A vibrant flash of Technicolor illuminates the screen as four women dance in perfect synchronization. The infectious beat of drum machines blends seamlessly with their powerful, soaring vocals, culminating in exhilarating leaps. Stacy Francis, a member of the group Ex Girlfriend, recalls the energetic music video for their hit “You (You’re the One for Me),” saying, “I broke my ankle doing some of this stuff. What we were doing at the time was groundbreaking. There hadn’t been anything like it before we arrived.”
This late ’80s and early ’90s movement, known as new jill swing, was the female counterpart to new jack swing, a genre that revolutionized R&B by merging hip-hop, pop, and R&B elements. While it played a pivotal role in shaping R&B today, many women involved faced significant challenges. “It was an exhilarating journey,” Francis reflects. “But it was also tough and disheartening. There was a lot of exploitation.”
The scene is receiving renewed attention with a new compilation assembled by Bob Stanley of Saint Etienne. “It’s astonishing how separate these two genres used to be,” Stanley notes, referring to the now tightly intertwined worlds of rap and R&B.
Tara Kemp, whose 1991 hit “Piece of My Heart” features on the compilation, explains, “At that time, hip-hop wasn’t yet fully recognized as an art form. Pop radio even requested a version of my song without the rap. Many people still didn’t view hip-hop as music.”
Shireen Crutchfield, leading the group Good Girls, mirrors this sentiment, recalling how the rise of new jack swing was met with skepticism, similar to the initial backlash against rock ‘n’ roll. “Our manager wanted us to steer clear of it because he was much older than us,” she says.
Producer Teddy Riley was instrumental in shifting this perspective. “There was a certain snobbery regarding rap,” Joyce Irby, an experienced artist in the scene, recalls. After releasing her own rap track and joining the R&B group Klymaxx, she recognized how Riley’s music blended hip-hop with traditional R&B, creating a sound that was both respectful and innovative. “His work was executed with such finesse,” she adds.
Riley is often hailed as the godfather of new jack swing, having launched boybands like Guy and Blackstreet and produced hits for artists including Bobby Brown. “Back then, no one was creating authentic, eclectic fusion styles,” he recalled in 1987. “We gave R&B a new lifeline.”
While Riley and other renowned producers like Full Force, L.A. Reid, Jimmy Jam, and Babyface have received accolades for their work, Stanley wanted to highlight the contributions of women during this era. “These groups were often treated as second-class by record labels and producers simply because they were women,” he points out. “Yet, they laid the groundwork for many successful female R&B acts in the late ’90s and early 2000s.”
Irby’s track on the compilation, “She’s Not My Lover,” showcases the influence of big band swing. She collaborated closely with fellow producer Dallas Austin and worked to merge traditional swing elements with contemporary sounds, exemplified by Boyz II Men’s “Motownphilly.”
This innovative style became a massive trend, taking over the music landscape. Even established artists like Boy George and Diana Ross dove into the new jack swing style, with films like *New Jack City* and soundtracks contributing to its popularity. The era even spawned its own signature hairstyle, the hi-top fade, popularized by the duo Kid ‘n Play from *House Party*.
Many of the women featured in Stanley’s compilation entered the industry young, often before they fully understood the implications of the contracts they signed. Crutchfield, who was dancing on *Soul Train*, secured a deal with Motown just before her 18th birthday. Francis was in a Broadway show at 16 and joined Ex Girlfriend by 18. Irby was discovered at 16 by George Clinton while playing bass outside gigs. Yet, while Clinton was supportive, many others faced harsher realities.
“The whole industry can be quite toxic,” Kemp reveals, reflecting on her experience with Giant Records, headed by Irving Azoff. “They didn’t sign me because they believed in my music—he needed a hit.” Despite her debut single, “Hold You Tight,” achieving No. 3 on the charts, Kemp encountered awkward attempts by her label to reshape her image, leading her to walk away. “Their vision for me was absolutely cringeworthy,” she emphasizes.
Crutchfield observes that even with Motown’s rich history with girl groups, the label struggled with the Good Girls. “I don’t think they knew how to market us. We weren’t valued as artists, and we could have accomplished so much more,” she shares, noting the group disbanded in 1993.
Francis expresses a sense of exploitation, saying, “Ex Girlfriend were four young women from the ghetto who were taken advantage of. Many of us signed horrendous contracts, and too often, there wasn’t anyone advocating for us.” Kemp adds that her struggles led to being blacklisted, making it difficult to find new opportunities in the industry.
Despite the challenges many faced, there remains immense pride in the music they created. “These talented women produced phenomenal songs that deserve recognition,” Francis states. “Being part of that new jack swing era is bittersweet but also monumental. Though there’s been a lot of pain, the art we created endures. Ultimately, art always prevails.”
*New Jill Swing: 1988-94* is now available on Ace Records.
