Rap amd R&B is dead
- Thread starter mcguyver
- Start date
Yeah, the 90s were unparalleled. It was truly the decade where hip-hop and RnB became inseparable. Don't get me wrong, the 80s were great. But the two genres had only started to cross pollinate as hip-hop matured.
The deluge of 70s, 80s R&B MUSIC GROUPS (they read and wrote music, played instruments) was the outcome of U.S. policies to give Black kids instruments and start music programs in public schools.
Rap needs to be rebranded as poetry. The rap era reflected life at the time.
It expressed feelings, attitudes, outlooks and vision with rhythm and rhyme.
Some is good, some is great. Some lyrics are common to cultures WORLDWIDE!
Too bad it was just another Black thing made into another commidity to be sold.
Rap needs to be rebranded as poetry. The rap era reflected life at the time.
It expressed feelings, attitudes, outlooks and vision with rhythm and rhyme.
Some is good, some is great. Some lyrics are common to cultures WORLDWIDE!
Too bad it was just another Black thing made into another commidity to be sold.
Yep, I'm bumping some Warren G and Nate Dogg now. West coast blended warm melodies with hard hitting drums so well back then. I miss that shit.
I only listen to the old rap, hip-hop and R&B.
Oldfucks like that baldheaded cocksmuggler above don't know where to look. You ever notice no "true" audiophile complains about music? You know why? These extremely fly motherfuckers know where to look.
This guy is going to ride as many dicks to make it where he got to go, because shis skraggly ass is always fucking yapping.
This guy is going to ride as many dicks to make it where he got to go, because shis skraggly ass is always fucking yapping.
Its not as good and its not the same, but its plenty of good current shit to listen to. The style is just different, but nothing hit like them 90s ballads.
He missed a whole bunch of people. That era was insane though. And I was a teenager during that time...well 10 to 16. But that's when the music really hits you.
most of the joints i bump in the old school are 90's...some late 80's but them 90's was a m-f,back to back to back hits... 
Is it dead or have we just become our parents?
It seems like every generation looks down on the current era of music. For example, if you talk to my father, Beyonce isn't impressive. You talk to your uncle and nobody is better than Rakim.
Also, no one wants to admit it, but gate keeping may not have been the worst thing in terms of talent. Not saying today's generation is talented but there is no filter. Anyone can claim to be a rapper and may get enough of an audience to somewhat quantify the claim.
It seems like every generation looks down on the current era of music. For example, if you talk to my father, Beyonce isn't impressive. You talk to your uncle and nobody is better than Rakim.
Also, no one wants to admit it, but gate keeping may not have been the worst thing in terms of talent. Not saying today's generation is talented but there is no filter. Anyone can claim to be a rapper and may get enough of an audience to somewhat quantify the claim.
1970 to 1985 = peak R&B/Soul
1985 to 1995 - peak Pop
1990 to 2005 = peak Rap/Hip Hop
Every genre has its run. Hell, K-Pop is popular now.
1985 to 1995 - peak Pop
1990 to 2005 = peak Rap/Hip Hop
Every genre has its run. Hell, K-Pop is popular now.
I don’t think R&B is dead just yet. I noticed more and more young dudes coming up and then you still have guys like Calvin Richardson. Sometimes I’m scrolling on SM and run across new voices that fit the vibe very well.
Now Rap, yeah it feels like a slow pace at this point.
Now Rap, yeah it feels like a slow pace at this point.
Ehhhh…..In terms of hiphop being the undisputed #1 in terms of sales, you have a point.
But aren’t sales down across all genres? Everyone streams, nobody buys albums.
In terms of quality, there was a decent chunk of hip hop albums that came out last year.
I also think the death of radio and MTV/BET played a part.
But aren’t sales down across all genres? Everyone streams, nobody buys albums.
In terms of quality, there was a decent chunk of hip hop albums that came out last year.
I also think the death of radio and MTV/BET played a part.
People are lazy when it comes to finding good music. You have YouTube,Spotify,Amazon Music and etc yet people are crying about good music. You have people like PHABO,Amaria McGee,Mimmi Bangoura and etc that's good.
I actually found them on this Neo Soul radio station on YouTube,two years ago. I gotta find it...lol
On a popularity level and having the music in the eyes of the general public, yes R&B is dead.
Shit even having the music in the eyes of the general Black public, yes R&B is dead. Yes I could look deep within the crack and crevices to f all media to find a Black person singing R&B, but it's not at the forefront.
Shit or even the backfront
I know that it might be a me thing, but I can't tell you the last time I found and listened to some new R&B.
And Isaac's right, it was way more talent that came out in 90-96 than 20-26.
Shit even having the music in the eyes of the general Black public, yes R&B is dead. Yes I could look deep within the crack and crevices to f all media to find a Black person singing R&B, but it's not at the forefront.
Shit or even the backfront
I know that it might be a me thing, but I can't tell you the last time I found and listened to some new R&B.
And Isaac's right, it was way more talent that came out in 90-96 than 20-26.
^^^^^ that part
The music is there you just gotta find it.
And aint nothing wrong with playing all the thousands of songs from your youth over and over.
THATS EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DO.
Our parents said the same exact sh*t when hip hop and later 80s r&b got hot.
My kids got me liking Chappel Roan
When my mom passed i went back to all those 60s records I thought were too white. Now im back on jazz. Now I'm studying blues and Irish folk cause of Sinners.
Ain't nothing dead.
We need to address the fact that attention spans at all age levels is what is dead.
Algorithms hide a lot.
And we are flooded with too much content.
Algorithms hide a lot.
And we are flooded with too much content.
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If we're talking about the superstars, 100%. But quality? No. You just gotta search for it now. SiR, Masego, Smino, Ravyn Lenae, Lucky Daye, Leon Thomas, Tems, etc are all making QUALITY music. Paak has lowkey been on a crazy run between his own stuff, the shit with Bruno, and the shit with NxWorries
He’s correct, but also omits the fact that record labels don't have massive A&R budgets to "create" artists anymore. A good percentage of the artists he named weren't organic. They were styled and made to be that way. If you think labels don't have the ability to find real talent, create an image, and promote them then you're crazy. The return on that level of investment just isn't there. That doesnt mean what he said isnt true, but old heads gloating like our era was "just better" need to understand why that is.
LaFace did it with TLC, Uptown did it with Jodeci and Mary J. From New Edition to the Jackson 5. The list is long. That doesnt happen anymore....
LaFace did it with TLC, Uptown did it with Jodeci and Mary J. From New Edition to the Jackson 5. The list is long. That doesnt happen anymore....
They’ve just shifted the financial burden on to the new privileged class.
First, we need to draw a line at "Take Me Home" by Cher. The first mass-produced hit using auto-tune. After that everything was fucked.
We can also point to the use of machines thanks to Andy Moog and that korean? japanese? guy. Synths killed a lot of musicians' careers.
And finally, we can look to the continual budget cuts to public schools. Kids now have no music classes etc. This is part of the southern strategy to to keep the majority of the population stupid (and it works as evidenced by TWO trump victories) but the collateral effect was to kill a whole bunch of school programs.
A perfect storm of fuckery. But then...always remember it's not the music, it's the music INDUSTRY. The record BUSINESS. The record companies are in it to make money they could care less about quality. Their goal is quantity.
The absolute pinnacle of R&B was the 70s without question. There were so many talented groups and individuals cutting tracks that here in 2026 we are STILL "discovering" new ones because they slipped through the cracks.
As far as Rap goes, well, the less said the better.
We can also point to the use of machines thanks to Andy Moog and that korean? japanese? guy. Synths killed a lot of musicians' careers.
And finally, we can look to the continual budget cuts to public schools. Kids now have no music classes etc. This is part of the southern strategy to to keep the majority of the population stupid (and it works as evidenced by TWO trump victories) but the collateral effect was to kill a whole bunch of school programs.
A perfect storm of fuckery. But then...always remember it's not the music, it's the music INDUSTRY. The record BUSINESS. The record companies are in it to make money they could care less about quality. Their goal is quantity.
The absolute pinnacle of R&B was the 70s without question. There were so many talented groups and individuals cutting tracks that here in 2026 we are STILL "discovering" new ones because they slipped through the cracks.
As far as Rap goes, well, the less said the better.
Agree with the bolded.
Anybody can just waltz on in the industry without some kind of vetting/development.
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