Right, no matter what you say, R&B doesn't exsist nowadays.

It was sung by black people who sang about discrimination and all the bad things in life, or in the case of the movie, two brothers who want to raise money for a church.

Now R&B is sung mainly by Black women, or white wannabes, who sing about Jelly and Scrubs. What the hell happened?

Can someone tell me when this change occured?

Now R&B is sung mainly by Black women, or white wannabe, who sing about Jelly and Scrubs. What the hell happened?

LMAO! There are still some good R&B singers out there. Alicia Keys, Jill Scott, Mary J Blige to name a few. Unfortunately three of the top R&B singers have dropped out the limelight. Aalyiah died a year ago, Mariah has gone insane, and Whitney is a drug addict *allegately*....

As for male R&B singers..., they all either sing to teenage girls(Usher), spend all their time crying and begging for women(Boyz to Men), or say how crappy men are to women and that THEY ALONE will make her feel better.:rolleyes:

R.Kelly's pervertions didn't help things either....

I've seen a couple of American music awards shows, and I have been amazed that they award R&B trophies for what is basically pop music sung by black Americans. Get five guys singing vaguely in harmony, and suddenly it's R&B? Don't think so. To me, R&B is James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and people like that.

I've seen a couple of American music awards shows, and I have been amazed that they award R&B trophies for what is basically pop music sung by black Americans. Get five guys singing vaguely in harmony, and suddenly it's R&B? Don't think so. To me, R&B is James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and people like that.

I agree 100% adam, our award shows are more about hype and not talent. You have to watch the Soul Train Awards for more realistic voting on R&B.

The same problem exist in the Country and Rock categories also. How can a Billy Ray Cyrus ever get an award for "Achy Breaky Heart"?:bugeye:

Originally posted by Thor
R&B... was sung by black people who sang about discrimination and all the bad things in life...That would be the blues... Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charlie Patton, Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, Roosevelt Sykes and Big Maceoa... a music style that is different from R&B (IMHO).

R&B is Patty laBelle, Whitney Houston, Aretha; and it is alive and well.

Peace.

Couldn't agree more, goofy ...

For those interested in the Blues, the real Blues, check out:

http://www.thebluehighway.com/tbh.html

Take care ;)

Honestly? Rap. That's what happened to it.

I mean, as I look down the list of R&B vocalists, I see it split into two veins: gospel R&B and sexy R&B.

There are not many Luther Vandrosses in the world, not as many Barry Whites as some would hope. Whitney Houston, part of the "gospel R&B" side in this division, is over. I mean, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"? Come on, it's not that tough to remember the words. As I've pointed out elsewhere, Rufus Wainwright can remember those lyrics and he's chuckling with the audience halfway through the song.

As Static76 noted, the male R&B singers mostly sing to little girls, but the movement of female "R&B" is interesting.

It's all sex and it's all tech. R&B used to be soulful lyrics over soulful music. Now it's high-volume whining and lamenting over a drum machine, catty temptation over a synth sample. There's not much soul left in it.

And that's why I say Rap is what happened to R&B.

You can still get the old-school R&B in local jazz scenes, but right now don't look for it on the major market. I've caught a lot of "R&B" lately, and it's coincidental that this topic comes up now because it's only in the last few weeks that I've noticed that the R&B singers are all going electronic.

I was sitting there watching some video (maybe Beyonce Knowles) on M2 with a woman singing in a gold outfit, stroking her bare thighs and generally trying to sex it all up. The next day I saw someone (I can't say who at all, I can't remember) in a similarly-cut dress, stroking her thighs and squatting low and generally making a temptress of herself. I was trying to figure out what this music was called when it hit me that this is where R&B went.

R&B videos of the contemporary flock remind me of those "We Are 18" adverts for phone-sex that get played late at night on cable stations.

my two cents,
Tiassa :cool:

tiassa, how does Rap even get in this argument?

ALL forms of music have been effected by the commercialization of today's Media. There are still many great R&B singers out there, you just have to wade through the crappy ones first.

Alicia Keyes, Jill Scott, Mary J. Blige, all are great singers and artists.

R. Kelly(when he's not hitting on teenage girls:( ), Jaheim, and groups like 112 still make good music.

In reality, there is still the same amount of good R&B singers as in the past. The problem is our Media has grown greatly, and barely capable singers can sneak through easier today than ever before(Ashanti, Cisco for example :rolleyes: ).

I'd have to agree with tiassa. Rap has had a large influence on how 'R&B' has tranformed

Originally posted by Adam
To me, R&B is James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and people like that.

Ooooh yeah. Amen.

Guys r&b still exists. In different forms and styles. Take sisqo..now that guy I admire listen to the vocals its great..and his former bad dru hill they had it goin on. Another heavy-weight r&b group : Az yet..Oh my god their song last night captures me from start to end..all the transitions great power vocals..Chek it out