La Roux's Elly Jackson has labelled R&B as, "very kind of empty, like hollow and not rooted in anything good or healthy".

The singer, who is currently number 1 in the UK singles charts with her song Bulletproof, added:

"Lyrically it's just like really really bad - I think a lot of it just doesn't mean anything.

"I think a lot of it is, 'Baby I love you, I want to kiss you'. It's just like what are you on about? Shut up." Continuing on the subject of R&B music she added: "It certainly doesn't make me feel anything special, or doesn't make me think, or go somewhere else in my mind. I just don't get it.

Um, no.

StillDirrty said:

having been forced to listen to FM radio for the majority of this week at work, I couldn't agree with her more.

errant said:

She's talking like her lyrics are anything special which they aren't. She even went on to say that R&B videos is just a bunch of naked girls dancing. That's clearly hip hop. If you're going to critique something at least get the genre right. Not to mention her tirade on how women who wear certain type of clothing shouldn't wonder why they get beat up. Whatever with her. I hate pretentious people like that.

if all she's been exposed to is what passes for RnB in today's pop culture than she may have a point.

ehuffnsd said:

Well Beyonce represents R&B today and I would go on record and say that her music is much better than La Roux. & how is it not rooted in anything good or healthy like she says? Most of it is about relationships. It's not rap music. & she didn't say todays R&B. She just said R&B.
[Edited 7/23/09 15:52pm]

StillDirrty said:

i'd take La Roux, Little Boots, Lady Gaga, Ladyhawke, and Um Not Her over Beyonce any day, but i've always been partial to electronic music.

ehuffnsd said:

I'd take Daft Punk and Justice over all those "electronic" artists that you mentioned. Beyonce was just a name drop. Erykah Badu still makes R&B doesn't she? Raphael Saadiq, John Legend, Maxwell, etc. All of them are better than LA ROUX!

you forgot Me'shell. but than again taste is subjective.

StillDirrty said:

i'd take La Roux, Little Boots, Lady Gaga, Ladyhawke, and Um Not Her over Beyonce any day, but i've always been partial to electronic music.

ehuffnsd said:

It is. However, it was very snobby of her to dismiss an entire genre of music. Every genre of music has a little something in it that's good even if it isn't to everyone's tastes. & honestly it's too early for her to be acting "edgy" she hasn't established herself as an artist and it only alienates potential fans. Although I didn't like her music that much to begin with and I listen to electro-pop constantly.

errant said:

She's talking like her lyrics are anything special which they aren't. She even went on to say that R&B videos is just a bunch of naked girls dancing. That's clearly hip hop. If you're going to critique something at least get the genre right. Not to mention her tirade on how women who wear certain type of clothing shouldn't wonder why they get beat up. Whatever with her. I hate pretentious people like that.

we don't know what she's been exposed to.

Her "In for the Kill" song is pretty nice. Can't say I get the huge hype, though.

ehuffnsd said:

Well Beyonce represents R&B today and I would go on record and say that her music is much better than La Roux. & how is it not rooted in anything good or healthy like she says? Most of it is about relationships. It's not rap music. & she didn't say todays R&B. She just said R&B.
[Edited 7/23/09 15:52pm]

Well because America has basically been calling rap music r&b how can she not think thats all it is today at least. Thats why we have so much discussions about how the r&b indusrty is horrendous right now. Its not deep rooted in anything thanks to t-pain, akon and others. They have no influence of real soul at all...and their albums arent selling anymore, yet they getting all the airplay

But TPain and Akon are autotune sing rappers. They really aren't R&B. That's hip hop. Neyo, Robin Thicke, Keyshia Cole, Alicia Keys are more R&B.
[Edited 7/24/09 7:25am]

Well now that they mashed up hip hop & r&b on the SAME CHART as if they belong together

People like Gucci Mane, Twista, Young Money, Birdman, Drake, are included as r&b if you dont really know any better. What else is she supposed to think?