I don’t know a lot, but I do know there aren’t a lot of perfect things in the world. When you find something perfect you have to hold on to it tight and not let go. 112’s 2001 Grammy nominated hit single “Peaches and Cream” is one of those things. While most publications regard D’ Angelo and Ginuwine as the preeminent vanguards of R&B in the early aughts, neither have a song as well crafted or memorable as “Peaches and Cream.” To be clear, Dru Hill and Sisqo are quite possibly the only group and solo act with singles as easily memorable as “Peaches and Cream.” Yet history has a way of glossing over the true pioneers in favor of more easily digestible answers.
Fans forget in the early 2000s that anything could make it on terrestrial radio. Pretty Ricky basically walked into the FCC’s office, flipped them the bird and poured Courvoisier on their computers while singing “Grind With Me.” It was a different time. “Peaches and Cream, I need it cause you know that I’m a fiend, getting freaky in my Bentley limousine,” was the actual hook of an actual song on the radio in 2001. It was genius, audacious, inspiring and at the epoch of Bad Boy’s reign. Bad Boy could do no wrong and “Peaches and Cream” is the height of their achievements for both mankind and music.
“Like peach cobbler in my stomach when I eat it up.” Some heroes will never be remembered in time. 112 are those heroes, they walked so the rest of us could run. they said the things none of us could say, because love is hard. Love is so hard and it’s always going to be hard. Romance eventually dies like anything else. But four brave young men were able to say stop, “when it comes to eating peaches shorty we don’t play.” They said the things we couldn’t to the women they love.
It’s a great song for a generation that didn’t deserve it. I don’t believe in a lot of things. We threw Sisqo away and abandoned Will Smith’s rapping career. Maybe as humans our nature to destroy the things we love is too strong. Yet 112 came through in April of 2001 and gave us something beautiful. So when that new Weeknd album comes out, remember where you came from.
Thank You:
Quinnes “Q” Parker
Daron Jones
Marvin “Slim” Scandrick
Michael “Mike” Keith
Mario Winans
Sean “P. Diddy” Combs
