The Best R&B Album Interludes Since 2001
Our ode to the best R&B interludes of the past 15 years.
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The Best 15 of the Past 15 - It was a '90s thing — popping in a cassette and listening to a whole album through until the end. Plus a good concept album had interludes that you would actually sit through and never fast forward for any reason. Don’t forget the legendary "Sexy (Interlude)" on TLC’s CrazySexyCool. The use of the R&B album interlude began to taper off when 2001 rolled in, but that didn’t mean that the past 15 years didn’t have its fair share of memorable interludes. Here are the best of the best. – Jon Reyes (Photos from Top Left: Motown, J Records, Def Jam Recordings, Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records, Hidden Beach Recordings, GOOD Music/Sony/Columbia, MCA Records, Arista Records)
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Jill Scott, 'Nothing' - Beautifully Human: Vol. 2 might stand as Jilly from Philly’s best album. The album eases from one track to another and by the time “Nothing” comes on you don’t realize it’s an interlude until it fades out with Jill singing: “Nothing is more beautiful than loving you, holding you, being next to you." (Photo: Charles Norfleet/Getty Images)
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Alicia Keys, 'You Don’t Know My Name (Interlude)' - This isn’t really an album interlude, but it is a track interlude. When Alicia cuts into the song for a demonstration of courage to call Michael, the guy she’s been pining over for three minutes, you find yourself sitting through the whole thing. Plus, who out there hasn’t memorized this whole monologue? “Hello, can I speak to – to Michael?” (Photo: Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
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Usher, 'Confessions' - As the Just Blaze-produced “Throwback” cuts out, you get the whole point of Usher’s 2004 album, Confessions. The interlude consists of a theatrical phone conversation between Usher and a friend that breaks the news that the girl he’s been sneaking around with is preggo. It's where the real drama on the album starts. Classic. (Photo: Moses Robinson/Getty Images for Neighborhood Awards)
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John Legend, 'Let’s Get Lifted Again' - This interlude serves as an introduction to the last leg of John's debut, Get Lifted, which contains songs like “So High” and “Refuge (When It’s Cold Outside).” With John’s falsetto in full swing, the interlude is cradled perfectly where it belongs. (Photo: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS)
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Frank Ocean, 'Fertilizer' - This 40-second sunny-pop interlude serves as a prelude to “Sierra Leone”: a song that revolves around young parenting. For those that wish this were a longer track, you’re in luck. It’s actually a remake of a song by James Fauntleroy, the producer and songwriter on Frank’s Channel Orange album. (Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images)
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Alicia Keys, 'Never Felt This Way' - This interlude is the perfect precursor to “Butterflyz” on Alicia Keys's debut, Songs in A Minor. For starters, it’s a remake of a track on Brian McKnight’s debut album – giving us a glimpse into Alicia’s goals at the time and the kind of artist and songwriter she wanted to be. The only other cover on her debut album is Prince’s “How Come You Don’t Call Me.” Yet another interlude we wish were longer. (Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
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India.Arie, 'Interlude' - Acoustic Soul is one of those albums that got considerable shine at the time of its release and managed to be forgotten over the years. India’s album received a whopping eight Grammy nominations, which she won none of. This interlude was a sweet tribute to all the artists that influenced her over the years. India's rhythmic enunciation is easy to memorize and never have to skip through. (Photo: Matt Roberts/Getty Images)
Photo By Photo: Raymond Boyd/Getty Images/ Raymond Boyd/Getty Images
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Solange, 'Looks Good With Trouble' - This ode to the bad boy was just too good to leave in the as a one-minute-thirty-second duration. This interlude — off Solange’s True EP — got a massive and well-deserved remix that featured Kendrick Lamar. Thank the heavens! (Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Coachella)
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Bilal, ‘C’mere’ - A bare essentials interlude that includes some of the best from Bilal’s bag of tricks: falsetto notes with a side of speaking voice. It’s perfectly placed at the heart of the 1st Born Second album right before the deliberate groove of “Soul Sista” kicks in. (Photo: Leon Bennett/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Beyoncé, ‘Yoncé’ - This short interlude on the self-titled Beyoncé served as the prelude to “Partition,” but got its own treatment in the visual album. The video — inspired by George Michael’s “Freedom 90” — starred supermodels Chanel Iman, Jourdan Dunn and Joan Smalls and it’s become a modern classic. With a line like “Yoncé all on his mouth like liquor,” how could it not? (Photo: Larry Busacca/PW/WireImage for Parkwood Entertainment)
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Angie Stone, ‘Makings of You' - With just a guitar and soft keys, Angie remakes a cut off Curtis Mayfield’s debut album for her own Mahogany Soul, preluding the last leg of this classic neo-soul album.(Photo: C Brandon/Redferns)
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Beyoncé, 'Forward' - Sure, Lemonade was just released, but it isn’t too soon to call this one of the best interludes of the past 15 years. For starters, it’s a collaboration you didn’t even know you wanted: Beyoncé and James Blake. As “Forward” kicks off, you get full-fledged James Blake vocals that remain at the forefront with Beyoncé backing right towards the end. It’s a perfect precursor to the Just Blaze produced “Freedom.” (Photo: Christopher Polk/MTV1415/Getty Images for MTV)
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Bryson Tiller, ‘Open’ - The best things about the interludes today are that, in essence, they serve as short versions of songs and are less conceptual than they were in the '90s. Bryson serves a quick one here as the romantic portion of his platinum selling debut T R A P S O U L kicks off. (Photo: Frank Hoensch/Redferns via Getty Images)
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Erykah Badu, ‘You Loving Me (Session)’ - For New Amerykah, Pt. 2: Return of the Ankh, Erykah was in top form for this interlude. Essentially “You Loving Me (Session)” is a jam session that made it to the album where Erykah is singing about milking a man for all he’s worth — including hooking up with his friends. Plus, any recording that includes Erykah's laughter is a topper. If only this were longer! (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)