I was looking in the gallery when I came across that "My father named me Prince" interview in Code magazine. There was a good paragraph in there about today's R&B music.

Prince said "I've been tripping latley on how wack Rhythem and Blues sounds today. It's either(songs like) 'Bills, Bills, Bills" or "No Pigons" If that is the way men and women speak to eachother, no wonder relationships are such a mess." Prince shakes his head and laments the lack of real romance in today's music.

I really have to applaude Prince for his observation. He is totally right. New R&B music is just really lame. I love seventies and eighties R&B because it was very sexy and sensual. Nowadays it is all "What are you gonna do for me?" "I'm going to play you" It is all about this stupid power men and women think they have over eachother. What happened to just liking someone and expressing it and wanting to be around them not for any personal gain but because you just feel good around them?

Right on Prince.
[Edited 12/5/05 7:29am]

I blame hip hop for the way R&B sucks today. The materlism and mysoginy (sp?) of hip hop seeped into R&B about 10 years ago and it's been the worse for it ever since.

CreamyThighs said:

You are so right! Hip hop has wreaked havoc on R & B! It's monopolized the industry and makes it difficult for any real audience to break through. John Legend, Jill Scot, Angie Stone, IndiaArie are exceptions rather than the rule.

cntrvrsi said:

And almost no live drums.

R&B these days is really just rap with someone who can sing on top of the track.

R&B is a joke today. It's all rap with people singing from time to time. I stick to the 70's-early 90's R&B. It's such a danm shame.

Rhythm & Blues????

Nope!!!

Rhythm & Blahs is more like it...

R & B still exists?
[Edited 12/5/05 9:30am]

I thought it died from heart failure when Whitney declared Bobby Brown it's king back in the 90's!

SexyBeautifulOne said:

He's the Kang Of Errrr -N- Beeeee!!!

CreamyThighs said:

Couldn't agree more.

I only do Classic R&B, songs that make you wish you were in love and break down exactly how you feel about someone. Simply beautiful

It's not quite dead but it's hurting. Too many producers, not enough musicians. Still, seeing artist like Leela James make some waves gives me hope (though they tend to get labeled "neo-soul" for some reason.)

Honestly, with music in general there's always been more crap than cream. Although the crap may dominate the charts at any given time, the cream will still be making records in ten years. keep hope alive!


.
[Edited 12/5/05 10:38am]

I blame videos.....its about the look....not about the music and talent.

The TRUE singers all sing gospel.

It was the end of R&B when they combined the category into "hip/hop and r&b" as if they are the same genres.

Rhondab said:

You're right. Once they combine genres, usually one of the two will suffer. Just like Rythmn and Blues. When they did that, blues was all but forgotten. An ocasional single from Malaaco records and that was it. Though still around, blues was gone as a major force in the industry. Now the same is true of Hip-Hop/Rythm and Blues. One reason why rap is so beloved by the masses is because it's much easier to do. Everybody use to dream about playing basketball. Now they dream about becoming rappers. Its understandable but I still don't like it.

Rhondab said:

I think you may be on to something!

funkpill said:

Yep. P comes from the old school, which simply means that there are crucial elements that go into writing a complete "good" song; music, lyrics, melody, structure and "hook". Good musicianship in the song is an important element as well. This is what P grew up on and applied in his music as well. I myself and many other musicians/songwriters are also a part of the mindset P has.

Oh yeah and uh, Krys, it's good to see ya writing a thread about P's music! (smile)

i hate criminals and people that impersonate them...

I blame the record executives for not taking the time to find good artist out there and not paying well known artist, what they are worth. They are going by what sells instead of what's good.Just because something sells, does not mean that it is good. They are also the one's that are paying off the radio stations. These stations are getting paid to play a lot of BS.

I then blame the what I call "formatted" radio. It used to be one could hear the doobie brothers and prince on the same station. Now, every station has a title on it, "Lite radio", Classic Soul" and on these stations, this is what you hear.

Lastly, I blame us, the buying public. If we would just stop buying this crap, then they would stop playing it. As long as we continue to buy this music, there will be a market for it.

CreamyThighs said:

I blame R&B for the way hip hop sucks today.

garbage, total garbage!

oh yea, I also blame Clear Channel

I blame R. Kelly

I think Prince is listening to the wrong R&B.

Krystal666 said:

I guess the state of R&B didn't bother him enough to not perform with Beyonce at the Grammy's...

And really, do you want to take relationship advice from Prince?

(disagreers please don't hurt me )

jone70 said:

true...eeeeevil, but painfully true.

carrynobanners said:

I was just going to say the same thing. It goes both ways. Today's hip-hop and R&B (using both terms loosely) have been thrown together using the R&B hooks and the hip-hop style and image. What's gone is the substance and the heart that the best of each genre had. All to accompany the videos and ultimately sell the products financing this nonsense. This process has been underway for a while now. Look what happened to rock.

whodknee said:

Todays rock is total garbage too. I used to love the mid ninties rock..Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains...great music...now it is Lit, Nickleback, Linkoln Park....thank god Limp Biskit came out of vouge...uggh it is like everywhere you look in popular music nowadays you are bombarded with crap.

Damn KRys and Prince. First off I LOVE LINKIN PARK and LIMPBIZKit. I love groups like VELVET REVOLVER and GREENDAY. I happento like all the NEW R & B but yeah, the Cuture today is just about Getting it On say at the CLUB,Drinking Alot and Smoking Weed. LOL.... Romance seems to be OUT the Door... It's all about SEX,SEX,SEX and More SEX,SEX,SEX and it's on T.V. at 8pm and Cursing is Everywhere and seems like Group SEx is Popular in Dialog also. Watch the Dating Shows,Spring Break Stuff... It's just NUDITY and SEX... 8-)There are SO Many Beautiful Girls and Guys out there that DIVORCE is SO EASY..Does Anybody Care to talk and Discuss problems in Therapy anymore when it is SO EASY to LEAVE?
I love Romance but ya know something I would just Rather right now get into a Relationship cause my Guys Turn out to be OVERPOSESSIVE and JEALOUS and I Don't need PsychoDRAMA and Jealousy. I Cannot STAND All THE FIGHTING and INSECURITY and it is Just BETTER OFF TO KEEP IT LIGHT OR LOOSE.... JUst NOT WORTH THE TEARS....
[Edited 12/5/05 17:48pm]

CreamyThighs said:

Sad but true

I still blame R. Kelly