I was having a conversation with a friend of mine and we were talking about R&B music. He said he liked Van Hunt's new record and he liked that it wasn't "typical R&B" like his first CD. I disagreed that his first record was "typical" and then went on to ask what he meant by typical. I didn't get an answer, so I'm asking the board.
Please define "typical" R&B and give examples and explanations. Please, don't just name artists without saying why or what your parameters are. What is typical R&B and why is it frowned upon so vehemently?

I think your friend might have been talking about the "mainstream R&B artists" like a beyonce or usher (they are more pop now though). Artists like Musiq soulchild or Jill Scott is more R&B to most.

When hear the term typical R&B, I think about these looped tracks with a verse or 2 of rap thrown in.

Babybugz: We were discussing R&B and not pop music but entertain me, let's explore this a bit, shall we? Include all artists doing R&B.

[Edited 10/26/11 13:43pm]

R&B means Rhythm & Blues, which to me means music popular from the 1940's to the 1960's. There's no blues, nor rhythm in the average popular stuff today, so it's not R&B. It might be "race" music though, which doesn't mean anything except that it's music made by African Americans.

MickyDolenz said:

R&B means Rhythm & Blues, which to me means music popular from the 1940's to the 1960's. There's no blues, nor rhythm in the average popular stuff today, so it's not R&B. It might be "race" music though, which doesn't mean anything except that it's music made by African Americans.

I get it. You reject the current categorization of R&B. Can we have an intelligent exchange here or do you not understand the context of the conversation?

BlaqueKnight said:

I was having a conversation with a friend of mine and we were talking about R&B music. He said he liked Van Hunt's new record and he liked that it wasn't "typical R&B" like his first CD. I disagreed that his first record was "typical" and then went on to ask what he meant by typical. I didn't get an answer, so I'm asking the board.
Please define "typical" R&B and give examples and explanations. Please, don't just name artists without saying why or what your parameters are. What is typical R&B and why is it frowned upon so vehemently?

Hmm that is really hard to say. I don't know if I call Van Hunt "typical" R&B. I would think the "typical" R&B is probably more on the lines of Musiq and Angie Stone and the like. To me, I think Van's music comes from a more traditional type of R&B. I don't know if that's the answer you're looking for but it's hard to come with examples at the moment.

BlaqueKnight said:

MickyDolenz said:

R&B means Rhythm & Blues, which to me means music popular from the 1940's to the 1960's. There's no blues, nor rhythm in the average popular stuff today, so it's not R&B. It might be "race" music though, which doesn't mean anything except that it's music made by African Americans.

I get it. You reject the current categorization of R&B. Can we have an intelligent exchange here or do you not understand the context of the conversation?

Yes, and I said that "R&B" today is the same thing as saying "race" music decades ago. It only means black music, not a style or sound. So there is no "typical".

There is no such thing as a typical rnb artist anymore

BlaqueKnight said:

Babybugz: We were discussing R&B and not pop music but entertain me, let's explore this a bit, shall we? Include all artists doing R&B.

[Edited 10/26/11 13:43pm]

I thought that’s what I was discussing with you . I said those artists (Usher and Beyonce) have embrace pop more in their later years but they are part of “mainstream R&B” to most. Artists including Chris Brown Keri hilson are put into that group too but they are more black pop than anything. So I figure your friend was referring to these artists. It’s not really that deep you can listen to Jill Scott and Keri hilson and tell there is a difference . I think it was just a label your friend put on them I don’t think your friend was being that deep with it you might have to ask your friend again.

BlaqueKnight said:

Babybugz: We were discussing R&B and not pop music but entertain me, let's explore this a bit, shall we? Include all artists doing R&B.

[Edited 10/26/11 13:43pm]

Interesting post here.

My take on it is that EVERY decade features its own variations on what is "typical" and "atypical" R&B. I would say that for R&B 2b "typical," it would have to have its share of Autotune thrown in with some special guest rapper. But then again, not everything that employs the use of Autotune is very "typical" either e.g. Teena Marie's "Milk and Honey" or those little hints of it on Guapele's new "Break of Dawn" CD.

On the other hand, the more "atypical" R&B would more than likely employ the use of real instruments as opposed to technologically induced loops and other programmed "tricks."

"Typical" R&B for me might include Kelly Rowland, Nikki Minaj (even though she's more of a Hip-Hop artist, but somehow both genres share the same Billboard chart. Go figure.), Usher seems to come 2 mind, Rihanna, Chris Brown, etc...Not really my cup of tea, so it's rare that I would purchase music by any of these "typical" artists. Mary J. seems to be stuck in this format as of late.

"Atypical" R&B would MOS DEF. include people like Deborah Cox, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Guapele, Anthony Hamilton, John Legend; the ones who keep the "classic" flame close and dear to their hearts.

It's a thin line really, but u get the idea.

Timmy84 said:

BlaqueKnight said:

I was having a conversation with a friend of mine and we were talking about R&B music. He said he liked Van Hunt's new record and he liked that it wasn't "typical R&B" like his first CD. I disagreed that his first record was "typical" and then went on to ask what he meant by typical. I didn't get an answer, so I'm asking the board.
Please define "typical" R&B and give examples and explanations. Please, don't just name artists without saying why or what your parameters are. What is typical R&B and why is it frowned upon so vehemently?

Hmm that is really hard to say. I don't know if I call Van Hunt "typical" R&B. I would think the "typical" R&B is probably more on the lines of Musiq and Angie Stone and the like. To me, I think Van's music comes from a more traditional type of R&B. :hmm2: I don't know if that's the answer you're looking for but it's hard to come with examples at the moment.

Oh is that what he was referring to people have their own definition of R&B these days. LOL they not typical to me they just R&B. I thought van was the same as them ...

babybugz said:

Timmy84 said:

Hmm that is really hard to say. I don't know if I call Van Hunt "typical" R&B. I would think the "typical" R&B is probably more on the lines of Musiq and Angie Stone and the like. To me, I think Van's music comes from a more traditional type of R&B. :hmm2: I don't know if that's the answer you're looking for but it's hard to come with examples at the moment.

Oh is that what he was referring to people have their own definition of R&B these days. LOL they not typical to me they just R&B. I thought van was the same as them ...

I agree. To define what R&B is "typical" today would pertain mostly to one's individual tastes. Angie Stone, Musiq and Van would fall more into an "atypical" R&B setting for me. Let us not forget Funk which is certainly "atypical" today as well. Bands like Fatback, The Time, Con Funk Shun, Skyy, LTD, Brick, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Zapp, etc...also an offshoot of "atypical" R&B today.

babybugz said:

Timmy84 said:

Hmm that is really hard to say. I don't know if I call Van Hunt "typical" R&B. I would think the "typical" R&B is probably more on the lines of Musiq and Angie Stone and the like. To me, I think Van's music comes from a more traditional type of R&B. :hmm2: I don't know if that's the answer you're looking for but it's hard to come with examples at the moment.

Oh is that what he was referring to people have their own definition of R&B these days. LOL they not typical to me they just R&B. I thought van was the same as them ...

I thought that kind of music was called "neo-soul".

MickyDolenz said:

BlaqueKnight said:

I get it. You reject the current categorization of R&B. Can we have an intelligent exchange here or do you not understand the context of the conversation?

Yes, and I said that "R&B" today is the same thing as saying "race" music decades ago. It only means black music, not a style or sound. So there is no "typical".

Okay, so then you're done here. Bye-bye.

This topic is for like-minded individuals who want to discuss what is "typical" and what isn't. If you want to debate what is R&B and what isn't, start your own thread.

If you have to come in and start an argument about what is and what isn't then this thread ain't for you.

The music played on urban radio or urban video stations/internet radio/internet video/blogs/vlogs/whatever as well as musci on the R&B charts THAT IS NOT HIP-HOP/RAP is what falls under R&B.

What I am asking is "what is typical" of that genre. If you don't agree that the genre exists, then you don't belong in this discussion.

[Edited 10/26/11 19:37pm]

Typical R&B as defined by today's industry standards: Hip hop and singing.

Because of the time I was born, when I hear typical r&b, I immediately think of 90's r&b, some of it fused with hip hop soul which can include the rap hooks or new jack swing, or I think of the slower stuff in the vein of babyface/reid, jimmy jam & terry lewis, rodney jerkins and so forth. I know more about it now of course and how much of this stuff is inspired by what came before, especially 70's sounding r&b, and some 80's though I think it began to take a dance/pop direction for sometime before mellowing out again.

BlaqueKnight said:

MickyDolenz said:

Yes, and I said that "R&B" today is the same thing as saying "race" music decades ago. It only means black music, not a style or sound. So there is no "typical".

Okay, so then you're done here. Bye-bye.

This topic is for like-minded individuals who want to discuss what is "typical" and what isn't. If you want to debate what is R&B and what isn't, start your own thread.

If you have to come in and start an argument about what is and what isn't then this thread ain't for you.

There's no reason to act like an asshole to those who are contributing to the thread.

You are asking to define 'typical R&B.' The problem is in order to do such a thing you have to define what the fuck r&b is FIRST. When you are able to define whatever it is then, you can define what is considered to be 'typical.'

For most people not familiar with what r&b is in the first place, they think it's anything sung by black people unless it's blues, jazz, or rap. Since radio and music videos are the things that people are exposed to, it's, usually, going to be whatever is the current trend at the moment. This is what they are, mainly, exposed to. For anyone who exposes themselves to a lot of things in the genre, such statements are very frustrating to hear. It reeks of ignorance.

At the end of the day 'dancepop r&b' is still r&b. R&b has had a history of being ahead of pop music trends for the longest. It has been stated that r&b has always been popular dance orientated music. While something like soul is still r&b, it's a sub-genre rather than what should be considered true r&b despite what some may say here

What is "typical R&B"?

Unholyalliance said:

BlaqueKnight said:

Okay, so then you're done here. Bye-bye.

This topic is for like-minded individuals who want to discuss what is "typical" and what isn't. If you want to debate what is R&B and what isn't, start your own thread.

If you have to come in and start an argument about what is and what isn't then this thread ain't for you.

There's no reason to act like an asshole to those who are contributing to the thread.

You are asking to define 'typical R&B.' The problem is in order to do such a thing you have to define what the fuck r&b is FIRST. When you are able to define whatever it is then, you can define what is considered to be 'typical.'

For most people not familiar with what r&b is in the first place, they think it's anything sung by black people unless it's blues, jazz, or rap. Since radio and music videos are the things that people are exposed to, it's, usually, going to be whatever is the current trend at the moment. This is what they are, mainly, exposed to. For anyone who exposes themselves to a lot of things in the genre, such statements are very frustrating to hear. It reeks of ignorance.

At the end of the day 'dancepop r&b' is still r&b. R&b has had a history of being ahead of pop music trends for the longest. It has been stated that r&b has always been popular dance orientated music. While something like soul is still r&b, it's a sub-genre rather than what should be considered true r&b despite what some may say here

I agree! Well said

Fuck it.

LMAO