Raheem DeVaughn, most noted for his sultry breakout hits “You” and “Guess Who Loves You More” recently returned with his third solo album, The Love & War MasterPeace. The double CD, which was released March 2, serves up a half socially conscious and half traditional R&B love songs scheme.
“I always wanted to do an album like this,” DeVaughn says. “The first album I put out, The Love Experience [2005], half of that album was socially conscious but it kind of went over people’s heads a little bit. The message [was] kind of before its time. … But I feel like now I think I might have lucked up. It’s parallel with what’s going on right now [in the U.S.].”
As a prelude to MasterPeace, the Maryland-based soul singer released Art of Noise last summer, a free 19-track mixtape intended to serve as an “emotional stimulus” package. This time around, he’s trying to feed fans emotionally and mentally.
The first single “Bulletproof” featuring rapper Ludacris is representative of the socially conscious side and discusses the lures and dangers of street life. “There are organizations and even regular people who wanna play God,” says DeVaughn of the message behind “Bulletproof.” “And you can’t play God, there’s only one Creator … at the end of the day nobody’s invincible.”
With interludes from Dr. Cornel West and guest appearances from the likes of Malik Yusef, Damian Marley and Wale, MasterPeace is a nontraditional neo-soul LP.
“It’s definitely a record that I did for the youth as well as my generation. [It’s] a record that you can listen to 20, 30 years from now and you’ll still get the same feeling, get the same message. … I hope [the album] just makes people feel empower[ed],” DeVaughn says. –brooklyne gipson
