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Rap and Bullshit
Today’s R&B is pure garbage.
By Ben Westhoff
Published on January 05, 2009 at 3:33pm

As one of contemporary R&B's brightest stars, John Legend possesses Grammys and hits galore. But could he be any blander? His twinkling tunes about love and relationships are at best serviceable, and lyrically he treads the same ground as a hundred other singers. His status as a genre top dog says plenty about the state of R&B itself, which has become crummy and pointless, derivative and boring.

In terms of social relevance, innovation, and pure originality, no one approaches the titans of earlier generations like Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, and Otis Redding, or even Michael Jackson and Prince. R&B is missing a transformative star, but seems unlikely to find one right now because, as a genre, it barely exists.

Though always something of a hodgepodge, R&B was once a formidable format, a combination of soul, gospel, and funk whose best artists didn't hesitate to experiment with style. But in the '90s and '00s, R&B has become pigeonholed. Attempting to piggyback on hip-hop's popularity, its artists use rap beats and hire MCs for guest verses, resulting in a sound virtually indistinguishable from rap. (Try turning off the vocals on Legend's "Green Light," for example, and see if you can tell the difference.) One of R&B's biggest names, Akon, is so strongly associated with hip-hop that he's sometimes mistakenly referred to as a rapper.

Fusing genres was traditionally a big part of rhythm and blues hell, Ray Charles initially made a career out of it. But since New Jack Swing injected a street mentality and rowdy backbeats in the 1980s, R&B shows little desire to evolve or take creative risks. Its crooners have become largely separated onto urban radio stations, inspiring one mildly successful, format-following clone after another.

The watering down of the genre is one reason it's been disparaged as "Rap & Bullshit." Another is because it's artistically moribund. The vast majority of R&B lyrics are disingenuous and clichéd. Enough already with testaments to mothers, to promises of everlasting fidelity, and to female empowerment anthems written by women with multimillionaire husbands.

The most successful R&B artists aren't artistically compelling. Take Ne-Yo, a decorated singer-songwriter who had an even better 2008 than Legend. His recent album, Year of the Gentleman, is a commercial smash and has been well-reviewed by the likes of Rolling Stone. And yet ... were we not so starved for R&B possessing even a whisper of creativity, we might have more soberly assessed this banal work. Ne-Yo's monster hit "Miss Independent" is arguably the most derivative piece of pop in recent memory. Profoundly asserting that women who have their own thing going on are cool, the song rips off a concept espoused by Webbie and Lil Boosie last year, by Destiny's Child in 2000, and by Susan B. Anthony in 1852. The track's beat is stolen wholesale from Justin Timberlake's hit "My Love," while Ne-Yo's singing is filled with grating melisma. I'll give him credit for collaborating with New Kids on the Block it's hard to resist "Single" but let's be honest. If Ne-Yo were to stop making records today, would anyone remember him in 20 years?

In truth, Ne-Yo and R&B's other reigning king, Usher, are little more than bland, well-dressed Michael Jackson wannabes with good choreographers. Neither has done as much to push the genre forward as sexual nonoffender R. Kelly, who at least is willing to take musical chances. (Unfortunately, he doesn't qualify as a respected R&B icon because he hasn't made strong albums, and his legacy is tied up in his perversions.)

As for queens Mary J. Blige, Beyoncé, and Keyshia Cole, they offer little more than overproduced girl-jams only discerning fans can tell apart. None seems to take any pleasure in craft. While all three women have fascinating life stories Cole's mother was a prostitute and drug addict you'd never know it from their bland discographies, full of boilerplate love-lost laments and CVS-friendly stay-strong anthems. The music from second-tier soulstresses like Ciara and Ashanti, meanwhile, doesn't hold up without the benefit of gruff male voices to contrast their meek vocals. (If you've heard Ashanti's latest album, The Declaration, you'll know this.)

Crooners like Anthony Hamilton, Robin Thicke, and Raheem DeVaughn have gotten critical kudos as well, but they all fall short. Take DeVaughn's latest album, Love Behind the Melody. Though almost universally praised, it contains the most basic, clichéd lyricism imaginable. His Grammy-nominated hit "Woman" is about get this how great the female gender is. The words aren't even original; lyrics like "You a lady in the streets and a freak when it's bedroom time" should be credited to Ludacris, and "I appreciate so much/Like the 'I love you' feeling girl when we touch" should perhaps be credited to a poor translation of an Italian Hallmark card. Meanwhile, DeVaughn's offer to "appetize ya or main course ya" on "Customer" is less poetry than soundtrack to a porno flick filmed at Carl's Jr.

I make no claims to have heard everything out there, of course, and I'm not contending that the entire genre is devoid of anything worth listening to. Erykah Badu remains an influential, endearing talent, although her recent New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) veers closer to neo-soul and psychedelic funk than to R&B. Inventive Detroit producer-singer Dwele and Philadelphian Jazmine Sullivan, meanwhile, have found success by taking risks, and Atlanta's Janelle Monae's brand of retrofuturism is refreshingly eccentric. She dresses like a robot and inhabits an alter ego named Cindy Mayweather, for starters.

None of these artists fit the bill, however, as an R&B icon for the new millennium. It may be a lot to ask for another Marvin Gaye or Sam Cooke, both of whom pushed for social change and helped revolutionize the role of the black singer-songwriter in the music industry. It may be too much to ask for another purple one or gloved one, both of whom affected everything from rock and pop to popular culture and marketing. But is it too much to expect a single standout talent? I don't think so, and, as a result suggest we change the "Rap & Bullshit" moniker to simply "Bullshit."

* * * * *


I think John Legend can sing well enough, but he IS about as exciting as watching paint dry. about twice a year, I really make an effort to listen to what's out there in today's music.. but most of it just makes me go back & listen to all the BRILLIANT music from the 70s & early-to-mid 80s..

This is a great read and I agree with it. I like John Legend and Robin Thicke but there has not been someone to come out and knock everyone out since...arguably...Erykah Badu's debut in 1997....

It's time for change!

The article just basically told us what we've been saying.

Amazingly this article fails to mention the tonies or mint condition even more
so as authentic bands that bought back real R&b like bands of yesteryear like
EWF and maze.

phunkdaddy said:

Good point, lol. Matter of fact, the 1990s R&B didn't get NO love, lol. Least the best half of it.
[Edited 1/7/09 19:42pm]

Finally someone not drooling over Ne-yo.

Oh and one of my favorite lines: Enough already with testaments to mothers, to promises of everlasting fidelity, and to female empowerment anthems written by women with multimillionaire husbands.
[Edited 1/7/09 19:46pm]

JackieBlue said:

good comments here..

I too would say that the last "real" r&b groups of the 90s were Tony Toni Tone (sp?) & Mint Condition - groups that sing & play their own (real) instruments..
but in this decade ? ?

so WE KNOW that the state of "today's r&b" is weak, at best.. but

WHY

is it still this way ? ? ?

is there ANYTHING that can be done to rectify this lack of creative, distinctive, NON-COOKIE CUTTER "r&b" music ?

is it as "simple" as someone today having a "vision" like that of Sly Stone 40 years ago.. a vision to take elements of different styles of music & put their own "name" on it ? ?

is it up to the record companies - such as they are today, with all the online song downloading & whatnot - to look for, encourage & (WITH TIME) develop real talent into long-term, musically diverse yet "commercial" musicians & singers ? ? or are most of today's "budding artists" just in it for the money & fame ? ?


as I've said, I really do try to listen to what comes out today..
but as soon as I hear that SAME OLD 'drum machine sound'
[WHY IS IT THAT TODAY ALMOST NO ONE IN "R&B" USES REAL DRUMS ? ? ?]
I go listen to something else.

REAL RHYTHM comes from REAL DRUMS. it's a GREAT irony to me that "today's r&b" has no real rhythm to it..

also, I wonder what performers like John Legend & Joe & "Common" & others.. I wonder what they say when they hear that "today's r&b isn't that great & that THEY (or many of them) are contributing to its MEDIOCRITY?"


it's quite sad : we have A LEAST a full generation of (younger) music listeners who have NO IDEA about what REAL music with REAL musicians & REAL singers is..
it's like, once the bar has been lowered - as much as it has been over the last 20-some years - it's VERY DIFFICULT to raise the bar again..

I wonder who he DOES like?

Ouch!! Mr. Ben Westhoff is spot on. Rolling Stones mag, recently did a piece about what record companies could do to turn around sales. Ironically they never mentioned, the inferiority of the music, musicians, songwriters, producers, and singers. Many record companies truly think most if not all of their problems stem from file sharing and iTunes/mp3's. These folks are delusional.....

Mr. Westhoff should have also address the issues of record companies putting eye candy appeal above substance and talent. Less face it, for years record companies have chosen attractive women who could sing on key, had marginal voices at best and used software and producers to cover up their woefully limited range/talent. Can we say, Beyonce!! I don't give a crap about big butts or washboard abs. Touchy subject but I doubt many black women of R&B/Soul/Jazz of yesteryear would have had a career if looks first were more important than being a gifted singer/musician.

The only R&B singer out there worth their salt today is Ms. Jill Scott.
[Edited 1/7/09 22:44pm]

I do agree with everything on this article.

I do respect John Legend and everything he is doing to keep the R&B alive but there is only so much he can do same thing with Robin Thicke.
They both have nice vocals but as time goes on people will get tired of them because their voice lacks versatility and range.

In my opinion the R&B world is not dead it has been held back it is only the commericalized music business that controls what comes in and out when it comes down to exposing artists.

As far as the female artists goes there are so many of them who have the talent to become great soul singers of their generation. R&B fans have been mislead to beleive that someone like Beyonce is the epitiome of R&B in today's genration. The woman has no soul first and foremost just because she has a big voice does not mean she has soul. Her Etta James role attempt is an insult because i beleive there are so many woman who pull off playing a Etta James better than her.

The one person who i beleive can play an Etta James is Jill Scott. Who is one of the only woman who has minor commerical success to still stay true to who she is.

The closest we came in bringing back true authentic R&B music to the mainstream world was in 2007 when Amy winehouse became popualr with her song Rehab.

She had tremdous amount of sucess in the ,ainstream world but unforuntely her behavior became her downfall.

In the UK it seems like a habit the British music scene to bring in posh girls to play the role of R&B soul singers.

The first was Joss Stone back in 2003 with her release of Soul Sessions
Then Amy Winehouse in 2004 with Stronger Than Me
Now Duffy and Adele

That article speaks the TRUTH!

I very much enjoyed this writing.

I would just add that it’s not about saying new things or exploring new topics. Absolutely everything has been said and explored, many times over.

If you honestly think that something is new, it’s only through a lack of experience.

And no one wants to go backwards socially to the ignorance of the 60s and 70s just so that this immense cultural upheaval can reproduce its inspiration.

What makes a musical legend to me is someone who consistently finds ways to perceptively and accurately communicate their unique fingerprint, their inimitable soul to the world.

Or you can settle for what the industry has always done and is doing now more than ever. Conduct a study on what’s currently making money, and make more of it.

“Unique” is the worst word to financial fortune tellers, especially today in this ultra-conservative environment where people must instantly show an ability to make money based on the current formula for success.

Not exactly the type of system that’s going to be very revealing or insightful.

And this of course affects everything, not just R&B.

How many tattooed white guys have you seen whining at their model girlfriends’ injustice, using that same dog-tired tone?

I guess this is what it sounds like when a Nickleback cries.

TD3's "eye candy" comment was on point, even though that's been going on for YEARS (Milli Vanilli's probably the most infamous example..)

I wonder why more of these younger "r&b singers" don't collaborate more with real soul singers like Stevie Wonder or Gladys Knight or Teddy Pendegrass or Chaka Khan or Al Green or whomever else
(& yeah I remember india.arie doing some collaborations with Stevie, Chaka with Michelle N'dge.. & a few other combos that presently escape my memory..)
I mean, the WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE about SONGWRITING, COMPOSING, ARRANGING - not to mention DEVELOPING YOUR OWN STYLE.. a lot of these younger singers could learn a lot, & incorporate that into their own vision(s).

then I think : if there is some sort of good "underground" (=not yet well known) singer or group, I would think that once a buzz developed about them, they'd be tempted to go mainstream.. & end up sounding like everyone else already does..

Why 90% only. Can someone fill me in regarding the remaining 10% of good R'n'B we should be listening???

hm.. yeah you might be right kanamit..
you might want to have a good (long) book to read - like "war & peace" - while we try to scrape together 10%..

I've been singing this same song about R&B since the early 1990s and when the 2000s came, all I had to add was...."second verse, same as the first". The 2010s are only one year away and it looks like I'll be adding...."third verse, same as the first".

It's fucking rediculous that we haven't had a style change since house music went out of style. Everything has been either stripped down midtempo shit hop, or stripped down midtempo singing over "music" that sounds like shit hop. It's been this way since around 1993 or so and it's absolutely fucking rediculous.

Can u say:
Mint Condition
Frank McComb
Eric Roberson
Conya Doss
N'Dambi
Ledesi
Prince
Anthony Hamilton
.....but I get get his point.
[Edited 1/8/09 6:57am]

Amen dammitt!!!! This is one of the main points I've been making about R&B "Rhythmless Bullshit" since the early 1990s is those damn weak ass sounding drum machines they are using. And I'm damn sick of hearing people say..."well Prince was one of the pioneers in drum machines" and they know good and damn well that Prince's drum machines didn't have a weak "barely tapping" sound like these have. There are other drum machines out there that don't sound like this. For instance, in house music, those drum machines pound hard as hell and sound nothing like these.

I honestly think that the record labels refuse to let singers get a record deal or radio airplay unless they use these weak sounding drum machines. The drum machines used by singers these days have the same sound as the ones used by rappers, so whether it's a singer or a rapper, the sound is still shit hop because the sound of these drum machines define the sound. If a lot of singers became successful using either real drums or a different sounding drum machine, it could threaten the future of shit hop and they don't want to see it go out of style because it's cheap. It's not just a matter of money for the singers to make the album because many of them use real drums night after night in concert. If they can afford to pay musicians night after night, why can't they afford to pay them for studio time? The record labels know what they are doing. The majority of people do not hear the music in concert but widespread people hear the studio version on the radio. It's all a matter of keeping anything silent that could possibly overthrow the cheapest form of music to make which is shit hop.

Oh, and P.S.: Don't forget the real bass either. Either real bass or something fake that sounds stronger than what's been in style forever. Drums and bass are what give the song rhythm and ass-shake appeal. Get those in the music you can basically throw any other instrument on the song and it will still be funky.
.
.
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[Edited 1/8/09 7:10am]

When I first heard John Legend, I wanted to like him cause he was playing the piano, but I was so bored, and couldn't understand how people my age were calling him a true artist just cause his ass was on a bench, ugh!

He has several good songs but I get bored of them very fast

Wwwoooowwww . . .

I think the truth about rap and bubblegum needs to be spoken, even if it's done in an okayplayerish kind of way. But at the same time, it misses a little bit or more than a little bit.

Westhoff's article is provocative and largely on-point, but like so many others, lamenting essentially the state of black music over the last 2 decades without even a nod or mention of Me'Shell Ndegeocello, who is perhaps the greatest contemporary rhythm and blues artist around.

Most of Me'Shell's work is rooted in both traditions, and much of her work is gospel-tinged. She is one of the few artists to have incorporated hip-hop into her work without letting it co-opt her sound. Peace Beyond Passion, Bitter, Cookie, Comfort Woman . . . is this not a body of work that could be recognized as moving R&B forward? If you don't recognize or call it R&B, then how can you complain about the lack of originality in R&B?

But I digress.

I think Jill and Erykah should be recognized as a cut above.

I'd also add that some talented singers like Lisa Shaw have found a home in electronica, and some heretofore independent artists like Ledisi don't have to take a backseat to anyone but can't get on the radio. Even earnest artists like Musiq are co-opting their sound.

alphastreet said:

That's because up to that point they hadn't seen any artist in this
day and age sit behind a piano but maybe alicia keys. So to your age group
it's amazing compared to the shitload of r&b singers whose music
include hip hop samples or guest rappers on their albums. To make a long
story short john legend was different albeit boring.

namepeace said:

Seeing him on tour with his band was HOWT! He performed all his songs live and they sounded BRILLIANT and much better than hearing them on record. I will never understand the reason for NOT having real instruments.

Beyonce has been having her own band these last 2 albums but have NONE of them on her cd..I dont get that!

paisleypark4 said:

When I heard Bey was auditioning female musicians I thought she was really going to raise the game of her music but it appears to be mostly for show.

As for John and Alicia, while we could do a lot worse, it does seem that people are extra impressed because they perform with instruments, something that is rare in R&B. So now if you're half way decent looking and can play Chopsticks your labeled the next best thing and win a crap load of Grammy's for singing lullabies.
[Edited 1/8/09 17:15pm]

JackieBlue said:

Because it as been so long that r&b have only had vocalists with nothing else to show. I do like Alecia and I am glad sh had the highest selling album of the year.

Im gonna say this along with it...alot of older people like her and appreciate real artists..that's the problem..the buying public arent the kids..today it's the adults. You can do all you want but it's the older crowd who arent hip to buying mp3's n shit are the real ones r&b needs to speak to. I mean how much is a singer or rapper really making off these dumb ringtones? Its the young kids and the ones that people like Mariah and them who are trying to impress so much that ARENT EVEN BUYING THE ALBUMS!

paisleypark4 said:

I'm not a big fan but I like Alicia too moreso for what she appears to be doing as a young philanthropist. Her music is okay and I do hope she'll grow over the years. I'd certainly take her over a lot of the R&B youngsters out now. John Legend is not even on my radar.

namepeace said:

Absolutely. I think there's a bit of Three-card Monte going on here.

The current and future legends -- and Me'Shell is fast becoming one -- aren't so easily defined.

Prince is sighted twice in this article as being proof of past extraordinary talent that made its "R&B" legend. But the problem here is that Prince can't truly be so easily defined. It's only through the mixing of his race and with 30 years in the rearview that he can be referenced this way without folks throwing a fit (when he dies it'll be even easier).

Anyway, I believe he's a lot more deserving than any such singular denomination; just as is Ndegéocello.

In short, I think this writer might be narrowing the definition for today's standard while pulling all the way back to Mars for yesterday. Erykah Badu is perfect proof. He seems to acknowledge that she's great, but then disqualifies her for sounding too different.

But, also, most of us have been highly spoiled by a system that allowed future legends to be formed right alongside stacks of bubblegum.