I'm For Real

I'm For Real: Howard Hewett and the Soul Tradition After Shalamar

Howard Hewett built his reputation as one of the most accomplished vocalists of the 1980s R&B scene through his work with Shalamar, the Soul Train Records group that produced a string of polished, danceable hits in the early part of the decade. His decision to launch a solo career in 1986 was a natural extension of the artistic confidence he had developed through that success, and "I'm For Real," his first solo single, demonstrated both his vocal range and his instinct for the kind of smooth, sophisticated R&B that was defining the genre's mainstream in the mid-1980s.

Hewett was born in Akron, Ohio, and came to music through the church, a background that shaped the gospel-inflected intensity that distinguished his voice even in the most secular R&B contexts. He joined Shalamar in 1979, stepping into a group that had been created by Dick Griffey and Don Cornelius as an extension of the Soul Train brand. With dancer and vocalist Jody Watley and dancer Jeffrey Daniel, Hewett formed the classic lineup that produced the group's commercial peak, including hits such as "A Night to Remember" in 1982 and "Dead Giveaway" in 1983.

Shalamar achieved particular success in the United Kingdom, where their blend of American funk and soul proved enormously popular with audiences that were also consuming the work of British acts influenced by similar stylistic approaches. The group won BRIT Awards and charted consistently in the UK, giving Hewett international visibility that extended well beyond his American profile. This experience with different market contexts informed his approach to his subsequent solo material, which was crafted with cosmopolitan production values that reflected the increasingly globalized nature of 1980s R&B.

After the departures of Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel, Shalamar continued with a new lineup, but the group's commercial momentum had been significantly disrupted. Hewett followed his former colleagues in pursuing solo opportunities, signing with Elektra Records as a solo artist. The transition to a solo career required him to develop a stronger personal artistic identity beyond his role as one voice within an ensemble, a challenge that "I'm For Real" was designed to address.

The single debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 8, 1986, at number 90. The record held that position for all three of its weeks on the chart, peaking at number 90 across the three-week run. While the Hot 100 performance was modest, the single's profile on the R&B chart was considerably stronger, reflecting the depth of Hewett's following among soul and R&B audiences who had followed him from his Shalamar years. Elektra Records positioned the release as the beginning of a sustained solo campaign rather than a one-off.

The production of "I'm For Real" reflected the sophisticated studio approach that was characteristic of mid-1980s R&B, with synthesized arrangements, programmed drums, and layered vocal production creating a polished, radio-ready sound. This aesthetic was standard for the genre in this period, when producers were drawing heavily on electronic instrumentation and digital production techniques that gave recordings a particular sheen associated with the decade. Hewett's voice was strong enough to cut through the production values and register its emotional content clearly.

The title's assertion, "I'm For Real," was a statement of authenticity that had specific resonance in the context of a newly solo artist working to establish credibility independent of a well-known group identity. The claim was both personal and professional, asserting that the voice audiences had valued in Shalamar was a genuine individual talent rather than a product of the collective. Hewett's subsequent albums for Elektra expanded on this premise, and he achieved significant R&B success through the late 1980s, confirming that the assertion made in his debut single was well-founded.

The broader context of 1986 R&B was one of considerable stylistic ferment. The emergence of new jack swing would shortly transform the genre's rhythmic vocabulary, but in 1986 the prevailing sound was still the polished, synth-driven approach exemplified by artists like Hewett, Luther Vandross, and Freddie Jackson. "I'm For Real" sat comfortably within this context while also working to establish Hewett's individual voice as a recognizable commodity in its own right, separate from the Shalamar brand that had been his professional home for the previous seven years.