Chi-town stand up! Your homegirl Syleena Johnson is returning this summer with her next album Chapter 4: Labor Pains to be released on her label Aneelys Records. The first single, "Is It True," has been bubbling on the net for a few days but another track has surfaced that has piqued my interest. Ms. Johnson has decided to remake Lauryn Hill's "Ex-Factor." There aren't many people who can touch Lauryn's pre-bizarre vocals but Syleena is one of those people. When Kanye West couldn't get clearance to sample Hill's chorus from "Mystery Of Iniquity" for his song "All Falls Down," it was Syleena who stepped in and killed the track. Now she's taking on a full-length Hill cut with a remake of "Ex-Factor" and the result is a rich, throaty and straight from somebody's Sunday morning gospel choir rendition. Chi rapper Bump J spits a few bars and although he doesn't add anything to the song at least he's not Lil Wayne.
And, fellas, her eyes are up there. Thanks.
Syleena Johnson feat. Bump J: "Ex-Factor"
Syleena Johnson [MySpace]
Bump J [MySpace]
[Photo: Steven Ledell]
