It was 20 years ago that one of the top classic R&B groups made a triumphant comeback .We're talking about the legendary Isley Brothers and their 2001 album Eternal. The Isley Brothers had never really stopped making music. They constantly released albums throughout the 80s and 90s but the didn't capture the same level of success the group had experienced in their 70s heyday. Ron Isley had remained popular with audiences due to his Mr. Biggs persona.
Eternal marked the first album the Isleys released as a duo in over a decade. Marvin Isley had left the group after suffering a bout with diabetes. The album is mostly notable for the smash "Contagious" and its video which featured R. Kelly and Chante Moore. The video plays as a mini soap opera depicting a man who goes home and finds out his woman has been cheating on him.
R. Kelly and Ron Isley who often plays a character known as Mr. Biggs had been in multiple videos throughout the 90s which helped add layers to the story in the video. They had collaborated on R. Kelly's 1995 song "Down Low (Nobody Has To Know)" as well as Kelly Price's 1998 single "Friend of Mine." References to both songs are made in the lyrics to "Contagious."
Eternal is a solid example of the strength of R&B in the early 2000s. Not because it is chock full of hits but rather because it saw an iconic group strike it hot once again with quality music. Several legacy artists at this time would find similar success like Luther Vandross, Michael Jackson and Charlie Wilson. Eternal is perfectly suited to just have playing in the background during a nice evening with a good bottle of wine. Enjoy it with one this weekend for its 20th anniversary.
