Darien Brockington

On a recent trip to New York City from Washington, D.C., R&B rookie Darien Brockington skipped the plane and the train – he endured the nearly 230-mile ride on a cramped bus. “Everybody has humble beginnings,” says the 26-year-old Durham, N.C. resident without a hint of frustration. “It’s all part of a journey.”

The same can be said of his sound, which calls for a return to the early-90’s heyday of hip hop soul and New Jack Swing. “I miss artists like Brandy and Jodeci,” he says. “My number one inspiration is Faith Evans – you can feel it when she sings.” With so many R&B artists focusing on snap-tastic party jams, Brockington offers a welcome splash of sass and swagger on his unabashedly romantic debut, "Somebody To Love" (Hall Of Justus/ABB Records).

His throwback aesthetic fits neatly with the tastes of the Justus League, the N.C.-based crew of MC’s and producers (led by back-to-basics hip hop trio Little Brother). Since hooking up with LB lyricist Phonte in 2000 while attending North Carolina Central University, Brockington has collaborated extensively with his League family, most notably as a featured vocalist on Little Brother’s 2005 The Minstrel Show (“All For You,” “Slow It Down,” and “Not Enough”). “It’s like a marriage,” Brockington says. “They got the hip hop vibe, and I’ve got the R&B.”

That balance is there too on "Somebody:" Brockington’s Donny Hathaway-esque vocal runs are backed by refreshing breakbeats-meet-quiet storm production. “I’m talking about love in its various forms,” Brockington says. “The good, the bad, and the ugly.” On “More and More,” his breathy, lusty vocals glide over the seminal break from Bob James’ 1975 “Take Me to the Mardi Gras.” On the uplifting, dusty-sounding “All We Ever Need” (produced by Little Brother’s in-demand studio rat, 9th Wonder), Brockington reassures his woman with love-reigns-supreme rhetoric while steady drums and soulful violins create an uplifting, sunny mood.

That song matches his real-life demeanor to a tee. “Today I’ll catch the bus,” Brockington says wistfully, “and tomorrow I won’t have to.”

- Keith Murphy
- Vibe Magazine

Where there's thunder, there's lightening, and where there's Darien Brockington's "Rain," you better believe someone is going to get wet--and not from precipitation. Too much? Well, maybe you haven't seen the video yet, which premiered online earlier today and is posted below for your viewing pleasure. Anyone who has seen DBrock perform live as part of The Foreign Exchange or solo knows that he radiates pure sex appeal on stage. This video, expertly directed by Muta'Ali, captures all that sexy and raises the bar by adding a love interest into the mix and catching them in a few compromising positions. Taken from his last release, The Cold Case Files, "Rain" is as sensuous as its accompanying visuals and a very necessary addition to your slow jams playlist. - Soulbounce.com

Darien Brockington’s been a member of the famed Hall of Justus musical family for years, recording with all the top-tier North Carolina corridor soulsters from Little Brother to The Foreign Exchange. He’s also the fourth artist in a month from the FE family to release a solo project for fan download free or on the cheap (Darien’s LP is $5) , though none are quite as ambitious and sprawling as Brockington’s. At over 20 songs the Southern gent shares a mighty peach of an adult contemporary project. Always a fine tenor with range, melisma, and an easy, gospel tone, songs like “Settle Down” and his recent Isley Bros. cover of the “Highways of My Life (Pt1 & 2)” prove that Brockington is one of the best self-harmonizers in the business. What Brockington has always been gifted with on his guest spots on others projects, but has lacked on his previous solo efforts, “The Feeling” and “Somebody to Love,” is consistent standout material. There are always handfuls of semi-precious stones, like the title track for “Somebody To Love” to excavate among the cubic zirconium.

The Jagged Edge flavored songs on Cold Case Files too often continue this trend, with plenty of mid-level urban R&B serving as clams around pearls like “Let’s Make Love (Tonight)” and “I Know (You Know).” Still, with 23 tracks, there is a good ten-track album within all the superfluous throwaways. Songs like the glittering “Compass,” the haunting “Be Your Lover,” the dark “It’s Over,” the bouncy “Superwoman,” and the instant urban AC hit, “Here We Go (Again).” Brockington’s best when he commits to a “straight no chaser” traditional R&B romp like “Let’s Make Love (Tonight) or when he takes on the kind of bold and brash cut we don’t normally associate with him, like the greasy funk of “Meet Me In Paris.” A judicious selection process of Cold Case Files could have left us panting for more, instead of sifting for the gold Brockington’s proves capable of mining…sometimes. - CentricTV(Soul Sessions blog)

By: Ben J. Brown, Jr.


Often times, songs find ways to mark momentous or memorable stages of our lives. The nostalgia can bring to life mental pictures of lost love, old friends or periods of our childhood. Children of the 70’s will most often identify with the music of the 80’s and 90’s, and in the case of Darien Brockington’s debut album entitled “Someone To Love”, the faint hints of the great R&B songs of the 90’s can be heard.

Hailing from Durham, NC, and backed by the multitalented Hall of Justus Music collective, Darien has managed to generate his own buzz with his smooth voice that some might say bears some semblance to a recent Soul entry Bilal out of Philadelphia, but with a slightly more Hip-Hop aesthetic. After various hooks and vocals on other Hall of Justus efforts such as Little Brother’s “The Minstrel Show”, Foreign Exchange’s “Connected”, and Rapper Big Pooh’s “Sleepers”, Darien has stepped up to the plate with a solid Soul effort sure to please Hip-Hop and Soul fans alike, much in the same way that Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, and Carl Thomas have done before him.

With wicked production from underground staples and Hall of Justus familiars, 9th Wonder and Khrysis, Darien also recruited the sounds of S1 (of Strange Fruit Project fame) and NC newcomer E. Jones. The result is must-have blend of hip hop and soul that will satisfy fans tired of the same sounds dribbling from their everyday radio playlists. Imagine if you blended the production talents of DJ Premier and Peter Rock with the vocals of Joe, Bilal, and 112; that is the feeling “Someone To Love” captures in a nutshell.

The first single “Think It Over”, produced by 9th Wonder, is a fitting intro into the formula that this debut brings. Catchy with silky vocal arrangement, 9th’s blazing production shines as it has with artists like Destiny’s Child and Mary J. Blige.

Where the nostalgia becomes striking is at the heart of the album with the striking R&B production from E. Jones. With “More and More”, E. Jones and D. Brock massage an inspired rehash of Gina Thompson’s hit, “The Things That You Do”. But the core of their collaboration comes in songs like “Come On Over” and “I Miss You”. Both are passionate slow jams that are still a statement of Darien’s own signature style. The first of the two aforementioned tracks, “Come On Over”, almost immediately brings to mind memorable tracks from Faith Evans’ self-titled debut album. And anyone who is familiar with D. Brock is aware that this sonic homage is no coincidence. From the harmonies to the production, Darien is able create a near sequel to her beautiful songs “Come Over” and “Soon As I Get Home”. The second track mentioned, “I Miss You”, seems to be touched with a bit of Mary J. and 112 influences and could easily be followed by a classic Jodeci track like “Feenin” and not miss a beat on a slow jam mixtape or the “Quiet Storm” mix any given night on your local R&B station.

The true appeal in the lyricism of “Someone To Love” comes in the return to sincere “love lyrics”; where if the word ‘love’ is mentioned, it is done so in earnestness. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the track “Don’t Say Goodbye,” a track where Darien delves into the emotional side of love where not many soul crooners these days dare to go:

“It felt a lot love, but it was way too soon to be love
I failed to get to know you, what’s the rush to know you
It’s my bad I jumped the gun…”

“…One thing I’ve learned, you cannot push love”

As he progresses through the song he expresses how as time pushes on, misunderstandings and assumptions of early relationships can push tempers and egos to limits that are sometimes hard to recover from. Some may look on the surface of this song and see simplicity, but the meaning and content it touches is much deeper…for those who have experienced true love.

In each song, the lyrics bring to mind the “I can’t live without you, baby”…”missing you everyday” professing of love that is the perfect recipe to weaken the knees of the ladies and express the emotion that men are all too often afraid or unable to articulate. Though some may knock the return to classic “love lyricism”, it is a welcome change in a day and time when parental advisories are becoming commonplace on R&B CDs.

From start to finish, “Someone To Love” is a solid blend of love songs with various tempos that can go from the dance floor to cruising down the block with the volume on 10 all the way to the bedroom with the candles lit. It is truly a rare feat and one that D. Brock has successfully accomplished. Though his buzz may have bubbled from the “underground,” Darien Brockington is poised to boil over into the surface of the R&B/Soul scene.

GPA 3.40

- Highergroundonline.com

With a slick R&B style that rolls off the tongue with confidence, Darien Brockington is a bright reminder that John Legend has not completely written the book on fusing hip-hop and soul. The beat on "Can We Fall in Love Again" is a solid, easy-stepping groove that would make D'Angelo jealous, but it's Brockington's richly toned vocals that set this track apart. It's our free Discovery Download this week. - iTunes.com

Darien Brockington walks around N.C. Central University unnoticed these days. The 30-year-old Durham native returned to the school this fall after leaving in 2000.

But every now and again, somebody recognizes him and hips those around him to who he is.

"I mean, there is, on occasion, somebody that'll walk up to me and be, like, 'Are you Darien Brockington?' or 'Did you sing with The Foreign Exchange?'" says the college junior. "Or I might hear a random 'D-Brock!'"

The people who recognize Brockington (especially those who holla at him as "D-Brock") know him more as an R&B vocalist, the job that took Brockington away from his studies so long ago. With a throaty, church-bred voice that can be both sensitive and sensual, the man has been best-known as a "singing hype man" (that's what he calls it), recording hooks for Little Brother and other members of North Carolina's Justus League hip-hop crew.

In 2006, Brockington went from hook guest shots to fronting his own songs as he released his debut album, "Somebody to Love." Although the album, which included production work from Justus League beatmen 9th Wonder and Khrysis, was well-received (The N&O said it was "Brockington's album-length declaration that he's ready for prime time"), the album didn't skyrocket Brockington's career. Though he cites a lack of marketing from West Coast-based ABB Records as a factor, he does lay some blame on himself for not speaking up.

"I mean, in essence, it was a situation where, you know, me being the hungry artist, me really putting the effort and energy into an album which I personally feel was good," he says. "But it's only as good as the engine behind it. And unfortunately, the engine was focused on other things. Not me."

That appears to be the reason Brockington is back in school today (as a double major, he's studying accounting and music industry), to make sure that what happened to him during that time never happens again.

"As I've gotten older, I've wised up a little bit, and I'm realizing that, you know, there's more than one way to get to where you wanna go," he says. "And I think that school, most definitely, deserves my attention and my focus and [is] an additional means to get to where I ultimately want to get to."

But he's certainly not putting his music career on pause. He's taking the lessons he has learned and channeling them through his new album, "Affected: The Story of John Doe," scheduled to drop sometime next year. Brockington notes there will be more live instrumentation this time around, as opposed to the sample-heavy music created on "Love."

"It's just a very organic experience," he says, "and I find myself loving the experience just as much as I did when I did 'Somebody to Love.'"

LIKE BREATHING

Brockington has continued to work live, touring and serving as a backup singer on shows for The Foreign Exchange, the hip-hop/soul outfit created by Little Brother's Phonte Coleman and producer Nicolay Rook. Brockington has done work on both Foreign Exchange albums, 2004's "Connected" and last year's "Leave It All Behind," and has performed backup for Coleman (along with fellow Durham vocalist YahZarah) on shows since "Connected" was released. From the way Brockington speaks, the man is at his most natural -- and most evolved -- when he's with the Exchange.

"It's almost like breathing," he says. "I mean, we've shared a bus together. We've argued. We've laughed and whatever else. We stick together. We've done it.

"But now, as I grow as a musician and as [Phonte] grows as a musician, this is a perfect platform for people to see his growth, as well as my growth as well as YahZarah's growth, as well as the band's growth. Now it's cool to bring all of those elements together, but improved."

COME ON HOME

Brockington, Coleman and YahZarah will once again share the stage Saturday, when they perform at the Pour House Music Hall at the soulSPARK showcase, part of this year's SPARKcon festivities. Most likely, those same folks who are comfortable calling him "D-Brock" at NCCU will be quite at ease hearing him perform live -- which is exactly the way he wants it.

"When I'm on the stage, man, the honest-to-goodness truth is I just like people to feel like they're at home," he says. "I want you to feel like I'm welcoming you into my house and we're just having a good time. That's what's important to me."

- Craig Lindsey
- Raleigh News & Observer

Darien Brockington
Somebody to Love

Release Date: October 17, 2006
Label: ABB
By: Norman Mayers
7.0 out of 10


Darien Brockington has appeared on projects by Little Brother and Nicolay, but he's made a name for himself by releasing small doses of his work over the years. And he's finally stepping out in front with Somebody to Love, an excellent debut that combines familiar elements of hip-hop and soul but reinterprets them into something that sounds at the same time new and classic.

Brockington's voice is traditional in that it's clearly influenced by gospel and R&B, but he's smart enough to give his album a slightly underground feel. The songwriting is aimed at the mainstream, but the productions by E. Jones and 9th Wonder are decidedly street smart. From the bumping "Somebody to Love Intro" to the '90s-hip-hop vibe of "More and More," the sound here is thick, full of pounding bass and complex percussion. The album is a meeting of the past and the present, with clever '70s samples and blaxploitation vibes mingling with biting hip-hop verses and contemporary production techniques.

Clearly inspired by the recent success of artists such as John Legend, Somebody to Love is a confident exploration into the sounds of soul. Brockington succeeds at both up-tempo numbers and ballads, with tracks such as "Come on Over" standing out as much as the vibrant and fun "Can We Fall in Love Again?" The album's themes are standard R&B fare -- love, loss, relationships -- but the quality of the songwriting and the variety in the productions make Somebody to Love shine.
- Prefix Magazine

- David Menconi, Staff Writer

In baseball, one of the most important positions is the closer, the pitcher who comes in at the moment of truth to secure the victory. You could call Darien Brockington a musical equivalent of that. He's a singer, and his specialty is delivering the hook, the vocal part of a hip-hop song that serves as a finishing touch.

A member of the Justus League crew, Brockington has livened up records by everybody from Justus League flagship act Little Brother to London drum-and-bass group 4Hero. He upped the ante last year with his own album, "Somebody to Love," a superb collection of contemporary R&B. Now Brockington just needs that elusive breakthrough to crack the mainstream.

"It's harder than ever," he says of the music-business grind. "Little Brother and myself, we both feel like we could appeal to the mainstream. But the reality is that our audience is 90-percent backpackers and neo-soul people, the people who go to mom-and-pop stores to find what most people aren't looking for. That's our audience and it's good, but we're both sort of under the radar."

- Raleigh News & Observer

Darien Brockington, "Somebody to Love" --3 Stars

- Craig D. Lindsey, Staff Writer

Death Row had Nate Dogg. Ludacris' Disturbing Tha Peace has Bobby Valentino. There have been "hook men" in hip-hop operations who have managed to break out from singing a few bars on a rap track to dropping whole albums. Others haven't been so lucky. (Death Row also had Danny Boy -- remember him?)

Now, here comes Darien Brockington, designated hook man for North Carolina's hip-hop collective The Justus League, looking to stand out on his own with his long-awaited debut, "Somebody to Love" (ABB Soul).

"Love" is virtually Brockington's album-length declaration that he's ready for prime time, as he and such producers as Justus League teammates 9th Wonder and Khrysis slather the album with heavy rotation-worthy tunes that could easily sway any "106 & Park" watcher.

While he starts off eager and ready to please, Brockington, looking to turn saints into sinners with his church-bred, sensual vocals, slides into a comfortable, confident groove on later, less-flashy tracks. One of the best numbers is "Thank You," where Khrysis samples a masterful riff from '70s jazz-fusion band The New Tony Williams Lifetime, as Brockington gives a shout-out to all his loved ones.

Humble but hellacious, Darien Brockington proves he's a hook man who won't be getting the hook anytime soon

- Raleigh News & Observer

Author: Andrew Kameka

Rating: XXXX - Multi-Platinum

Darien Brockington has carved a secure niche in urban music as an affiliate of the North Carolina super-group, The Justus League. He has flaunted a stirring voice that enhanced both smooth and boisterous tracks for several members of the JL extended family, earning him a spot among R&B’s premiere upcoming talents. Somebody to Love, Brockington’s enchanting debut album, features the Carolina native stepping out of his role as designated hook-man, finally showing the full picture of a talent that previously appeared only in short glimpses.
D. Brock wisely pulls traits from previous generations and transforms them into a style suitable for today’s iPod-wielding listeners. Taking cues from his predecessors, he injects old-soul magic and places as much emphasis on the emotion of each song as he does on its music and lyrics. I Miss You practically drips the signs of desperation as the singer anxiously waits for a reunion with a woman whose absence tortures him. Ambient sounds of thunder and raindrop-like strings echo as Brockington expresses his difficult struggle with loneliness. The anxiety reaches new heights on Crazy, where he openly admits to having lost all control:
“Losin’ my mind, feels out of focus/
No tears left to cry, but still feeling hopeless/
Don’t want to give up on love/
But it seems that love gave up on me”
When he isn’t creating anthems for whipped men across the country, Brockington guides Somebody to Love with a style that bears slight traces of 90’s R&B and nods to 70’s soul. He doesn’t showcase a high-powered voice, but he excels when delivering smooth, tender vocals, and still manages to respectfully push the limits of his range. New Jersey’s E. Jones supports those efforts by quietly putting in his bid to become the next highly-sought-after producer. Jones sets the tone for most of the album’s early half, including the aforementioned I Miss You. He also provides an ideal sex soundtrack for Come On Over, giving the late-night mating call a mixture of placid drums, soft snaps and cascading harps that establishes the song’s sensual vibe. 9th Wonder, the J-League’s cornerstone of production, keeps pace with the lively, hand-clapping Think It Over, but his string-laden beat for All We Ever Need is strangely uninspiring.
Somebody to Love thrives thanks to the talented producers who man the boards, but it’s D. Brock and his expressive nature that makes the album so charming. Co-writing many of the songs with Phonte of Little Brother, he displays a gift for composing and singing reminiscent of Marvin Gaye (check the title track for proof), and he’s nothing short of perfect on Can We Fall In Love Again. Brock dominates the latter’s piano melody as he sings, “They say leopards can’t lose their spots and bees never lose their sting/But if people can’t change, then what’s the point of you and me?” Thanks to that consistent excellence, Somebody to Love is the type of record that should connect with people lucky enough to be in love and those still searching for someone to share the intimate or strenuous moments that inspired this album.
- Hip Hop DX Magazine

Having already been initiated into his world with projects like Foreign Exchange, music fans might think Darien Brockington is just another big softie. In actuality, the Durham, NC soul man has a cause.

"Music is in serious danger," he warns. "Virtually all of the music that is being pushed right now has only little kids in mind, regardless of the content. I like Chris Brown. I like Ne-Yo. They're talented and they make good music. But right now, fans of R&B who may want something a little different have to search real hard to find it."

Enter "Somebody To Love," his first solo album. It's a grown take on matters of the heart, as Brockington gleans inspiration from both real-life experiences and the music that he grew up loving.

"My biggest gripe is that more good music isn't accessible..."Somebody To Love" is a throwback to a time (not so long ago) when R&B was for everybody."

- AC - Trace Magazine

Soulful North Carolina vocalist Darien Brockington was the first RB addition to the reputable Justus League, the crew of founders Little Brother. Performing in front of audiences since he was five years old, Brockington first met Phonte of Little Brother in 2000 as a fellow student at North Carolina Central University. That relationship made the singer very accessible when he officially began working with the Justus League in 2003. He contributed vocals to some of their acclaimed projects, including the Foreign Exchange's (Phonte and Dutch producer Nicolay) Connected (2004) and Little Brother's The Minstrel Show (2005). Though unheard by many, his recording debut and ninesong EP, The Feeling, surfaced in 2005. In between studio sessions, Brockington toured extensively with Little Brother, having to stake out his own fan base from the mostly hiphop crowds drawn to the shows. His performances were just as welcomed as his 2006 fulllength album, Somebody to Love, released via ABB Records. Justus League producers Khrysis and 9th Wonder assisted in making Brockington's uptempo soul and hiphop ballads, but he collaborated most with his friend and producer E. Jones for the album.

- Cyril Cordor, All Music Guide
- All Music Guide