True story: I work at a record store, and one day I was going through our soul/r&b section straightening it up when I came across a great discovery – Terrence Howard has an album. It’s called Shine Through It. As Terrence Howard will be turning 46 today, it seemed appropriate to listen to his album to celebrate. And why stop at just one ill-advised foray into a musical career by an actor? Here are some others that did just that. Actors! They really can do it all?
Terrence Howard – Shine Through It
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBrrnx3GfWU&w=420&h=315]Shine Through It is a bizarre album especially when you consider it came from Terrence Howard. The album plays like a bad combination of a musical that Howard wrote by himself late at night and a bad Maroon 5 cover album. So yeah, it’s not good, but it is fascinating simply because Terrence Howard made it. Even though he was making the most money off of Iron Man when this album came out, those fortunes did not transfer over to music. It was an ill-advised move, but a certainly intriguing move by Howard. Keep your chin up buddy, the recording studio will be there when you’re ready.
Eddie Murphy – How Could It Be, So Happy, Love’s Alright
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15Fs3TvLijo&w=560&h=315]There was a point in time when Eddie Murphy decided he would sell us some albums of him doing his best Prince impression. That’s not an off-handed joke, Murphy was seriously channeling Prince to the point where it just starts to get sad how much he is imitating him. I started listening to his albums and immediately went “Prince? Is that you?” I can’t fault Murphy to much for this foray into music, because who doesn’t want to be Prince? Plus, he made a song called “Love Moans”, which is as delightfully ridiculous as it sounds.
Joe Pesci – Vincent LaGuardia Gambini Sings Just For You
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d3IM8lIASI&w=560&h=315]One time Joe Pesci made an album, but that’s not even the best part; the best part is that he made it as his character Vincent LaGuardia Gambini from My Cousin Vinny. I want to spend a day in the mind of Joe Pesci just to see what goes on in there. Most of it is the type of music you would hear a guy performing in a classy restaurant, but the true highlight is the banger “Wise Guy”, WHERE JOE PESCI RAPS. Whenever I am hosting people and make a background playlist, “Wise Guy” is the first thing that goes on there. Thank you, Joe Pesci.
Jamie Foxx – Unpredictable, Intuition, Best Night of My Life
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc4G6tOgOYI&w=420&h=315]Foxx has 3 albums and they have all been within the last decade, so basically he has a verified musical career even if it was a byproduct of his successful performance in Ray. Basically people went “Hey, he can sing!” and then he ran with it. I can’t fault him for doing so, he knew to cash in on people’s good will when the timing was ripe. Plus, let’s be real, “Unpredictable” is a great song, harkening back to the golden age of 90s R & B. When that song comes on at parties people know to give me my space to bust out some moves. Jamie Foxx can do whatever he wants musically, he gave us “Unpredictable”.
