![]() The production work supporting his songs strikes a fine balance between soul and hip-hop, allowing him to appeal to those who are coming from either angle. Without it, Legend would likely be zoned into neo-soul (2003's Live at SOB's New York City really makes this notion apparent), thereby standing little chance of reaching the ears of anyone younger than 30. ![]() However, the association with West - whose Sony-distributed boutique label released the record - is very helpful. His own lyrics and hooks are unique and clever enough to get the point across that he's no everyday R&B artist and, just as importantly, he has a personable and instantly fetching voice you could listen to all day long. That's because he has more than enough talent and charm to get by on his own. This might not be a problem for listeners who crave anything that recalls the music they first heard in their youth, but Legend's over-reliance upon his inspirations is an impediment as much as a slick way to grab attention. And though he claims "I've got something new," you've also heard substantial chunks of Get Lifted in records made decades ago by Sly & the Family Stone, Curtis Mayfield, Quincy Jones, and Bill Withers. A former choir director, he has also released a handful of energetic live discs, some of which are credited to his less hubristic birth name, John Stephens. He played piano on Lauryn Hill's "Everything Is Everything" and might as well be considered Kanye West's sidekick, having assisted the producer and MC on several sessions - Jay-Z's "Encore" and Slum Village's "Selfish" being two of the more prominent 2004 singles featuring his work. So click through as we review these certified Complex Classics.If you've listened to Top 40 radio or flipped through the video channels during the past few years, odds are pretty good you know something about John Legend. When all was said and done we ended up with a monster list that runs the gamut from hip-hop heroes to indie faves, some unstoppable pop stars, electronic eclectics, and everything in between. It was a tough task that required endless meetings, and some serious (at times even heated) team dialogue. For one thing, the album format has gone through some major changes over the past decade we ended up including a few mixtapes on this list because they deserved to be on there. So as we celebrate our 10th anniversary, it seemed only right to take a little stroll down memory lane and count down The 100 Best Albums of The Complex Era. Countless careers have popped, flopped, and risen again since Complex first launched. But music-all types of music-has always been essential to who we are and what we do here at the Plex. Ten years is a mighty long time in music. ![]()
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