Distractions

Released on May 2, 2006, by Verve Records, Distractions is the second full-length studio album by trumpeter Roy Hargrove's genre-blurring ensemble, The RH Factor. Following their acclaimed debut, this release leans heavily into an urban soul aesthetic, blending jazz-funk fusion with contemporary R&B. The album features a notable guest appearance by neo-soul icon D'Angelo on the track Bullshit, alongside a series of inspired, reflective vocal pieces and short, recurring instrumental vignettes titled Distractions. While the album divided jazz purists who found its crossover style too commercial or unfocused, it remains a celebrated document of the mid-2000s neo-soul movement, showcasing Hargrove's unique ability to bridge the gap between traditional jazz mastery and modern street-level grooves.