Jaheim, Could It Be | Bangerz N Bopz

In the first edition of Bangerz N Bopz (2026), we highlight “Could It Be” performed by Grammy-nominated R&B artist Jaheim. 

Bring on the bold, fierce songs! Bangerz N Bopz serves up background info and insight into songs of various styles, especially songs that raise eyebrows and/or stir the pot.  Featured records can be classic or brand new. In the first edition of Bangerz N Bopz (2026), we break down “Could It Be” performed by Jaheim.

Oh, snap, and that’s only the intro! “Could It Be” marked the breakout hit for Grammy-nominated R&B artist Jaheim (Jaheim Hoagland).  His debut single appears as the sixth track on his platinum-certified debut album, Ghetto Love. “Could It Be” reached the top 40 on the pop charts, peaking at number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100.  It performed even stronger on the R&B charts, reaching number two. Balewa Muhammad and Clifton Lighty penned “Could It Be” with producers Wesley Hogges, Eric Williams, and Kent Lawrence. Notably, “Could It Be” samples the 1976 Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. classic, “Nothing Can Stop Me”.

“Could It Be” oozes with soul, PERIOD. The musical accompaniment, fueled by the sample and contemporary R&B sounds, helps solidify the soulfulness. Of course, the biggest contributor to the soul is Jaheim himself, who brings the Teddy Pendergrass (1950 – 2010) and Luther Vandross (1951 – 2005) vibes with more of a hard-nosed, street-savvy edge. His tone is to die for – distinct and gritty.  He masterfully brings the rough-and-tumble lyrics and tuneful melodies to life. “On the cross town with the top down, sounds banging out the backseats (Alright) /Me and this shorty too deep,” he sings in the first verse, and adds, “She’s flashing me thighs, wind blowing through her hair / Baby, we can take it there (Take it there).” Woo! Keeping things spicy in the second verse, he asserts, “Oh, girl, I wanna hit it in the worst way / After that, you’ll be coming back like every day (Oh yeah) / Send you back to your girls with something else to say / How I hit it, split it, had you with it ‘til the break of day.” D-d-damn! The chorus is the crème de la crème:

“Could it be my chromed-out whip? (Shorty)

Break your neck when you see a nigga dip (Oh)

Or could it be the ice you see?

But you tell me that you’re really feeling me (I’ve gotta know right now)…”

The bridge is intriguing, too.  Ja’ asks if it’s the material things he brings to the table that have all these ladies wanting to get with him? He concludes, “You tell me you love me, baby, but what’s that all about?” More than two decades after its bow, “Could It Be” remains a surefire, undeniable contemporary R&B gem.  Jaheim and his team put their feet into this one, NO CAP!

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Jaheim » Ghetto Love » Warner » 2001

Jaheim, Could It Be: Bangerz N Bopz No. 1 (2026) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Warner; Art Laurence Luzon, cottonbro studio, Osmar Vasques, Sebastian Ervi, Wallyson Nascimento from Pexels; Gordon Johnson from Pixabay]

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