For the last five years, R&B music has seen somewhat of an awkward shift. It’s not about love or lovemaking anymore. It’s about being overtly sexual: leaving nothing to the imagination. In the slew of mixtapes and mainstream CDs released just this year alone, I’m hard pressed to find something that really inspires me to set a mood for a quiet night at the spot with my girl. With 2010 more than halfway over, there’s a handful of artists that I’m dying to see resurrect the last leg of their musical career with some new R&B truth.
* I specifically left off certain vocalists because I’m only thinking about artists who have released material recently yet just left us hanging without as much as a good-bye blog on Global Grind
Tank
I swear, Tank is 1 of the more inconsistent male vocalists I’ve ever heard. It’s like he’ll have a great hit on his hands and then just bounce. Case in point, things fell through with the whole TGT idea. “Please Don’t Go” was his 1st major hit as an artist since about 2002. Yet there was no follow-up to that. He’s quite the songwriter, so we’ve heard his background vocals on other peoples’ records. But as an artist he’s left much to be desired in terms of promo. Per his twitter, he’s been busy writing for other artists and hosting R&B Live at the Key Club in LA. With a new label deal and his single “Sex Music” making radio rounds, hopefully he’ll get a spot on the charts towards 4th quarter/into 2011. Ironically, his new album is called Now or Never. This is your last chance Tank!
Brandy
Now that she’s gotten over her legal issues and the rumors about her with Flo Rida have blown over, I think we’re well overdue for a new Brandy project. And I don’t mean none of the Bran’Nu alter-ego nonsense. I mean, REAL BRANDY singing! The game is missing that powerful female vocalist. In an episode of her show with Ray J, she ugly-cries about how Rodney Jerkins didn’t give her his best musically on her most recent project. This is the same guy who produced her Grammy-award winning cut with Monica “The Boy is Mine”, as well as most of Never Say Never and Full Moon. Brandy, it’s time to move on baby girl! If she was smart, she woulda used Flo Rida’s international and digital popularity to put out a buzz single. Him and his nonexistent hairline are stacking up quite nicely compared to your favorite rapper’s #s [I'm just sayin]
Donell Jones
Truthfully, I feel like Donell is 1 of the most under-appreciated male vocalists in the last decade. It amazes me at how many people overlook him when they put together lists of great male vocalists from 2000-now. He released a couple mixtapes in 2009; however probably due to wack management, they didn’t get enough press. In case you missed out, here’s a link to 1 -> The 22nd Letter . It has great new material including remixes of his fan favorites. Buy his joint “The Lost Files” on iTunes.
Tamia
Discovered by Quincy Jones when he was like 60, Tamia has 1 of those feminine, softer voices that you just light up a Monte Cristo and chill (or drink Moscato, whatever your vice is). She had a big hit back in the day with Jermaine Dupri (“Imagination”). Fans of the hip hop artist + R&B combination got to check her out with the remix featuring Fab on “I’m So Into You”. She’s been busy raising her 2 daughters and playing NBA wife to veteran Grant Hill, while also coping with MS. But it’s time for her to get in the booth and at least give us 2 solid mainstream hits. Perhaps she should holla at that Swizz/Alicia connection. It helped Whitney out
Tyrese
Now I get it…he’s loaded off the Transformers and Fast & Furious franchises, but let’s not forget the success Tyrese has had as a singer. I mean, his movies are at the very least MTV Movie Award worthy, which doesn’t say much to his overall talent. If that’s what passes as “A” list in Hollywood, then yeah I guess it makes sense for him to stick to movies. But Tyrese will slay any male artist that you think is hot right now! Line them up and he’ll happily take them out, 1 by 1. It’s unfortunate that the only time we’ve seen him perform was at the BET Awards and R. Kelly’s “Pregnant” track.
I’m an 80s/90s baby, so I miss the sound of true R&B. I miss when you could put on a R&B CD and set the bedroom scene from start to finish: build-up to climax to falling asleep. These 5 artists have previously put out music that you can associate with your 1st schoolyard crush or maybe you had your 1st kiss to or losing your virginity. The R&B genre used to be synonymous with creating moments in time. What happened?
Article by Abdul Wilson
I survived 4 bullets so I can take any and everything the world throws at me. Being right all the time is a figment of the imagination, so I strive to always believe what's rational and logical. From South Beach to the Concrete Jungle, I've seen it all and done it all. Well sort of! Being a single dad of 2 girls, I spend my time teaching myself how to really know what women want.
Abdul has written 16 article(s) for us.
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Good list!!! I could add some more but you only had five you name. Good nonetheless
Who else is missing? I could use a reup to the iPod?
Lauryn Hill!
I thought about Lauryn Hill too but is she mentally able for a come back…lol
She had a great interview on NPR a few weeks ago:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128149135
And just released this song to the public :
http://www.muzicking.net/2010/07/lauryn-hill-repercussions.html?spref=fb
Here are my few Jon B., Amel Larrieux, Carl Thomas, Faith Evans, and Teedra Moses(even though she has had mad mixtapes and unreleased stuff but no full LP) are my folks I would add
Amel Larrieux…love it!
I forgot about Amel! I heard Faith Evans is about to drop something new 1st quarter…hopefully
Thank goodness she left Bad Boy!
Yeah bad boy has been the ruin of both Faith, Carl Thomas, and 112. Only one hie keeps around is Cassie and we know why….lol
Exactly…she's clearly not there for the talent…
Yes, talent! Just of a particular type
bwahahaha smh lol I’m being rude again :/
Bad Boy is 1 of those labels where you sign if you only wanna be hot for a few years. I’m anticipating the fall of Rick Ross and Dirty Money. Ha!
Lol @ AYancey
@ Abdul…I hope nothing happens to my girl Janelle Monae…I’m still surprised & shocked that she would even sign with that fool!
Yeah Puff didn’t come up with Take that! Take that! For nothin! LOL
Great list! I agree with them ALL. I def miss new school R&B that had an ole school vibe to it. Everyone you listed, I actually have on my ipod right now. I would say 87.6% of my music collection is older than 3 years, cause I just can't get into this new stuff.
I know you said people who have done things recently but I would add Kenny Lattimore and Deborah Cox. As for more recently, def Dave Hollister, I agree about Amel, and Jazzy Sullivan had GREAT potential… I'm saddened at her quick departure. I'd prolly also list people who are still making music, but don't quite curl all the way over like they used to back in the day.
I coulda sworn I heard Deborah Cox had a CD come out independently. Might have to do some Twitter research on that
New School R&B is definitely sorely missed from true music connosieurs. I even might throw Brian McKnight in the mix too. His 1st CD came up in my shuffle, flawless
I don’ t know if him having a radio show has anything to do with him not putting out any new music, but he should stick to singing!…Radio is not for him! Lol
I think the R&B from yesteryear just got a new name…Neo Soul.
This is kinda old, but check out this sampler :
http://www.amazon.com/The-Soul-Lounge-Vol-1/dp/B0…
Brandy is currently working on a new album. Tamia is rumored to be joining forces with Deborah Cox and Kelly Price for a new group. Amel Laurrieux also has a new album scheduled for release soon. Our job is to support good music from good artists. If we don’t do that and they disappear because of label/music industry politics, it’s usually because people are not showing a demand for their music through the support of sales. In other words, buy their albums, promote their albums, and you will see more albums from them.
Damn! That sounds like a dope super group if that ever comes into fruition
I doubt it will. Kelly Price got this "I love Jesus, so I can't sang nothing but Gospel" thang going on right now. Hope she comes out of it soon. The non-church going folk need to hear that voice…
Agreed! But, if good artists have wack promotion, then he will we know to support them? I'm finding that a lot of artists sell because they have a pristine infrastructure of a machine promoting them….
You know who's REALLY missing? Glenn Lewis! The fact that he had one of the most socially conscious singles out this DECADE and hasn't released anything since is a problem.
He just came up in my 'pod because of a song he has with Marsha Ambrosius from her mixtape…I wonder what he's doing musically
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