Jacked Rise of the New Jack Sound

If you’ve heard Boyz II Men, you know the style of new jack swing, a blend of hip-hop and R&B. But the original sound started with a man named Teddy Riley, who composed the music for the Harlem group Guy.  Jacked: Rise of the New Jack Sound  writes the behind-the-scenes story of that turbulent and creative time in the 1980s. Tracing the rise and fall of musicians has become a staple in film and TV, but here the host Taraji P. Henson demonstrates how perfectly suited this type of audio documentary is for direct engagement with pop songs. The soundtrack propels the narrative forward, particularly the incredible new jack swing tracks. Guy influenced an entire generation, and the group’s story will break your heart into pieces. Manipulated by their manager, they gave away their royalties on their catalog and were fed through the meat grinder of the recording industry. Despite what they endured, the members of Guy come across as if they’re still in awe that their stardom ever happened at all.