Get Lifted
Already a studio session vocalist, keyboardist, and songwriter for high-profile artists (Alicia Keys, Lauryn Hill, Janet Jackson), John Legend, né John Stephens, had worked out a large chunk of the musical puzzle for himself before his studio debut, *Get Lifted*, appeared. Following a brief stint working at a management consulting firm after college, the Ohio native joined Common as one of the very first artists signed to G.O.O.D. Music, the then-fledgling imprint of Kanye West—whose cousin (“Diamonds Are Forever” producer Devo Springsteen) was Legend’s roommate at the University of Pennsylvania. Pulling both hip-hop-centered beats and Legend’s piano to the foreground, *Get Lifted* benefits from strong vocal arrangements (Legend was a former church choir director), reimagined classic soul samples (The Staple Singers’ “Let’s Do It Again” on “Number One,” Sly & The Family Stone’s “Just Like a Baby” on “She Don’t Have to Know”), and a canny mix of guests (Snoop Dogg, West, Hill) that never steals focus from the star. Standout hit “Ordinary People” features him alone at a piano counting the ways partners disappoint each other, but he uncovers new reasons to be hopeful in the end, singing, “This time we’ll take it slow.” The song’s sparse, crooner-esque voice-and-piano arrangement and romantic subject matter presaged \"All of Me,\" the biggest hit of Legend’s career, released nine years later.
Each Sunday, Pitchfork takes an in-depth look at a significant album from the past, and any record not in our archives is eligible. Today, we revisit the 2004 debut from John Legend, one of hip-hop and R&B’s most soulful synergies.
What John Legend brings is an organic musicality that other R&B artists have cast aside in favour of electronic photocopies of soul.
AllMusic provides comprehensive music info including reviews and biographies. Get recommendations for new music to listen to, stream or own.
Legend needs to drive toward an original angle on neo-soul before he truly earns his moniker.