This came out in 2000 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
If you believe record company press releases — and if you do, I have some exciting investment opportunities to share with you sometime — new jack swing pioneer Teddy Riley broke up his trio Guy a decade ago not to go solo and cash in, but as an elaborate ruse to extricate the group from the clutches of unscrupulous managers.
Whatever; frankly, I suspect anybody who still cares about Guy is more interested in the story behind these new tracks. Simply put, it’s a romance novel. Unlike the hard-edged, neck-snapping vibe of Riley’s more recent work with BLACKstreet, Guy III is a mellower, soulful collection with a beating heart and a lover-man vibe. The midtempo grooves are slick and slinky, the funk is restrained and tight. When they want to — like on Teddy’s Jam — Guy still get jiggy with it. But like the old hands they are, III finds the boys more comfortable as smooth operators.
