Is R&B Dead ?, Bobby Valentino Says It Sucks (Video)
Date: 01/07/09 | By Singersroom News
Filed under: R&B News, Bobby Valentino
Just like Nas proclaimed 'Hip Hop Is Dead' a few years back, R&B singer Bobby Valentino says R&B is dead and has been dead for sometime..
In an interview with ThisIs50, the former DTP star says "I really think R&B (is) dead".
"I see a lot of R&B artists that make real records (but) radio is not playing that."
Answering a question that has been debated over the last few years, Bobby Valentino's sentiment about the state of R&B could have some truth to it.
Citing 90s power house R&B from the likes of Luther Vandross, Jodeci, Barry White and so many more, Bobby Valentino went on to say (in video below) "being an R&B artist you gotta grind a little harder now."
"You almost have to make a record that is more Hip Hop driven in order for radio to play your record which is kinda sad."
Recognizing a flip in trends from the days when Hip Hop stars were begging to get on a new record from Mariah Carey or Mary J. Blige, Bobby V. says "at one point it was the R&B records featuring the Hip Hop records".
"As R&B artists we're trying to get on the Hip Hop record".
What do you think...... Is Bobby Valentino right ?.....has R&B flipped with Hip Hop ?
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Bobby couldn't have said it better. 90's R&B had substance, chemistry and longetivity. I agree we are going to have to wait this TPAIN style of music. These computerized voice songs are getting ooooold. Good news, AL B. Sure is releasing his new cd this month!!!!
Today's R& b is just as nasty as the Rap songs,that's right it's about hustling,and getting sex.When the Old School Artist made love songs,they did it with taste {maybe a few didn't}and they didn't have to make all black women sound like easy hoes in heat like these other artist of today do.White artist don't make they're women out of hoes like alot of our black artist do.
I agree with you my dude..
J.Reed i completely agree, Tank cd is excellent and he surprised the heck out of me. as far as beyonce as browndiva mentioned those songs from beyonce wont be relevant in 20 years. its no substance in music thats getting airplay no more. Leandro, the artist who you mentioned arent my cup of tea either. 98% of the music out today is so BLAH. oh well i'll continue to support who put of out excellent music up to my standards.
R&B is starving for Toni Braxton, she has her own style, and she can still deliver. Did I mention she is fine?! Most pretty women use their prettyness to sell their music, more that their vocal chops. Toni is almost here. Hurry on up!!
@ mstellitlikeitis, I like what you had to say, but must disagree with you in regards to Beyonce. She, too, is a part of this microwave era of music. Her music as of late is not memorable. I can't see myself loving Halo in twenty years; I'm sure I'll forget about it after its run its course. It IS a good song, but it's pop...it's pop and not the R&B that Dangerously in Love made her so famous for so in a way, she too, has sold out for the popcorn machine and as a result her jumping to songs like Halo and If I Were a Boy come across as less authentic and devoid of a natural progression. Big business, record companies wanting to make billions has made the music industry and the genre of R&B to suffer as it is. And most of these artists out there have jumped on the bandwagon of branding themselves across a wide array of fields and in doing so have lost the essence of their 'soul' in favor of the almighty dollar. Beyonce game proper.
He's correct for the most part. I WANNA ALSO ADD THAT IT'S NOT DEAD, IT'S JUST THAT MOST OF THE RECORD EXECS WERE OR ARE FORMER HIP-HOP ARTIST(JERMAINE DUPRI, JAY-Z, SCARFACE, LUDA, DIDDY, DRE, ETC.) R&B MARKETING AND PROMO NEEDS EVOLUTION, OR ELSE R&B WILL BE ALMOST AS EXTINCT AS NEO-SOUL WILL BE.
I don't know his music and I don't know if I agree with him. Al Green, Seal, Raphael Saadiq, Kenny Lattimore, Phil Perry, Angela Johnson, Dannielle DeAndrea, Leon Ware, Solomon Burke, Divine Brown, Liquid Spirits, Nikka Costa, Kissey Asplund, Adele, Erykah Badu and Nneka. All these artists released an album last year, and they're dope! Dope, dope, dope, but they don't get much airplay.
He's completely right but if I make it through that'll all change.I just don't understand how kids raised in the 80's and 90's condone this bulls*** music theres only few that can see the truth.Which is that music sucks-a bunch of no-talent hacks who are based on the wat they look.But when you try to say something like him and Nas they'll just resort to the juvenille mind set people have now and call you a hater.
Well its all about the generation of listeners. Right now were in the microwave music era. If you notice, a song will be on the 106 and Park countdown in January and you forget all about it by March. Back in the days songs became classics that you still want to listen to years and years from now. That's why my Ipod is filled with 90's and 80's music. Damn - and I LOVE R&B. I find myself listening more to big Pop ballads like Halo from Beyonce and Scared of Lonely now because atleast there is some substance.