prince for the Dare You to Love Me album in 1995 and earlier in 1998 appearing with both Prince and legendary bassist and composer Larry Graham
Larry Graham
Larry Graham, Jr. is an African American bass guitar player, both with the popular and influential psychedelic soul/funk band Sly & the Family Stone, and as the founder and frontman of Graham Central Station...
(Sly & The Family Stone
Sly & the Family Stone
Sly and the Family Stone were an American rock, funk, and soul band from San Francisco, California. Active from 1966 to 1983, the band was pivotal in the development of soul, funk, and psychedelic music...
, Graham Central Station
Graham Central Station
Graham Central Station is a funk band named after founder Larry Graham . The name is a pun on New York City's Grand Central Terminal, often incorrectly called Grand Central Station....
) to promote each of their CD's on the independent NPG
NPG Records
NPG Records is the current active record label owned by Prince, founded in 1993 to release his music after Paisley Park Records. Paisley Park was shut down by Warner Bros. Records in 1993. Warner Bros. distributed one NPG release in 1995, The Gold Experience. "NPG" is short for "New Power...
label, Khan and Prince finally teamed up for their first full-length project together; Come 2 My House.
While Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
co-produced all tracks but one and also helped write five of the songs, even two of them solo, the set was very much a team effort. As Khan pointed out in the liner notes, Come 2 My House was a different album for her because it was the first time that she was not only the producer but had also composed or co-written the majority of the songs on one of her albums. During most of her career she had with a few exceptions on select albums recorded either songs written especially for her or cover versions. On Come 2 My House no less than ten out of thirteen tracks were new compositions penned by herself, either with Prince or Larry Graham
Larry Graham
Larry Graham, Jr. is an African American bass guitar player, both with the popular and influential psychedelic soul/funk band Sly & the Family Stone, and as the founder and frontman of Graham Central Station...
, other longtime collaborators like vocalists Mark Stevens and Sandra St. Victor
Sandra St. Victor
Sandra St. Victor is a Dallas born singer songwriter most known for her work as lead singer of The Family Stand. She attended the now famous Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, High School studying all styles of music. Arts Magnet was also stomping grounds for...
, Robert D. Palmer, Howard McCrary
Howard McCrary
Howard McCrary is an African-American musician, entertainer, and actor. He was nominated for Grammy award in 1986 for a gospel record.Credited for vocal performances and arrangements on the music albums of Chaka Khan, Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Earth, Wind & Fire and many others...
or The New Power Generation member Kirk Johnson. Two of the songs were however cover versions; Prince's "Don't Talk 2 Strangers" from 1996's Girl
Girl 6 (album)
Girl 6 is a soundtrack album by Prince, released on March 19, 1996. The album is the soundtrack of the Spike Lee film of the same name. Girl 6 consists of mostly previously released songs from Prince and related artists such as The Family, Vanity 6, and The New Power Generation...
soundtrack and Graham Central Station
Graham Central Station
Graham Central Station is a funk band named after founder Larry Graham . The name is a pun on New York City's Grand Central Terminal, often incorrectly called Grand Central Station....
's classic hit "Hair" from their eponymous 1974 album.
Among the musicians contributing were several members of The New Power Generation, such as vocalist Marva King, keyboardist Kirk Johnson, bassist Rhonda Smith, drummer/percussionist Michael Bland
Michael Bland
Michael Bland is best known as a drummer for Prince starting in 1989. He was with Prince during The New Power Generation era and played with him live and on albums for 7 years....
, the horn section Hornheadz (previously known as the NPG Hornz) as well as Prince's former wife Mayte Garcia. Rapper Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
made a special guest appearance on "Pop My Clutch".
Critical reception
Despite receiving glowing reviews and wide variety - the album's funk, smooth ballads, gospel, hip-hop and bass-heavy beats were combined with Khan's lyrics, which were both seductive,(title track), spiritual, political ("Democrazy"), autobiographical ("This Crazy Life Of Mine"), provocative and humorous (I'll never open my legs again/to a man who's insecure, from "Never B Another Fool") - the Come 2 My House project was met with general indifference by musical audiences and is often regarded as Khan's second lost album.Track listing
- "Come 2 My House" (Khan, McCrary, Palmer) - 4:46
- "Intro" - 0:32
- "This Crazy Life of Mine" (Khan) - 2:33
- "Betcha" (Khan, Stevens) - 4:30
- "Spoon" (Khan, McCrary, Palmer) - 3:50
- "Pop My Clutch" (Johnson, Khan) - 4:47
- "Journey 2 the Center of Your Heart" (PrincePrince (musician)Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
) - 4:16 - "I'll Never B Another Fool" (Khan, Prince, Saint Victor) - 4:13
- "Democrazy" (Khan) - 6:08
- "I Remember U" (Graham, Khan, Prince) - 4:16
- "Reconsider (U Betta)" (Khan, Prince) - 4:23
- "Don't Talk 2 StrangersDon't Talk 2 Strangers-Chaka Khan version:Chaka Khan released a cover of "Don't Talk 2 Strangers" which was a hit in 1998. The video featured Khan's mother, daughter Milini, granddaughter Raeven, and nephew Tallon. It was the second hit single from her album Come 2 My House. The song featured on the soundtrack of the...
" (Prince) - 3:16 - "Hair" (Graham) - 5:45
- "The Drama" (Johnson, Khan) - 6:36
Personnel
- Chaka KhanChaka KhanChaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career...
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Robert D. Palmer - vocals
- Kirk Johnson - vocals
- Queen LatifahQueen LatifahDana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
- rap vocals - PrincePrince (musician)Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, background vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Mike Scott - acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
- Kathy Jensen - saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
- Walter Chancellor, Jr. - saxophone
- The Hornheadz - hornsHorn sectionIn music, a horn section can refer to several groups of musicians. It can refer to the musicians in a symphony orchestra who play the horn . In a British-style brass band it refers to the tenor horn players. In popular music, it can also refer to a small group of wind instrumentalists who augment a...
- David (Dave) Jensen - trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Ricky Peterson - keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- Larry GrahamLarry GrahamLarry Graham, Jr. is an African American bass guitar player, both with the popular and influential psychedelic soul/funk band Sly & the Family Stone, and as the founder and frontman of Graham Central Station...
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, background vocals - Rhonda Smith - bass
- Michael BlandMichael BlandMichael Bland is best known as a drummer for Prince starting in 1989. He was with Prince during The New Power Generation era and played with him live and on albums for 7 years....
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Mayte Garcia - finger cymbals
- Brother Jules - scratches
- Chanté MooreChanté MooreChanté Moore is an American R&B and jazz singer.-Biography:Born to a gospel minister, she grew up singing in the church and was heavily influenced by the music of George Duke and Lee Ritenour. While in high school, she decided to make a career of singing...
- background vocals
Production
- Chaka KhanChaka KhanChaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career...
- record producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
tracks 1-14 - PrincePrince (musician)Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
- producer tracks: 1-4, 6-14 - Howard McCraryHoward McCraryHoward McCrary is an African-American musician, entertainer, and actor. He was nominated for Grammy award in 1986 for a gospel record.Credited for vocal performances and arrangements on the music albums of Chaka Khan, Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Earth, Wind & Fire and many others...
- producer track: 5 - Robert D. Palmer - producer track: 5
- Ricky Peterson - additional production track: 3, 9, 11