Malaika - Sugar Time (1993)

Once again, I am at a loss to find any info on an artist, in this case Malaika. Malaika scored a couple dance hits off of this album, "Gotta Know (Your Name)" and "So Much Love". I also remember the video to the former being played quite heavily back in the day. But despite this minor success, this woman had no profile and there is nothing on the internet about her that I can find. I imagine that she didn't find greater success because we already had one CeCe Peniston. Yes, this album was produced by CeCe's crew, including producers Steve "Silk" Hurley, E-Smoove, R.K. Jackson and David Morales. The album consists of house and R&B tracks that are almost a carbon copy of CeCe's music. And though Malaika has a lovely, soulful voice, it is not as memorable as CeCe's. I hate to compare, but really, she should have attempted her own sound. Malaika is certainly a good singer, and if she hooked up with the right producer, she could make a great return to the dance charts and finally live the life of the diva she was meant to be!

UPDATE: Fear not, Malaika has been found on Myspace and she is alive and well and still pursuing music. And CeCe was her college roommate and best friend, so it's no wonder she hooked up with her production crew and had a similar sound!  And she did release another single in 1995 called "Break It Down".

Video for Gotta Know (Your Name)

Video for Gotta Know (Your Name) (Maurice Joshua House Mix)

Download Sugar Time

1		Gotta Know (Your Name)
2		Sugar Time
3		Easy To Love
4		Something New
5		Lead Me Into Temptation
6		Don't You Know
7		This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)
8		You Do Me Good
9		So Much Love
10		Sweet Dreams
11		Gotta Know (Your Name) (Bonus Mix)
12		3 A.M.