UB Celebrates: Oran “Juice” Jones ‘The Rain’ 40th Anniversary

Today on this Throwback Thursday, UB celebrates an artist, who was an original Def Jam artist and a rare, one of a kind artist, Oran “Juice” Jones.

Oran “Juice” Jones was born in Houston, Texas and raised in Harlem, New York.

He was the first musician signed to OBR Records, a subsidiary of Def Jam and thus the very first R&B artist ever to sign to the label, known for rap and hip hop at the time.

At a time, where rap and R&B were two so completely separate entities – it was then considered practically an insult to associate any rap artists with any genre remotely resembling R&B.

“LL Cool J was the first to Def Jam and I was the first R&B artist. So, it was a cool mixture, man. It was a very good marriage.” Oran stated in an interview. “We made a lot of money. Back then, it was a lot different than it is now, man. It was more of a machine type thing, you know. It was kinda…it wasn’t really cliquish. It wasn’t really anything to build upon.”

40 years ago, in February of 1986, Oran “Juice” Jones released his debut album “Juice.”

On his debut, Oran “Juice” Jones mixes the silky vocals of a soul balladeer with the street smarts of a rap artist.

The album peaked at #44 on the Billboard 200 and #4 on Billboard’s R&B Albums chart.

The album was certified Gold.

The lead single from the album, “You Can’t Hide From Love” peaked at #75 on Billboard’s Hot Black Singles chart, staying on the chart for 5 weeks.

Oran “Juice” Jones released “The Rain” in August of 1986, and quickly it became a hit.

“The Rain” opens the album with a display of Jones’ intriguingly split style.

The song is a tender ballad that, without changing its musical feel, abruptly shifts into a sharp monologue, with Jones confronting a cheating lover.

The song works well in exposing the personality behind Oran “Juice” Jones falsetto.

Peaking at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart for two weeks.

The song with the first R&B chart-topper in Def Jam’s history.

Across the Atlantic, it peaked at #4 on the UK Singles Chart.

Beyond those major markets, “The Rain” also hit #2 in Greece, #3 in West Germany, #5 in the Netherlands, #6 in Belgium and Ireland, #8 in Canada.

“At the time, I saw a lot of my friends were going through some things,” Jones once explained. “You know, there’s the female companions. You know, they would always want to get violent and get gorilla with it and I wanted to keep it pimpin.’ There’s no reason….it didn’t start that way, so it shouldn’t end up that way. We just break bread. You go your way. I go my way. And it’s all love. You know, give me back what I bought you. (laughs) You know, and keep it moving. At the time, it was a little flip. I wanted to do something that was a little different from the norm. Because I’m not a violent cat.”

The song’s music video is considered a classis!

A video we use to run to the television to see, when we would hear it come on.

Columbia exec Ruben Rodriguez, said at the time, “This will give people a chance to see that Oran `Juice’ Jones is more than just a musical talent, he’s also a visual talent with tremendous charisma.”

The songs full narrative is laid out on screen, making it one of the most hilarious music videos of all-time.

Actress Danita Davis portrays the faithless partner.

Oran “Juice” Jones earned two Grammy nominations for “The Rain.”

“The Rain” unfolds like a short film in song form.

He opens with a smooth R&B chorus before shifting into a nearly two-minute spoken-word confrontation, penned by Vincent Bell, where he accuses his lover of infidelity with razor-sharp wit.

That dramatic recitation turned him into a storytelling pioneer in late-’80s R&B, blending heartfelt melody with theatrical flair.

The follow-up single, “Curiosity” peaked at #45 on Billboard’s Hot Black Singles chart, staying on the chart for 9 weeks.

Legendary rapper Kurtis Blow co-wrote and produced “It’s Yours” for the album.

On “It’s Yours,” Jones declares to his lady that he’s going out to pick up $200 or $300 worth of quarters, “because I’m gonna call you everyday!”

What can we say, we were 80s babies, we had phone booths, not cells.

Producer Vincent F. Bell created a clean, sparse backing that didn’t overwhelm Jones’ vocals.

Patience Higgins contributed saxophone solos to “1.2.1.” and “Two Faces.”

Oran “Juice” Jones followed it with the album “GTO: Gangsters Takin’ Over” in 1987, which featured “How to Love Again,” a duet with labelmate Alyson Williams.

Oran “Juice” Jones released two more albums, “To Be Immortal” and “Player’s Call.”

In 1997 Oran “Juice” Jones appeared on the Martin Lawrence film soundtrack “Nothing to Loose.”

In November 2014, he made a notable appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” performing his classic “The Rain” as part of the host’s birthday celebration.

Oran “Juice” Jones currently produces and scores music for commercials and independent films along with contributing to various hip-hop music blogs.

Oran “Juice” Jones has been actively involved in philanthropic efforts, particularly those aimed at supporting education and underprivileged communities.

His contributions include mentoring young musicians and participating in charity events to raise funds for youth programs.

He is also passionate about sharing his journey, often speaking to young people about the importance of education, discipline, and following one’s passion.

Oran “Juice” Jones legacy lies not only in his iconic hit, but also in his trailblazing role as one of the first R&B artists signed to Def Jam, paving the way for future generations of artists in the genre.

Oran “Juice” Jones influence on pop culture endures, particularly in how he redefined R&B storytelling in the 1980s.