P. Jericho represents the great singers of the past. Coined as the “Young King Cole” after his vocal emulation of the legendary great Nathaniel Adams Coles aka Nat King Cole, P. Jericho brings that old school raw, natural, smooth vocal style to sway over some of the hottest produced tracks in the vast music industry today. With the upbringing of his younger childhood days being spent in the Republic of Cameroon, a central western French speaking country on Africa’s coastline, P. Jericho missed much of the R&B simulation of the golden era of American R&B in the early 90’s to mid 90’s to where artists like R. Kelly and Jodeci were dominating the charts. With humble beginnings in the church choir, P. Jericho was also raised around classical R&B. He embodies raw talent. Give him a mic and an audience and let him walk into a nightclub, he is walking out suited with a tuxedo, glass of champagne, and a beautiful woman at his side. Filled with top-shelf class, delectable jazzy vocal talent, and tasteful penmanship, P. Jericho is a musical construct of genius. Just as Nat King Cole sang “Sweet Loraine” in a small nightclub sparking a flame that later lit up the world’s sky, P. Jericho presents himself worthy of such an anomaly.
P. Jericho officially enters the world of music with his first album entitled “Money, Women, & Alcohol.” The album begins with its lead single “Drinking Again” which features legendary R&B soul group Tony! Toni! Toné! Before the song gets to its body, a skit begins with P. Jericho checking into an alcoholic’s rehab center. The classical acoustic guitar melody leads the song off with Tony! Toni! Toné!’s signature electric guitar riffs and pinches. P. Jericho sings his case as he describes what has him drinking again. “Now look at what she’s become/one with no respect for anyone. /She tells me that I drove her there/ down this one-way street that leads nowhere/ See I done tried to compromise (I tried to make everything right) / so I can sleep at night/ but she lives in the past/ so this won’t last/ At last from home/ I choose to stay away/ to clear my head from all this stress that’s got me…/ Drinking Again.” On the bouncy track “Pupeteer” P. Jericho sings about his infallible pursuit of a dame. “Trust My Love” which features the platinum R&B queen Keyshia Cole, is a radio friendly song about two young lovers knotting their vows to never abandon the illustrious love and sacrificial commitment they have for one another. “Flames” has a Ryan Leslie style production embedded with it. P. Jericho’s ability to tame the beat is second to none with his beast of instrumental vocal chords being displayed at several octaves as if four other Jerichos were harmoniously singing background. “Drive Me Away” is a classic tune that can hit home to many people. When relationships go sour, many can never justifiably point out the signs that led to their demise. In “Drive Me Away” P. Jericho harmoniously articulates the issues with his woman that are pushing him away. Selfishness, neglect, the fluctuation of body weight and lack of sacrifice are just a few of the issues that P. Jericho attack in the powerful two and a half minute song. “The positive outweighs the negative/ but somehow you still find ways to make it ‘bout you.” “Lights” is a storied song about the common hood scenario of 4 guys casually riding through the city that suddenly get pulled over by the police. The tale takes a twist when one of the guys are found riding dirty which causes a everlasting fate for all who were riding. “My Habit” has a bluesy feel to it describing that bad or unruly habits eventually lead to despicable downfalls. “Catting off” is a playful song to where P. Jericho expresses what we all feel sometimes when we don’t want to be bothered to the point where we cut our phones off. “Leave a message on my phone/ right after the tone/ I don’t feel like talking/ want to be left alone/ I’m taking the day off/ ‘cause I done worked all week/ don’t know what you’re on/ but I am catting off.” This song makes for a clever ringtone or ringback. On P. Jericho’s skit “Paris” shows off his bilingual singing skills in French. On “Dollar Bill” P. Jericho dedicates the magical wonderland tuned song to the single independent ladies of the world who take good care of themselves in all that they do. Looking good, with a nice attitude, and stuntin’ at the job is a “Dollar Bill” girl. “Can’t nobody tell you nothing/ cause you’re a sexy girl/ if he ain’t lookin’, then he frontin’” sings the Young King Cole. “The One” is a love song about a consistent relationship that illustrates the reality of true love. Jericho croons to the Dwayne Wiggins electric guitar, professing that he would change his life for her love. “Tipsy Love” reminds you of a Jodeci interlude where P. Jericho sweet talks his way to having a pleasuring evening over an concoction of love juices..no ice. “High Light Reel” is a bouncy ballad equipped with bongos, high hats, and keyboard chimes that gives homage to a special woman with a goddess-like body. “The Way You Like It” is another song that displays P. Jericho’s song writing ability in painting a mental picture of love in motion. P. Jericho continues his smooth octave persuasive word play on “Late Night Lover.” “Talking about 11 o’clock/ 12 o’clock/ 1 o’clock/ ‘before morning’/ Just clock me in/ and I am ready to start/ I can handle my shift girl/ I can play my part.”
“Money Women and Alcohol” is a versatile album that displays a good portion of P. Jericho’s talents. It shows his smooth style of jazzy, alto-laden vocals that seem to be naturally equipped with vocalizing versatility. Dubbed the ‘Young King Cole’, P. Jericho debuts a preview of his illustrious musical career to come, trailblazing the industry with his own style of R&B. This is “Sweet Loraine” reborn. This is tuxedo and champagne music. The Jericho train has started on its tracks. All are welcome aboard.
Listen to P. Jericho’s “Drinking Again” featuring Tony! Toni! Toné!: