Welcome to the newest regular feature here at True Genius Requires Insanity, the “Crate Dig.” As you may already be aware, we strongly feel as though it’s time to advocate a “back to basics” movement in music. We feel that instead of everyone being an innovator, that some of us need to be preserving the importance of original source material. To that end, the “Crate Dig” will feature members of the TGRIOnline.com staff, the “Hustlers of Culture,” digging through their mental crates to remember the songs that made them appreciate music. There will be some amazing, and yes, embarrassing choices here, but always the key impact is to remember when music was not something to be over studied, remixed, downloaded, forgotten and torn asunder. We’re remembering when music was simply a song you liked, and really couldn’t tell you more than a sentence or two why. Sit back, reminisce, and enjoy the building blocks of music appreciation.
Song: Omarion – “Icebox”
Year released: 2006
Year “discovered” by me: 2006
Reason discovered: Obsessive compulsive love of Timbaland
Timbaland built the latter half of the era of his career dedicated to urban trending music helping young pop stars grow into men with the aid of orchestral histrionics. “Icebox,” the song that helped fully usher Omarion from being a member of B2K and going “Bump Bump Bump” into being a very adult and very sensual heart breaker is in my opinion the finest production of Timbaland’s career, a magnum opus that ended his R & B and hip hop dominance and provided a fine coda prior to his work as a pop tune-smith.
You can’t begin any discussion of “Icebox” without it’s cousin “My Love,” the sensual synth and bass ode that in many ways took Justin Timberlake from the excellent to the legendary and frankly is so great that if Timberlake never releases another song as long as he lives, he can contend for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on its merits alone. Timbaland became Bernie Taupin for the teen set of wanna be Elton Johns, the panty dropping properties of the ode to the precious moments when a man desires love are obvious, and after its production, as well as part two of “Cry Me a River,” “What Goes Around” it seemed as though Timbaland really had no pressing need to have anything left to offer.
Enter Omarion. “Icebox” is probably my favorite love song of the 2000s. That covers a lot of ground, but it’s absolutely true. This isn’t the same level of performance as Justin on “My Love,” but it’s superb. Omarion performs for the only time in his career at the height of his talent. A truly great producer can mine from a very average singer their career best, and give them the hit they need to enjoy a lifestyle of relative ease for the rest of their lives. That happens here. Conga drums, pianos and synths combine for an undulating down tempo canvas of strife. This song is a tear jerker. The subject matter, a man so jaded and spurned by a love gone wrong that there’s “an icebox where his heart used to be,” happens to people every day. The simile of comparing the cold depression of emotional emptiness with an icebox? Timeless and perfect in every way.
Omarion – “Icebox” (Busta Rhymes Remix)
Humorously enough, it was this track that in my mind stalled his career as well, as when the song became the hottest song in music at the time, people from little known rappers like Young Hot Rod to industry veterans like Busta Rhymes made the track a mixtape staple. The song did get an official remix though, and that’s where everything went wrong.
Omarion – “Icebox” (Usher Remix)
I strongly feel that when doing a remix as a lesser known artist or an artist struggling to craft an identity, it’s highly important when doing a remix to find a performer willing to not “ether” you and make you appear less than talented on their level, or find someone that is proficient at a completely different talent than you possess. Thus, the Busta remix, which is totally underrated would’ve made a fine remix for the mainstream. However, Epic A & R felt that this track was so large and successful in crafting a more adult persona for Omarion that they sought the hottest R & B singer in the world at singing about heartbreak, Usher. At this point, his Confessions album had turned the world upside down and back again, people completely impressed by the emotional depth of his public mea culpa to ex girlfriend Chili of TLC.
As soon as Usher mentions “Confessions” and “Burn” on the track, it becomes his, an extension of the angst of his instant legend album, and Omarion’s performance is pretty much rendered solid and unspectacular by comparison. Usher with Timbaland’s once in a lifetime track appears to be a better fit, and in many ways lifts the tale of the song to new levels. In doing that, Omarion appears a second rate Usher, much to the detriment of his career.
In any event, enjoy likely the best tale of heartbreak of the last decade.
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