Is R and B dead? There really isn't a simple answer to this question. From one perspective, I say YES! Here are my reasons why I feel R and B is dead in 2009:
When the campaign began about Hip Hop being dead, many rappers and industry insiders were offended. Well, I felt people that proclaimed that Hip Hop was dead had many, many valid points. With R&B, noone can deny that real, true and soulful R and B is living in today's current music industry. R&B is dead for that reason alone. My new book Rhythm Without Blues: The Dichotomy of a Music Genre details vivid opinions, viewpoints and arguments about the state of R&B and the music industry as a whole. Today, R and B is not R&B. I am sure you are asking yourself "what does she mean by R and B is not R and B?" Well, R andB today is Hip Hop mixed with watered down lyrics, boring vocals and uninspiring melodies. R and B is not really R and B. Let's examine this further....What did R and B look like decade by decade...
R&B in the 1960's: Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke, Motown
R&B in the 1970's: Curtis Mayfield, Motown (again), Mavis Staples, Michael Jackson
R&B in the 1980's: Luther Vandross, Anita Baker, Phyllis Hyman
R&B in the 1990's: R. Kelly, SWV, Mary J. Blige, New Edition, Jagged Edge, Brandy
R&B in early 2000's: Tamia, Deborah Cox, Syleena Johnson, Joe, Anthony Hamilton
R&B today: Ledisi, Trey Songz, Keyshia Cole, and many more.
Is Drake, Jeremih, Trey Songz, T-Pain and many others are they considered R and B.....?
Do you see the change, the transition, the watered down vocal ability......Today we do have artists that are artistic, musical and who have voices that are powerhouses but that is the minority.....where is Jagged Edge, Anthony Hamilton, Kelly Price, and others...why arent they considered mainstream R and B....NO disrespect to artists out there but vocally the artists that exist today are weak in comparison to 5 or 10 or even 20 years ago....so now ask yourself...is R and B dead?
YES. Hip Hop destroyed R and B's movement.....Urban radio ruined R&B's mainsteam appeal and finally the major record label created an environment where PROFIT over ARTISTRY rules!
So,................................ R&B is DEAD! Join my campaign to SAVE R&B. Check my youtube blog this week about the issue....www.youtube.com/syleecia........My new book is coming soon...BUY TRUE R and B...support R and B artists......go to concerts of real artists....demand that your radio station save R and B...
ARE YOU WITH ME?
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I agree Syleecia
ReplyDeleteMJC Entertainment
ReplyDeleteWas Here!
Marcus! Would you like to respond?
ReplyDeleteI would love to see R & B revived however, like so many other genres that developed out of the African American community, for some reason it may be our counterparts who maintain and write the story.
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