Ghetto Classics
by Jaheim
Metascore
67

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. AllMusic
    80
    Overall very little distracts from the qualities that have made him the most durable talent in commercial yet traditional R&B music.
  2. Vibe
    80
    Even when his words don't move you, Jaheim's gorgeous voice is a rare gift that anyone--male, or female, teenaged or middle aged--can appreciate when they hear it. [Mar 2006, p.185]
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  3. E! Online
    75
    Thanks to soulful orchestral swells, the songs have lush contours, which soften the singer's macho stance.
  5. Billboard
    70
    The gem of this old school-flavored set is its low-key grooves that rely on thought-out storylines and not just sweet-talking jargon. [18 Feb 2006]
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  6. Rolling Stone
    70
    With a croon that practically invites panties to rain down onstage plus a taste for street-wise beats that any half-sensitive thug can appreciate, New Jersey native Jaheim Hoagland is pushing hip-hop soul toward perfection.
  7. Village Voice
    70
    His most musically ornate and stylistically conservative [album] to date, almost bold in its timidity.
  8. Blender
    70
    They're old-fashioned ballads, all very tasteful, but few hooks poke through the froth. [Jun 2006, p.139]
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  9. Stylus Magazine
    67
    It's a smooth, cohesive ride that never lapses into boredom.
  10. The Guardian
    60
    An uncanny Luther Vandross soundalike, Jaheim is at his best when cooing about "being on the couch with the woman I adore".
  11. Prefix Magazine
    60
    A thoroughly enjoyable and well-crafted album of mid-tempo soul.
  12. Uncut
    60
    A warm, subtle set of midtempo cruisers. [May 2006, p.114]
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  13. PopMatters
    50
    While Ja is unquestionably a gifted vocalist, he won’t be in the league of the Luthers and the Teddys (or even the Anthony Hamiltons and Maxwells) until his lyrics overcome cliché in the name of “ghetto realness”.
  14. Entertainment Weekly
    42
    By the time the saccharine last track rolls around, you feel like you've heard that same unremarkable melody, midtempo shuffle, and 1970s soul-sampling style on repeat for nearly an hour. [17 Feb 2006, p.76]
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User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 6 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 6
  3. Negative: 1 out of 6
  1. audiosonique
    May 12, 2013
    8
    Jaheim's third offering is a breathy, almost softly-spoken-rather-than-sung album. When he does push his vocals, it rules every track, almostJaheim's third offering is a breathy, almost softly-spoken-rather-than-sung album. When he does push his vocals, it rules every track, almost to the point of dominating the mid-tempo production and 70's influenced hip-hop soul. What Jaheim does, which tends to divide opinion, is take his vocal quality and wrap them around lyrics that are far less subtle than his voice lets on. However, this quality of being abe to draw the listener in, show inner conflict in some way, gives him a unique niche, somewhere between thug and lady killer. Obviously this is highlighted on the song "I Ain't Never", as well as the single "Everytime I Think About Her, featuring Jadakiss, who, seems equally at home with a languid rhyme which beguiles the subject matter of a conflicted man over a woman. The whole album, musically, just works, without too much effort, which makes it a very good listen.… Full Review »
  2. shydevil
    May 16, 2006
    10
    this is amazing..those u are open minded about their music..would love this..i say, because i have recently have had love for all genre of music :o)
  3. JimmyP
    Apr 5, 2006
    9
    I really like the album, Jaheim has a good voice as always, and the production is better than ever, the only thing stopping me from giving I really like the album, Jaheim has a good voice as always, and the production is better than ever, the only thing stopping me from giving this a ten is that he sorts of retraces his old footsteps from his previous two albums...but still a cut above from the rest of the R and B charts.… Full Review »
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