HARLEM WEEK honors Maxwell and 30 years of ‘Urban Hang Suite’

This year, HARLEM WEEK celebrates and honors Grammy Award-winning R&B and soul singer-songwriter Maxwell, alongside the 30th anniversary of his seminal 1996 double-platinum debut album, Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite.

Released on April 4, 1996, the concept album tastefully delves into sexuality, spirituality, and the essence of the soul through the narrative of a monogamous love affair. “It’s about love, the old-fashioned way,” Maxwell noted of the project’s core idea. “Monogamous. Committed. Deep.”

Parts of the iconic record were recorded in New York City at Greenwich Village’s famed Electric Lady Studios. Peaking at No. 8 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, the project launched a string of hit singles, including “’Til the Cops Come Knockin’,” “Sumthin’ Sumthin’,” and the chart-topping “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder).”

In a 1996 Amsterdam News column titled “Maxwell: A bright new R&B star,” late entertainment columnist Charles E. Rogers praised the rising Brooklyn-born artist’s unique aesthetic and musical depth.

“Despite his fright-wig Afro hairstyle and outrageous ’60 mod-meets-’90s hip-hop attire, after a serious listen to rising star singer/composer/producer Maxwell’s debut album Urban Hang Suite, you’d swear he was born 15 years ahead of his time,” Rogers wrote.

Rogers emphasized that Maxwell’s sound stood apart from the dominant trends of the mid-’90s music scene:

“Maxwell’s music is complex, borrowing a sophisticated melodic grammar from jazz, and a straight-ahead swing beat from early ’80s soul. ‘The early ’80s had the perfect combination of computerized instrumentation with a live feel,’ Maxwell says of the era that influences his Urban Hang Suite most. ‘Later the music got all into hip-hop,’ he adds, ‘and some of the dynamics were lost.'”

For Maxwell, creating relatable, grounded art was paramount to transcending music industry clichés. “As a West Indian, Puerto Rican, I know that a lot of people in my clique are tired of being represented by one or two types of music; there’s more to the urban lifestyle than that,” Maxwell reflected on his songwriting philosophy. He further noted that his lyrics aim to detail the true-to-life nuances of relationships, ranging from superficial courting to genuine vulnerability—or as he put it, “the reality in between the two extremes.”

Maxwell will be honored during HARLEM WEEK on Sunday, Aug. 16, as part of the Harlem Day festivities.

The post HARLEM WEEK honors Maxwell and 30 years of ‘Urban Hang Suite’ appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.