The Return of D'Angelo and the Rebirth of R&B

[playahaitian]

The Return of D'Angelo and the Rebirth of R&B ​

good read​

The genre of "rhythm and blues" has been experiencing a major identity crisis over the past few years, but when you dig deeper it becomes clear the uncertainty surrounding this style of music is anything but new. A very jarring, but clear, way to see this is by way of the names that Billboard has assigned to this at-times-vague genre. While it is currently called the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart (and has been titled some variation of that since 1999), the list has gone through a series of names since its origin in 1942. A few:

The Harlem Hit Parade
Race Records
Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles
Hot Soul Singles
Hot Black Singles
Hot R&B Singles

These titles not only show how racially aligned the genre has been over the years, but also the various styles of music that this "urban" (don't get me started on this word, not now) medium has taken on.

But it's not just the names. It's also the content included in these charts.

The list of songs that topped the Billboard Hip-Hop/R&B charts in 2011:

Trey Songz, "Can't Be Friends"

Jamie Foxx (featuring Drake), "Fall For Your Type"

Nicki Minaj (featuring Drake), "Moment 4 Life"

Chris Brown (featuring Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes), "Look at me Now"

Miguel, "Sure Thing"

Kelly Rowland (featuring Lil Wayne), "Motivation"

DJ Khaled (featuring Drake, Rick Ross, & Lil Wayne), "I'm On One"

Big Sean (featuring Kanye West and Roscoe Dash), "Marvin and Chardonnay"

Lil Wayne (featuring Drake), "She Will"

Jay-Z and Kanye West, "N----- in Paris"

Wale featuring Miguel, "Lotus Flower Bomb"



Reading this list for the first time this morning, a few things immediately stood out. With the exception of Miguel, Trey Songz, and Jamie Foxx, nothing else on this list even begins to scream "rhythm and blues." It seems as if the genre has become synonymous with rap songs that have sung, slightly melodic hooks. (Important note: There is a chart just for rap, so know that these songs have their own space. But then there's the whole conversation about the difference between hip-hop and rap, which should happen, but not right now.) It's interesting to look at this list that R&B seems to currently rent space on, especially when looking back on the same chart from 10 years prior, in 2001. Actually, "interesting" is an understatement. It's shocking.

Destiny's Child, "Independent Women Part 1"
Jay-Z, "I Just Wanna Luv U (Give It To Me)"
Mystikal (featuring Nivea), "Danger (Been So Long)"
Outkast, "Ms. Jackson"
Joe (featuring Mystikal), "Stutter"
112, "It's Over Now"
Jagged Edge, "Promise"
Janet Jackson, "All for You"
Case, "Missing You"
Lil' Romeo, "My Baby"
R. Kelly (featuring Jay-Z), "Fiesta"
Usher, "U Remind Me"
Mariah Carey (featuring Cameo), "Loverboy"
Alicia Keys, "Fallin'"
Jagged Edge (featuring Nelly), "Where the Party At"
Ginuwine, "Differences"
Mary J. Blige, "Family Affair"
Usher, "U Got It Bad"

Looking at these two lists tells the whole story of what's happened to R&B. For the most part, in 2001, R&B artists were either standing alone or outsourcing a verse to a rapper to give it either (1) crossover, or (2) hood appeal. Over the 11-year period since, the tables have turned. Very rarely is a present-day R&B singer pulling a "Case" and singing verses and the chorus with no rapper to be found. As for the outsourcing process, it has become flipped, with the popular rappers of the day now giving the handouts to singers to croon their choruses. It's unfortunate how it happened so quickly and seamlessly.

I've had many a conversation about what R&B needs to become a powerhouse genre again, and the conversation has often ended with, "You know it would all be fine if ________ would just come back." I've often agreed with that sentiment (along with the one that the core of R&B lies with groups and nothing will change until that cycles back). I've agreed, because rhythm and blues is a nostalgic genre. It often produces extremely (sometimes overly) emotional songs, and people align them with certain times of their lives. There's also the "baby-making music" aspect that has been alive since the Teddy Pendergrass/Barry White era and has marched on (albeit not as loudly and proudly) to the present day.

Two weeks ago, I excitedly wrote on the news that Maxwell was going on tour to play all four of his albums. My excitement was only dwarfed by that of the thousands upon thousands of women who are still screaming because Maxwell is going on the road. Yes, this news was great for Maxwell, and yes, this was great news for the public, but more than anything this was great news for the genre. It needs a boost like this. The excitement surrounding this announcement was something I hadn't witnessed in years for an R&B artist. Sure, people were scrambling to get tickets to see The Weeknd in New York City, but people have been changing their whole summer plans to land in one of the three cities that Maxwell is performing in. This was huge.

And then this morning happened. One of the few living men who could overshadow a Maxwell announcement of that magnitude announced he would reemerge at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans this summer, after a decade in the dark.

D'Angelo.

Yes, the news that D'Angelo was back in the studio had people excited, but new music after a long break can also be cause to worry. When a man hasn't performed in the United States in a decade, there's no telling what his new stuff will sound like. What you do know, however, is his old stuff, and as long as he hasn't gone all Lauryn Hill on us, D'Angelo cycling through any/all of 1995's Brown Sugar and 2000's Voodoo, plus a few new tracks, could be legendary. In the handful of hours since this announcement was made, I've watched as people frantically look at their summer calendar and online checking accounts to see if they could make a trip to NOLA to see this spectacle. Again, the news of this tour and new music is awesome for D'Angelo and the public, but arguably even bigger for R&B. This is what the genre sorely needs right now. One can only pray that the lead single on D'Angelo's new album isn't a club banger with Flo Rida and Calvin Harris. If that happens, then it's all over. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Essence Music Festival tickets go on sale TODAY. Act accordingly.

Oh, and there's this, also known as "Reverse Kate Upton"
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SxVNOnPyvIU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[AlexanderNevermind]

d'angelo is overrated

 

[playahaitian]

d'angelo is overrated

 

[the artist]

He has to first be successful in keeping from destroying himself.

 

[playahaitian]

He has to first be successful in keeping from destroying himself.

i think he can...

if he can get the same crew he had led by Questo with Preemo in there...

I think he can...

 

[crossovernegro]

I see what you did there

d'angelo is overrated

 

[Mello Mello]

I hope so. We waited long for Maxwell to make his return but the hoopla wasn't all that I expected with his new release.

But I got faith in D'Angelo. He's been away but not without leaving a few features on other artist albums and other assorted tracks and cover songs. Dude has kept up with the sound despite his hiatus, I don't think he's lost the R&B sound we love.

 

[MadWun]

I hope he is successful.

I mean with a team consisting of QuestLove, Saadiq and the other SoulQuarian producers, he cannot go wrong....I hope.

 

[TEN]

He has to first be successful in keeping from destroying himself.

THIS.





using tapatalk

 

[playahaitian]

i'm just saying who out now has that signature sound he had???

did you see what passed for HIT R&B records awhile back

 

[woodchuck]

I hope he makes it back, but people are acting like there's no good shit out there at all. We have Mint Condition, Anthony David, Eric Robeson, Anthony Hamilton, The Rebirth, the Foreign Exchange clique, and others. Instead of waiting for D'Angelo to "save" and give R&B a "rebirth", how about supporting the good R&B that exists now? Shit, cats will run out to support Robin Thicke before they'd go to a Mint Condition show.

 

[playahaitian]

I hope he makes it back, but people are acting like there's good shit out there at all. We have Mint Condition, Anthony David, Eric Robeson, Anthony Hamilton, The Rebirth, the Foreign Exchange clique, and others. Instead of waiting for D'Angelo to "save" and give R&B a "rebirth", how about supporting the good R&B that exists now? Shit, cats will run out to support Robin Thicke before they'd go to a Mint Condition show.

I hear u chuck...

but I think people don't even KNOW what genuine R&B sounds like anymore...

and honestly except for Anthony Hamilton I didnt realize those groups were still out touring or releasing new music...

the radio is a cesspool lately fam.

 

[Idlemind]

D"Angelo or Van Hunt ? Honestly speaking Van Hunt been picked up where DAngelo left off, but didn't get the exposure ...

 

[AlexanderNevermind]

i'm just saying who out now has that signature sound he had???

did you see what passed for HIT R&B records awhile back

what signature sound is that?
he is not a master of any instruments
he can't write his "own" songs
Questlove babysat him during recording of DOODO album
this nigga still wanna be Prince
D'angelo aint have nothing to save, but himself from crack
so yeah take yo old ass to that old bum ass Essence festival
D;angelo aint nothing but musicsoulchild with straight eyes and a gym workout

 

[Mello Mello]

Thing is D'Angelo left the game with two great albums behind him. There have been other great artist to follow in his absence to appreciate but hey they say absence makes the heart grow fonder and he left at the top of his game. The fans recognize his potential and wanted the complete junior and senior album to complete the D'Angelo collection. So all this new media hoopla of his return has gotta translate into success.

 

[Mad Genius]

what signature sound is that?
he is not a master of any instruments
he can't write his "own" songs
Questlove babysat him during recording of DOODO album
this nigga still wanna be Prince
D'angelo aint have nothing to save, but himself from crack
so yeah take yo old ass to that old bum ass Essence festival
D;angelo aint nothing but musicsoulchild with straight eyes and a gym workout

stop it.

 

[DWBass]

I hope he makes it back, but people are acting like there's good shit out there at all. We have Mint Condition, Anthony David, Eric Robeson, Anthony Hamilton, The Rebirth, the Foreign Exchange clique, and others. Instead of waiting for D'Angelo to "save" and give R&B a "rebirth", how about supporting the good R&B that exists now? Shit, cats will run out to support Robin Thicke before they'd go to a Mint Condition show.

Word! And there are a ton more artists that kick the shit outtta what they play on the radio! I wanna hear more shit like R Kelly's Share My Love! Or Beyonce's Love On Top! Sick of hearing 80bpm looped songs! That's not real R&B! Stop dumbing down the music!

D'Angelo was onto something but he fucked up! Can he make a comeback? How long did it take for Sly Stone to make it back to the stage? Don't understand cats who have the world at their feet and instead head to a crackhouse and fuck it all up! (see Whitney Houston)

 

[Joe Money]

Is R&B Having an Identity Crisis?

Recent comments from musicians show anxiety about the genre's popularity—and about black artists' place in it.

The-Dream has written dance-pop hits for the likes of Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Mariah Carey, but his solo career has largely been about recording R&B. So he knows a thing or two about the phenomenon he recently complained about in the pages of The Guardian. "What's crazy is that blacks can't do soul records any more," he said. "We love Adele singing it, but Beyoncé singing it? No, the tempo's too slow, gimme the club hit. Now the blacks in America are responsible for the pop records, and everybody else is singing soulful records. It's weird to me. We're pigeonholed over there."
What's striking, though, is that only a few days later, Stephin Merritt—singer for the decidedly un-club-friendly, un-R&B indie-pop act The Magnetic Fields—voiced similar concerns to LA Weekly. "I like Adele, though I have some reservations about why people like her," Merritt said. "She really has a lovely voice, but I only get suspicious when people get excited about British people who sound like American black people."
"Basically she sounds like Anita Baker," Merritt continued. "And people are not, you know, wild and crazy about Anita Baker. And I think about the whole, with the racism, when people love when British people sound like American black people."

Both remarks sparked criticism. Some questioned The-Dream's own role in the state of soul, while others charged Merritt with hypocrisy (he's faced accusations of racism, himself). And plenty of Adele fans were quick to argue that the singer's success comes from the quality of her music and the fact that it sounds different from anything else on radio. What's inarguable, though, is that the two men's statements speak to larger, widespread anxiety about the state of modern R&B—and black peoples' place in it.

It's not that there are no new black R&B artists. Singers such as Jazmine Sullivan, whom Adele beat out for Best New Artist at the 2009 Grammys, offer music just as soulful and introspective only with a minuscule fraction of Adele's fame. The same can be said about a gifted vocalist like Ledisi or Miguel. And it remains to be seen whether a newcomer like Stacy Barthe will enjoy Adele's success or turn out to be the Sharon Jones to her Amy Winehouse.

The problem, many black R&B artists say, is the way that in-vogue club pop sounds have infiltrated the genre they love. So-called R&B radio stations play music that, save for tracks from the likes of Trey Songz or Mary J. Blige, aren't actually R&B—yet get labeled as such because black artists are singing on them: tunes like Drake and Rihanna's "Take Care" or Usher's "Climax" (which Usher calls "electro soul," whatever that means). Earlier this year, Boyz II Men, who at their peak scored several megahits off their soulful tracks, made this point. On the state of contemporary R&B, member Shawn Stockman said, "It's taken a step to what I think really isn't R&B. It sounds more electro pop, I think the only reason people call it R&B is cos black folks are singing it."

In 2010, Erykah Badu turned off her radio and took to Twitter to complain as well about the "electro pop" turn R&B has taken, writing: "They playd 6 in a row today- #pop techno songs back to back with so called r&b and rap artists... on the [hip-hop] station. Where I been? Like I said, how y'all gone STAND by and let our music turn into pop techno cornball ass music?"

She went on: "I like the idea of no distinction in race when it comes 2 music, but SOULkeepers, U dont give up the boom bip and the hump 4 the payday."

Trey Songz, one of the few successful artists where the R&B tag is actually applicable, echoed Badu's thoughts in an interview with the Power 105.1 radio show, "The Breakfast Club." "The success of crossover is something we all want to attain, but the route to get there is what's important to me," Trey said. As for why so many of his peers have changed their sound, he acknowledges that it was "the easy thing to do right now to get a hit." Indeed, Trey noted that, "It's not cool to be an R&B singer no more."

As a child of the '80s, Trey can remember when it was cool and how soul singers didn't have to go so left to enjoy certain successes. He said he could recall "a time that Luther Vandross could sell out Madison Square Garden four nights straight with straight soul music and be in the top 100, but that's not what it is right now."

On that same show this week, another R&B artist, Dawn Richard (Danity Kane, Diddy-Dirty Money), spoke about trying to bring innovation to the genre but opting to start off independently releasing her music. It seems label reps would tell her they liked what they heard, but found the sound too risky to offer a record deal.

Rationalizing their ambivalence, Richard asked: "Why would you take a risk on a brown girl? There's no brown girl considered pretty right now poppin' in the game. A dark skinned game. Kelly Rowland? There are, but I'm talking about in that crossover world. They're not allowing it."

What has been allowed, though, is what's selling on radio. The traditional notion of R&B may not be dead, but it does seem destined to live in obscurity until popular tastes change again. As Badu put it, "I love house and techno as a side dish. But now it's served as the main course AND that's ALL u gone get."

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/04/is-r-b-having-an-identity-crisis/255310/

 

[Joe Money]

Word! And there are a ton more artists that kick the shit outtta what they play on the radio! I wanna hear more shit like R Kelly's Share My Love! Or Beyonce's Love On Top! Sick of hearing 80bpm looped songs! That's not real R&B! Stop dumbing down the music!

D'Angelo was onto something but he fucked up! Can he make a comeback? How long did it take for Sly Stone to make it back to the stage? Don't understand cats who have the world at their feet and instead head to a crackhouse and fuck it all up! (see Whitney Houston)

Just out the vid below and think about how drugs and alcohol took damn near all of them down!!

 

[dtownsfinest]

d'angelo is overrated

On some real shit I never got the facisination with dude. I respect him as a artist but if the R&B genre is dead and it needs D'Angelo to revive it than its going to continue to be dead.

 

[45mm]

what signature sound is that?
He is not a master of any instruments
he can't write his "own" songs
questlove babysat him during recording of doodo album
this nigga still wanna be prince
d'angelo aint have nothing to save, but himself from crack
so yeah take yo old ass to that old bum ass essence festival
d;angelo aint nothing but musicsoulchild with straight eyes and a gym workout

you dont know what your talking about...

 

[sirwoodz]

On some real shit I never got the facisination with dude. I respect him as a artist but if the R&B genre is dead and it needs D'Angelo to revive it than its going to continue to be dead.

man i was literally thinking this exact same thing....

voodoo was pure trash...

 

[woodchuck]

man i was literally thinking this exact same thing....

voodoo was pure trash...

Outside of "The Roots", I didn't really care for it. Although, Raphael Sadiq's bass playing was sick. Btw, here's the song my dude Stu submitted for the album, but it didn't make the cut.

 

[MoneyInTheBank]

 

[AlexanderNevermind]

you dont know what your talking about...

oh I don't
niggas new songs all sound like Prince reject fart songs
nigga still trying to play guitar, LOL he is worse then Lil Wayne sing that shit as a prop
Questlove babysat that nigga during the process of making doodoo
dmumbolo aint got no orginal sound yet, his biggest hit was a Prince tribute that D'angelo himself aint even write
only old ass bum niggas want to listen to that poetry bullshit soul music with weak ass instrumentation bland shit

 

[Mr. Del]

oh I don't
niggas new songs all sound like Prince reject fart songs
nigga still trying to play guitar, LOL he is worse then Lil Wayne sing that shit as a prop
Questlove babysat that nigga during the process of making doodoo
dmumbolo aint got no orginal sound yet, his biggest hit was a Prince tribute that D'angelo himself aint even write
only old ass bum niggas want to listen to that poetry bullshit soul music with weak ass instrumentation bland shit

D'Angelo obviously fucked your girl or raped your mom or something.

I never... ever used the word "hater" in my life, but why are you trying so hard?

Why so passionate against the dude making music?

I bet if I looked into your post history, you never typed so aggressively against anything ever. Why D'Angelo?

 

[AlexanderNevermind]

D'Angelo obviously fucked your girl or raped your mom or something.

I never... ever used the word "hater" in my life, but why are you trying so hard?

Why so passionate against the dude making music?

I bet if I looked into your post history, you never typed so aggressively against anything ever. Why D'Angelo?

why you getting all butt hurt?
How am I hating, when I clearly stated the obvious about dude's music.

1. His best tracks are Prince tribute songs: Untitled
2. He uses the guitar as a prop, the same way Lil Wayne does, he has no chops



I like some of his jams, but he is no king of anything.

the OP posted "The Return of d'angelo and the rebirth of R&B"

 

[bgbtylvr]

d'angelo is overrated

...Sounds like he wouldn't return your calls or respond to your letters.

 

[Joe Money]

...Sounds like he wouldn't return your calls or respond to your letters.

Check his screen name! Obviously a Prince fan. A lot of Prince fans hate musicians they regard as his clones, like Georgio, Ready For the World (oh sheila), Terence Trent D'Arby , and Maxwell. They really hate Terence, because he was better than Prince in some respects and had just as much of an ego!

D'Angelo was at his best when he channeled all of his influences, from Curtis to Marvin to Prince, and added his own twist. He fucked up by getting in too deep with the bourgeois neo-soul crowd and over-thinking his music. Hence, the disaster that was Voodoo.

 

[Mr. Del]

why you getting all butt hurt?
How am I hating, when I clearly stated the obvious about dude's music.

1. His best tracks are Prince tribute songs: Untitled
2. He uses the guitar as a prop, the same way Lil Wayne does, he has no chops



I like some of his jams, but he is no king of anything.

the OP posted "The Return of d'angelo and the rebirth of R&B"

Butt hurt? Did you read what you wrote about dude?

I liked his first album, didn't like the second one so much. I think that's fair.

You don't like his style. That's fair too.

But you just attacking dude like he really disrespected you in the past.

Let it go, man.

As a matter of fact, weren't you in another thread trashing dude?

 

[Mr. Del]

he still copying Prince, and still making weak sauce funk jams with that weak ass pino on bass, and them weak ass guitar lines

Funk guitar lite
Pino is wack bro as a funk bassist, or for whatever that shit D'angelo is trying to do sounding like a broke ass Pfunk band

:

Yeah, he inspired a bunch of lazy ass soul hack music by a bunch of lazy R&B niggas who have no instrumental skills, can't write songs, etc - Hell D'angelo had 50 cooks on Doodoo album, niggas so lame it tales them 10-12 years to try to come up woth a track that don't sound half baked or some prince outtake they heard trying to make songs out of it

D'angelo cool and all, but lets not make this shit out like the nigga is some sort of GOAT or musical genius

LOl, really nigga going to go wood, and is touring overseas first like all the other black has beens, he can't bring that weak show and them weak songs aka one long ass boring vamps or prince outtake knock offs to the states yet, they have a long way to go to bring that show to the states - D'angelo is a wannabe just like his entire camp of wannabes -

The last tour was ok, more (SOTT ERA) homage then Dangelo. and this tour and the song I have heard are leaning more toward Parade, bTW which was also straight jacked on that dodoo album

D'angelo aint done much of anything but take his clothes off to get people to buy his album, he is not that great of a keys player, composer etc. He is a wannabe.

Look how hurt dude is? LMAO. You'll be alright.

 

[woodchuck]

Check his screen name! Obviously a Prince fan. A lot of Prince fans hate musicians they regard as his clones, like Georgio, Ready For the World (oh sheila), Terence Trent D'Arby , and Maxwell. They really hate Terence, because he was better than Prince in some respects and had just as much of an ego!

D'Angelo was at his best when he channeled all of his influences, from Curtis to Marvin to Prince, and added his own twist. He fucked up by getting in too deep with the bourgeois neo-soul crowd and over-thinking his music. Hence, the disaster that was Voodoo.

Fuck you know 'bout Georgio?!

 

[godofwine]

He has to first be successful in keeping from destroying himself.

I hope so. We waited long for Maxwell to make his return but the hoopla wasn't all that I expected with his new release.

But I got faith in D'Angelo. He's been away but not without leaving a few features on other artist albums and other assorted tracks and cover songs. Dude has kept up with the sound despite his hiatus, I don't think he's lost the R&B sound we love.

us 70's 80's & early 90's musicheads just want REAL music to make a comeback and that bullshit passing as music to die like a gunshot to the head-quickly. This shit lasted more than twice the time disco did, when lyrics didn't matter.

 

[Joe Money]

us 70's 80's & early 90's musicheads just want REAL music to make a comeback and that bullshit passing as music to die like a gunshot to the head-quickly. This shit lasted more than twice the time disco did, when lyrics didn't matter.

Good R&B is still out there. You just have to find it. It's really not going to be on the radio.

 

[jbug76]

Got to give D'Angelo his props. He inspired many of the artist that has kept music alive for those of us that want that soul felt shit. Not the radio garbage, but that Erro, Mothers Favorite Child,Geno Young etc... I would listen to his rehashed (if you Say so) style music than that radio shit.