I've been keeping my eye out for cats who could make a legitimate claim to the musical throne that Prince left vacant.
D'Angelo was the first cat I thought could make a legit claim, the musicianship and songwriting is there but his pace and bad habits probably eliminate him serious consideration.
Martin Luther (McCoy) former guitarist for The Roots made a big splash with his 2004 LP Rebel Soul Music, but he quickly fell off the musical map after that.
Van Hunt is an intriguing candidate, capable lead man, multi instrumentalist and solid songwriter. Just hasn't been able to break through to popular appeal
The main thing these cats lack is Band leader aspect that Prince and James Brown really showcased.
Who else is out there ?
Back in the early 2k's I would've agreed with this list. At one point I thought Janelle Monae had a shot at the title based on her first full album and energetic live performances. Unfortunately she started trying to make pop hits and chasing acting jobs. Right now I don't see anyone. Maybe the r&b, funk, and soul genres are dead. The next so-called genius may be coming from a different genre like EDM.