New York, New York—-Raheem DeVaughn is an American singer and songwriter known for his soulful R&B music. Born on May 5, 1975, in Newark, New Jersey, he gained recognition with hits like “Guess Who Loves You More” and “Woman.” DeVaughn’s music often explores themes of love and relationships. He has received Grammy nominations and is celebrated for his smooth vocals and emotive performances in the contemporary R&B scene.
He gained recognition with his debut album “The Love Experience” in 2005, and his smooth vocals and soulful style have since earned him a dedicated fan base. DeVaughn’s discography includes albums like “Love Behind the Melody” and “A Place Called Love Land.”
The singer, affectionately known as The Love King or Radio Raheem and he lives up to this moniker at every venue he performs at.
Dressed in a dapper two-piece black and red suit, DeVaughn promptly took the stage at 9:00 PM sharp and opened his show with “I Don’t Care” from his third album, The Love & War MasterPeace. The song, which Ne-Yo wrote, was the perfect way to kick off the evening, and the crowd partook in all of the energy of the second show. We were particularly impressed when DeVaughn mixed Luther Vandross’s classic “Never Too Much” into the show as well.
DeVaughn kept the mood going as he took the crowd back to the first album, The Love Experience, for an energetic performance of the album’s lead single, “Guess Who Loves You More.” Kudos to DeVaughn for featuring a screen in the background displaying a question mark tied to the song’s themes. Additionally, his band showed off their instrumentation skills with Go-Go transitions throughout the song, and a snippet of the Earth, Wind & Fire concert staple “Can’t Hide Love”, of which “Guess Who Loves You More” samples.
DeVaughn kept the vibe of paying homage to the elders when he sang the opening of James Brown’s “A Man’s World,” which set the stage for the singer to perform a new song, titled “When A Man.” Devaughn then performed selections from his more recently released albums. Highlights included “Special Occasion” from What A Time To Be In Love and “Countdown To Love” from Love, Sex & Passion.
After a few more up-tempo numbers and a cover of Mary J. Blige’s take on the Rose Royce classic “I’m Going Down,” DeVaughn was ready to perform his slow jams. The love King kicked off the slow jam section of his show by performing his portion of last year’s The Secret Garden remake, where he collaborated with fellow singers Omar Wilson, Sisqo, and Shawn Stockmen. DeVaughn then effortlessly shifted to “Bob” before closing the show with “Customer.”
DeVaughn has released numerous mixtapes and nine studio albums throughout his seventeen-year career. While the singer graced the stage for two hours, there were some notable omissions from his setlist, particularly some of my favorites “Mo Better,” “Pink Crush Velvet,” and “Ridiculous.” DeVaughn is a lively performer who stays in grove with his band, caters to the ladies, and never disappoints his audience.
