Steelo - 702

[Bob]

Lead single, from their 1998 debut. Not a huge hit but went pretty fair at R&B. I love it. Samples The Police!

[sirkaliber]

Clever production from musical genius Missy Elliot.

[bluenote]

This was my LEASt favortie single from their debut. I prefered the title track "no doubt" and "all I want".

[Night Senses]

You got me feeling all nostalgic now. This is definitely one of those songs I remember during my transition from Middle School to High School. [Mariah Carey voice]Memorrieees.. from the corner of my mind...[/Mariah Carey voice]

[Deleted]

This is really the only 702 single I can tolerate at this point, with the exception of their duet with Subway.  "Steelo" is so catchy, it's annoying though.  I can only listen to it in moderation.  haha I definitely like "This Lil' Game We Play" more, but I don't really consider it a 702 single.

[reception]

I loved it!

[complex_simplicity21385]

reception said:

I loved it!

[cartman2002]

Steelo reached #32 in 1996

[rr1981]

I like this, and mostly I just really like the word "steelo." My favorite from them though is the mostly forgotten "You Don't Know".

[B-Boy]

Missy is all over this track.

Everything about this song is still catchy.

[Agent Yoncé]

I was actually singing the remix version the other day from that 90s show, Cousin Skeeter. I prefer that one over the original.

[Live Your Life]

Love it.

[Zinc.]

Should've performed better on the charts

[Relaxing Cup]

I had always wondered what STEELO even meant, but I think they are just saying estilo which is Spanish for "style".

[Ling-Ling]

JAM. Love Meelah's vocal on this. For such a lower tier group, they sure had some cute singles and album tracks.

[Relaxing Cup]

Mar 9, 2018 13:41:56 GMT -5 Ling-Ling said:

JAM. Love Meelah's vocal on this. For such a lower tier group, they sure had some cute singles and album tracks.

Hmmm... not sure I agree; maybe mid-tier? Quality wise, I prefer their debut album to all of DC's and TLC's last three. Their second album also had some really great songs. 

Their harmonies are perfect.

[Ling-Ling]

They were most definitely a third tier girl group. En Vogue, SWV, DC and TLC were the upper echelon of the 90's girl groups. Then you had groups like Xscape and Total on that second tier. Then you had groups like 702, Brownstown, Jade and Blaque bringing up the rear. They never had the budgets, the clout or hit the heights that those other groups did overall. That's not a diss to them, that's just how it was. The fact that they landed so many solid singles and album tracks against the odds is more a testament to them than anything else.

And I most definitely do not agree that anything 702 did album-wise comes even close to TWOTW or Fanmail. That's so farfetched and just plain out there, I could probably write a sci-fi epic based on that very concept.

[Relaxing Cup]

Mar 9, 2018 14:43:29 GMT -5 Ling-Ling said:

They were most definitely a third tier girl group. En Vogue, SWV, DC and TLC were the upper echelon of the 90's girl groups. Then you had groups like Xscape and Total on that second tier. Then you had groups like 702, Brownstown, Jade and Blaque bringing up the rear. They never had the budgets, the clout or hit the heights that those other groups did overall. That's not a diss to them, that's just how it was. The fact that they landed so many solid singles and album tracks against the odds is more a testament to them than anything else.

And I most definitely do not agree that anything 702 did album-wise comes even close to TWOTW or Fanmail. That's so farfetched and just plain out there, I could probably write a sci-fi epic based on that very concept.

Fanmail, which I like, and TWOTW, which is mediocre at best, are so overrated therefore I am not shocked at your assertion; 15 years ago I may have said the same thing, but TWOTW sounds so horribly dated and FM is just not one of TLC's best albums where as many of the tracks on 702's No Doubt still sound fresh/timeless. I will agree that TLC, SWV and En Vogue were top tier and Xscape and Total were mid tier, but I wouldn't put 702 at lower tier. The other groups in lower tier had zero hits outside their first album, 702 had at least one hit on all three of theirs. (Steelo/Get It Together/All I Want, Where My Girls At, I Still Love You).

My ranking:

Top Tier: SWV, TLC, En Vogue

Mid Tier:  Total, 702, XSCAPE, Destiny's Child

Bottom Tier: Jade, Brownstone, Blaque, Allure, Kut Klose

[Ling-Ling]

LMAO at DC being on the same tier with 702. I mean, I know you think Beyoncé ruined R&B and all, but come on.

702 didn't have any hits off of their third album. And Jade and Brownstone had hits across multiple albums. This isn't just about hits, this is about status too. And 702 just didn't reach that level in the girl group hierarchy. They didn't have the name value, the individual members didn't stand out, most people couldn't even tell you the lead singer of 702's name. And they never had an album that went beyond just a song or two in the public consciousness. They just weren't that group IMO.

[Relaxing Cup]

Mar 9, 2018 15:58:03 GMT -5 Ling-Ling said:

LMAO at DC being on the same tier with 702. I mean, I know you think Beyoncé ruined R&B and all, but come on.

702 didn't have any hits off of their third album. And Jade and Brownstone had hits across multiple albums. This isn't just about hits, this is about status. And 702 just didn't reach that level in the girl group hierarchy. They didn't have the name value, the individual members didn't stand out, most people couldn't even tell you the lead singer of 702's name. They just weren't that group IMO.

lol, I just cannot put DC in top tier, it doesn't look right! They do not belong along side EV, SWV and TLC, especially if we're only talking about their 90s material. That said, I definitely respect your opinion and have enjoyed this discussion--it's a rare occasion that anyone's trying to discuss 90s R&B girl groups which just happens to be one of my favorite topics, it's been nice.

I suppose my ranking includes not only name value but actual quality of material, and of course personal preference. I just enjoy 702's debut and second album more than most of DC's material, the majority of which I find to be overvalued and overstated.

[Ling-Ling]

Oh, I am all about 90's R&B girl groups. That's my SHIT. And I'm mostly trying to leave my personal musical tastes out of it. Putting 702, Brownstone and Jade in that third tier isn't a knock, I love a ton of their songs. They just didn't reach that level. And me putting DC next to En Vogue/TLC doesn't mean I think their equal quality-wise. They just managed to reach that upper echelon of superstar girl groups.

[Caviar]

"I Still Love You" destroys anything done by any of those groups after 1996.

[jenglisbe]

I'm not a Destiny's Child fan at all, but they had a hit with "No, No, No," and then had two albums in a row with multiple hits, and then had a couple hits off a hits compilation. Frankly that puts them above En Vogue. En Vogue only had 1 album (though it's a classic) that truly produced multiple hits. Their debut had 1 mainstream hit and a few R&B hits, and their third album had a mid-level hit in "Whatever" but is basically a forgotten project. How does that put them on a tier above DC?

Regardless of how people feel about "I Still Love You," the single and its parent album didn't do anything of note chart-wise.

[Relaxing Cup]

Mar 9, 2018 19:48:17 GMT -5 jenglisbe said:

I'm not a Destiny's Child fan at all, but they had a hit with "No, No, No," and then had two albums in a row with multiple hits, and then had a couple hits off a hits compilation. Frankly that puts them above En Vogue. En Vogue only had 1 album (though it's a classic) that truly produced multiple hits. Their debut had 1 mainstream hit and a few R&B hits, and their third album had a mid-level hit in "Whatever" but is basically a forgotten project. How does that put them on a tier above DC?

I suppose chart wise, unfortunately, yeah they got it. But in terms of quality of material, raw talent, and impact during the 90s? And for that I just can't consider them a top tier R&B girl group of the 90s. EnVogue's Funky Divas impacted far more than anything DC put out in that decade. 

DC's story really started in the 2000s when the Knowles decided to use the group as a platform to create Beyoncé's solo career. Would we really be talking about DC as a viable group for top tier status if it weren't for everything that happened after the 90s ended? No.

[Deleted]

Mar 9, 2018 20:01:08 GMT -5 Relaxing Cup said:

Mar 9, 2018 19:48:17 GMT -5 jenglisbe said:

I'm not a Destiny's Child fan at all, but they had a hit with "No, No, No," and then had two albums in a row with multiple hits, and then had a couple hits off a hits compilation. Frankly that puts them above En Vogue. En Vogue only had 1 album (though it's a classic) that truly produced multiple hits. Their debut had 1 mainstream hit and a few R&B hits, and their third album had a mid-level hit in "Whatever" but is basically a forgotten project. How does that put them on a tier above DC?

I suppose chart wise, unfortunately, yeah they got it. But in terms of quality of material, raw talent, and impact during the 90s? And for that I just can't consider them a top tier R&B girl group of the 90s. EnVogue's Funky Divas impacted far more than anything DC put out in that decade. 

DC's story really started in the 2000s when the Knowles decided to use the group as a platform to create Beyoncé's solo career. Would we really be talking about DC as a viable group for top tier status if it weren't for everything that happened after the 90s ended? No.

I'm with everyone else.

I'm definitely not the biggest Destiny's Child fan and think their music dated much worse than a lot of these other groups, but they had several monster hits before Beyoncé ever went solo. I would definitely place them above every other 90's female R&B group in terms of success with the exception of TLC.

[Relaxing Cup]

Damn @jazzysoul47 , even over Coko, LeLee & Taj? Y'all are ruthless!

I will agree with you guys strictly commercial success, chart-wise, albums and singles sold, yes, I'll put DC in top tier.

Quality though? Bottom tier for me. Underbelly tier basically. Out of all the R&B girl groups named in here, (besides maybe Kut Klose or Blaque) I would choose to listen to them over DC anyday. 

[Deleted]

This much activity for 702! Yaas

Are we ranking personally or genetically. Tlc and En Vogue are imo better than Destiny Child but in general I don't even know if anyone else including TLC is more revered.

SWV is tied with DC in my personal fav ranking but the world aint agree. Dc between Kelly and Beyonce out talent all the girls in those groups combined tho!

[jenglisbe]

Mar 9, 2018 20:01:08 GMT -5 Relaxing Cup said:

Mar 9, 2018 19:48:17 GMT -5 jenglisbe said:

I'm not a Destiny's Child fan at all, but they had a hit with "No, No, No," and then had two albums in a row with multiple hits, and then had a couple hits off a hits compilation. Frankly that puts them above En Vogue. En Vogue only had 1 album (though it's a classic) that truly produced multiple hits. Their debut had 1 mainstream hit and a few R&B hits, and their third album had a mid-level hit in "Whatever" but is basically a forgotten project. How does that put them on a tier above DC?

I suppose chart wise, unfortunately, yeah they got it. But in terms of quality of material, raw talent, and impact during the 90s? And for that I just can't consider them a top tier R&B girl group of the 90s. EnVogue's Funky Divas impacted far more than anything DC put out in that decade. 

DC's story really started in the 2000s when the Knowles decided to use the group as a platform to create Beyoncé's solo career. Would we really be talking about DC as a viable group for top tier status if it weren't for everything that happened after the 90s ended? No.

Technically Destiny's Child released two albums in the 90s so I don't know why they'd be excluded as a 90s group even if their success went into the 00s. But if we talk strictly about the 90s, they had big hits in "No, No, No" and "Bills, Bills, Bills." "Bug A Boo" was a mid-level hit. "Say My Name" technically dropped as a single in 1999, though it peaked in 2000.

Some of y'all are including "I Still Love You" for 702, and that non-hit came out after most of Destiny's Child's success.

[🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲]

Aug 4, 2012 13:14:16 GMT -5 Agent Yoncé said:

I was actually singing the remix version the other day from that 90s show, Cousin Skeeter. I prefer that one over the original.

Me too. I never really knew that it was the remix version of their own song they were singing, but I prefer the Cousin Skeeter theme song over the original.

[B-Boy]

Recently, the unreleased video surfaced on the net and its interesting. The other video captures the song's dark, edgy sound whereas this one doesn't. Missy looks kinda regular and around-the-way in her scenes with the group.