While we count on the grooves of funk to ease our hips into heavy rotation, the best soul music soothes and renews like a long, penetrating massage--a dab of oil between the shoulder blades, spread from the base of our neck down the length of the spine. For most of the early '90s, black music bulked up on funk aerobics and the steroids of gangsta rap. New jack swingers churned impatiently back and forth, hip hoppers sampled and swore by the gospel of P-Funk, and even the balladeers lathered their lyrical harmonies to show off sheer vocal gymnastics. For years, it seemed like only Babyface knew how to milk the mix for that sweet... More >>>