'Journey of a Gemini,' yet another solid effort released in 2006, met the same lackluster commercial fate. The hit is a highlight from 'Life Goes On,' the follow-up to the platinum-selling 'Where I Wanna Be.' Although as consistent and satisfying as its predecessor, 'Life Goes On' didn't repeat the sales of Jones' masterstroke. It's a look and attitude juxtaposed against the naked emotion of the lyrics, the wistful melody sung in a light, almost feminine croon recalling the best of Michael Jackson. In the video for his next big hit, 2002's 'You Know That I Love You,' Jones is all stony posture and too-cool-for-the-room head bobbing. In promo shots or onstage, Jones was usually outfitted in leather and baggy denim, with or without shades. He was rarely seen without a fedora, often set at a rakish angle atop a bandana tied around his head. If the style wasn't always easily detected in the music, Jones embodied it in his persona. A remix featuring a rap by Lisa 'Left-Eye' Lopes of TLC pushed the hip-hop factor. Street and sweet, the 'hood jam rides an aggressive groove as heard on 'U Know What's Up,' the breakout single from Jones' sophomore album, which sat atop Billboard's R&B chart for eight weeks. A gem of a record, it established him as a master of the ' 'hood jam,' a song whose slick sound and feel evoke angst and aspirations of urban life with no concessions to pop.

Whether sung by like-minded artists or himself, Jones' lyrics almost always focused on lust and romance.Īfter about a three-year delay, Jones' sophomore album, 1999's 'Where I Wanna Be,' appeared. It also helped that Jones showed a gift for songwriting, having penned hits for others, including Usher and the '90s girl groups Brownstone and 702.

In a tenor caught between a knucklehead whine and a seductive grown-man croon, echoing a strong influence of 'Off the Wall'-era Michael Jackson, Jones sang with an appealing mix of mannish-boy innocence and lived-in weariness.

Best donell jones songs