Does anybody ever wonder what happened to R&B music? As I listen to the new Anthony Hamiliton CD, I contemplate why music like his does not get played on the radio. To go along with that, why aren't more artist like him signed to major labels?
My theory is that Rap murdered R&B.
How you ask? Well, R&B artist of today seem to respect modern day rappers more than legendary soul men like Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield or Donnie Hathaway. What's my evidence for such a claim? Who do you think Akon was emulating when he released "I wanna f**k you?" While the soul men of yesteryear had class and smoothness, most of today's R&B artist are vulgar and have no craftiness.
This can mainly be attributed to the mixing of both genres by music executives. P. Diddy's idea (although the New Edition spin off group BBD did it first) of making acts like Mary J. Blige and Jodeci into R&B singers/with Rap beats, has had negative long term consequences for both genres. Though, R&B has been more severely damaged than Rap.
Now, before the sistas who do read this blog erupt with outrage over condemnation of Jodeci and Mary J. Blige, let me say I like them both. But you have to concede that Mrs. Blige's music has gotten better since she stopped working with P. Diddy. Her style is more Adult contemporary/soul music than Rap, now. As far as Jodeci goes, the more thuggish their music got, the less effective they became as a group.
Where Rap has hurt R&B the most is artistically. Like I stated earlier, the song writing by some of today's so called soul singers is terrible. Ray J's "Sexy Can I" or Akon's "Smack that," are examples of the negative influence that Rap has had on the art form. Most lyrics in today's R&B world revolves around cheating, strip clubs or just flat out lust. The days of genuinely singing about love and relationships has gone out the window. Now, I know great soul men like Marvin Gaye and Teddy Pendergrass sung about sex, but I'll be damned if it wasn't some of the most artful/slick stuff a man has ever recored to a woman. These cats were smooth, no one can honestly say "Smack That" and "Let's get it on" are on the same level. Same subject maybe, but completely different skill levels of artistic class and expression. What certain Rappers/R&B clowns don't understand is most people generally prefer what's graceful to something vulgar.
Along with a drop off in artistic expression, the image these characters choose is even worse. Take for example "the great peeing on underage Black Girls crooner R. Kelly," who labeled himself in R&B thug. Many other artist have tried to claim this style for themselves as well. Which means most of their videos look like the average Rapper's, half naked women and strip clubs.
With almost twenty years of this nonsense polluting the airways and the minds of our young, most under thirty year olds (hell, some over 30 as well) don't know what good music is. They've been dumbed down to point where if a song is positive, it's considered wack.
Hell, some of the best R&B today isn't even made by Americans. The British seem to have a better appreciation for soul/R&B music. Amy Winehouse, Joss Stone, Estelle and Duffy have been part of a British soul invasion that makes most American R&B acts look silly, at least in my opinion.
How do we bring soul/R&B back? We've got to support and advocate for it to return on the airways. Also, let a youngster that you have a relationship with, listen to some good soul/R&B music. If their averse to listening to it, hold them down if you must! We have to bring soul/R&B music back by any means necessary!
Just kidding about holding the kiddies down part!
9 comments:
I couldn't agree with you more.
I'm an old school R&B guy myself...(even though I came of age at the dawn of Hip -Hop)I still appreciate the soul of Marvin,Stevie,Curtis,Donny,Wilson
and Otis Redding. Anthony Hamilton
kind of reminds me of them.
That boat has sailed. I think there is a whole generation who grew up on rap and R&B is second. I am one of those guys and the only time I remember hearing R&B was when the dance was coming to an end. I was in Baltimore one night and they don't even play the slow jams anymore. R&B will always have a place for entertaining women but I don't think the masses especially men care for R&B. That's why you have R Pee Kelly looking like a rapper but singing trying to get men to be alright with crooning. But overall R&B has lost its spot because a more vibrant form of entertainment has come along.
I think Keith is biased because of his age (no offense) and Freemanpress because of his need to seem more macho than everybody (no apology for that).
R&B is still good music to get the "R(ight woma)N(in the)B(ed)".
Keith,
Thanks for commenting!
Anthony Hamilton does have some old school flavor to him. Some people say he sounds like Bill Withers, let me know what you think about that.
Peace
Freeman,
I think there is a place for Hip - Hop and R&B.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti Hip Hop. I'm just anti ignorance. Notice, I didn't say Hip - Hop murdered R&B.
The Force MD's dropped "Tender Love" in 1985, when Hip - Hop was fun. The lyrics were not over the top and they presented a much different image of themselves.
Black music is Black music. My point is we don't have to be ignorant doing what we do.
Peace
Zack,
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I appreciate the continued support.
Peace
The shit that is being made today is not Hip-Hop, it is straight up Rap. There is a difference. I agree with you totally though. The music that is played constantly on the radio is so dumbed down, I have to read a book about anything after my commute home every night just to keep my mind where I want it to be.
But I was raised listening to Hip Hop and I ain 't ashamed to say I still listen to Hip Hop. Old school, Hip Hop that is.
I agree. Three things strike me.
First, the producers of the R&B people weren't--and still aren't-- that talented. They were limited to just a certain sound. So, after a while, a lot of the music started to sound the same. A lot of still sounds the same. Contrast this to Motown, where they had people like Norman Whitefield. He wrote and produced songs for Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight ("Heard it through the Grapevine," "Midnight train to Georgia," etc., the Four Tops. But the groups had their own sound, their own arrangement with a certain stamp on it.
Second, the singers aren't that talented. Everybody is trying to find some new singer, some new group. But some just aren't that good. They can do one or two songs and that's it. By contrast, Motown had a stable of stars that they groomed. Lots of music lessons and hours of choreography
went into making it all look easy.
Third, the quality of the songs are low. Instead of writing and producing a song about relationships such "Try a little Tenderness" by Otis Redding or "What's going on," they write about getting with somebody and licking them from their head to their toes. Too shallow, too common, too crude. Bad music.
Keep speaking the TRUTH, bro.
Dirty Red,
Thanks for the comment brotha! I'm still listening to Black Star's only album!
Peace
MacDaddy,
Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
I agree with everything you said, especially about Motown. Say what you want to about Berry Gordy the business man, but you can't deny that he definitely cared about the music Motown distributed. Like you said, he groomed his stars. That's something today's A&R's have no idea or interest to do.
Peace
You know, what i think that music has lost its touch people have gone away from their own sense of self because that where music is from. when you sing about love you must be able to understand what you are saying now, in today's modern day Rnb music people are doing what they live and what they do to their women, lying cheating, hurting another person, treating 'em likes jerks and everything that comes with it.
Mary Blige's song with Grand Puba is the song that killed R&B as far as I am concerned.
When I heard "All my life I looked for you" then heard "And grand puba's somethin kinda specialllll"
It was that moment that I realized something evil infected, corrupted, and totally changed R&B into a slave to Rap.
Post a Comment