UMe celebrates the 35th anniversary of Jodeci’s seminal debut, Forever My Lady, with the release of a newly Remastered 35th Anniversary Edition, available today. Offering multiple physical configurations, Forever My Lady (35th Anniversary Edition) is pressed on 2LP Black Vinyl and CD.

Plus, the original album arrives digitally in Dolby ATMOS for the first time. Each version features the original 13 songs as well as five bonus tracks, including “Stay – A Cappella”.

In celebration of the landmark anniversary, Jodeci announced via their Instagram they will embark on their Forever My Lady 35th Anniversary Tour. The upcoming run will bring the iconic multiplatinum R&B group to cities across the U.S. Fans can sign up to be the first to receive the upcoming tour information including cities, dates and access to pre-sale tickets HERE!

The world formally met Jodeci when Forever My Lady landed on store shelves on May 28th, 1991. It was notably produced by DeVanté Swing and Al B. Sure! Rallying an already rabid fanbase, the record bowed at #1 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums Chart and climbed into the Top 20 of the Billboard 200. In total, it spent 83 weeks on the Billboard 200, registering “one of the longest runs on the respective chart by a nineties male R&B group.”

This body of work introduced the inimitable chemistry between the quartet—DeVanté Swing, Mr. Dalvin, K-Ci, and JoJo. Their smooth harmonies and uncanny vocal power uplifted songs like “Forever My Lady,” “Come & Talk To Me,” and “Stay,” to name a few. Among many highlights, “Forever My Lady” spent 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, breaking into the Top 25 frame.

Emerging as a phenomenon, the album eventually achieved a 3x-Platinum certification from the RIAA and has surpassed 548 million global streams so far. Earning retrospective praise, Okayplayer hailed Forever My Lady as “The Album That Reinvigorated R&B,” while ESSENCE attested, “Three decades later, ‘Forever My Lady’ is revered as a classic and the album that cemented Jodeci into music history.” The Root professed, “Jodeci’s Forever My Lady album changed the game.”

The 35th Anniversary Edition offers a complete vision of Forever My Lady. Beyond the show-stopping and soul-stirring “Stay – A Capella,” it boasts “Come & Talk To Me - Radio Remix,” “I’m Still Waiting - Swing Mob Radio Mix,” and the acoustic “Forever My Lady - Live From Uptown MTV Unplugged/1993.”

Side A:
1. Stay
2. Come & Talk To Me
3. Forever My Lady
4. I’m Still Waiting

Side B:
1. U & I
2. Interlude
3. My Phone
4. Gotta Love
5. Play Thang

Side C:
1. It’s Alright
2. Treat U
3. X’s We Share
4. Cherish - Hip Hop Version*

Side D:
1. Come & Talk To Me - Radio Remix*
2. I’m Still Waiting - Swing Mob Radio Mix*
3. Stay - A Capella*
4. Forever My Lady - Live From Uptown MTV Unplugged/1993*

Now THIS is, and without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most soulfully nostalgic flashback R&B albums that there has EVER been! The distinct early nineties production and oh-those deliciously smooth harmonies. I mean, come on now, if you don’t enjoy this kind of music then something’s got to be musically wrong with you! It’s so dramatic and impactful that I can’t help but get caught up in their passion.

And what a great way to dive headfirst into what that iconic year of 1991 had to offer. There are so many iconic albums that came from 1991 (I’ll leave it down to you to discover them, to explore each and every one of them yourselves - but for sure that year started off strong with the releases of the brilliant Forever My Lady.

Now, in case you were not aware, the early 1990s marked a turning point for R&B. Hip-hop was no longer existing on the sidelines of Black music culture; it was becoming the center of gravity, slowly reshaping the sound, attitude, and image of the genre itself. While many R&B acts still embraced polished suits and romantic innocence, Jodeci arrived like a shockwave.

They didn’t look like traditional singers. They looked like the guys standing on the corner outside the club, dressed in combat boots, leather, baseball caps, and oversized jeans. Yet behind that rugged image were four young men deeply rooted in gospel music, capable of delivering harmonies as rich and emotional as any classic soul group before them. With Forever My Lady, Jodeci didn’t just release a successful debut album, they helped redefine what male R&B could sound and feel like for an entire generation.

Comprised of brothers K-Ci and JoJo Hailey alongside DeVante Swing and Mr. Dalvin DeGrate, the North Carolina quartet already possessed years of musical experience before fame found them. Their church upbringing shaped the emotional core of their sound, but it was their fusion of gospel passion, hip-hop swagger, and sensual songwriting that made them revolutionary.

Guided by DeVante Swing’s production and the influence of Uptown Records’ street-conscious aesthetic, Jodeci became the bridge between classic soul vocal groups and the darker, more urban direction R&B would eventually embrace throughout the decade.

Beyond the major singles - because “Forever My Lady,” “Come & Talk To Me,” and “Stay” remain some of the defining R&B ballads of the era not simply because of their hooks, but because of the sincerity behind them - the album hides some of its strongest moments deeper into the tracklist. “U & I” possesses a quiet emotional beauty that makes it feel criminally underrated, while “My Phone” captures the intimacy and longing that became one of Jodeci’s trademarks.

Indeed, “It’s Alright” stands out as one of the album’s most addictive cuts, blending groove, vocal chemistry, and melody into a track that perfectly summarizes the group’s appeal. Even songs like “X’s We Share” carry a level of charm and sincerity that prevent the album from ever losing momentum for too long.

In closing, sure, Forever My Lady is not flawless because it tries to be perfect, it is unforgettable because it feels real. It captures four young artists standing at the beginning of a cultural shift, bringing gospel roots, street energy, romance, and vulnerability together into one sound. In doing so, Jodeci didn’t just create a classic debut album. They helped change the identity of R&B forever.

Official Purchase Links

www.jodeci.com

Jodeci @ Facebook