With only two albums released (his self-titled debut in 1997 and Love In Stereo in 1999) Rahsaan Patterson has become something of an artist's artist developing a fan base to count on although he still has to cross the border to become a household name.
With his third album, After Hours, Rahsaan finally has totally artistic freedom of his music. Originally recorded for Artistry Music Group, the album is licensed for an UK and European release by Dome Records.
Rahsaan teams up with Jamey Jaz, Van Hunt and Steve 'Silk' Hurley again to share songwriting and production input on his new album. The result is Rahsaan's best record to date.
After Hours is the record on which Rahsaan gets funkier than on his first two albums. "This time around I wanted to take people deeper into Rahsaan Patterson - I wanted people to see me in a party area," says Rahsaan, "I always was doing the kind of party songs that the urban artists were doing, but my music has always been somewhat sophisticated, so with that came a perception that I must be very Adult Contemporary. The truth is, I like to have a good time, I like to get out there. And I don’t ever want to do what people expect of me. Secondly, with the death of my father in 2000 - just after I began work on this album - coupled to the frustrations and delays I encountered through the MCA label being closed down, I felt in a more aggressive place generally. I wasn’t feeling sensitive at all… and my songs are always written in the emotional moment in the studio at the time. The result is, I think, an album that shows people a new aspect of me, one that they have previously only had glimpses of."
The resulting sound isn't a total surprise or re-invention of his music since Rahsaan's previous albums weren't valium-drenched or pure oases of ballads only. In fact, there were always a few uptempo songs on his albums and this is unmistakeable Rahsaan as we know him.
The opener, The One For Me, has been previously released on the Steve Harvey compilation Sign Of Things To Come in 2002, but it still sounds fresh and funky. This is the only song here not (co-)written by Rahsaan.
And funky is the way it continues with I Always Found Myself with background vocals provided by Trina Broussard and Sherree Ford amongst others.
So Hot is a great uptempo tune that oozes class and it's a song that really makes me aware that Rahsaan has found his own sound and style that makes you recognize a Rahsaan song after a few seconds.
Equally appealing are the slow funk groove of Burnin' or the ballad The Best (which by the way would've been an apt album title too).
One of Rahsaan's most mature songs is the string-ladden Don't Run So Fast, sheer musical and vocal perfection to my ears and worth the purchase of this record alone. But of course we get more quality music like the midtempo funk of You Make Life So Good, Loving You or the hidden bonus track Straighten It Out.
To sum it up, a must-have for all those, who are already converts and fans of Rahsaan and an excellent opportunity for the non-converts to find out what Rahsaan means when he compares his music to cubism: "My music is always very layered. It’s almost like cubism – if you stand far away and squint, you get it."

"This c.d. will definately awaken the "SLEEPERS".................it is finally here!
Peace & Love!"