duccichucka said:

What do people mean when they say Mary J. Blige is not a great technical singer? Is she not

trained to sing opera? No. But what are they getting at, because opera singers are not the only

great singers of the world, and opera's what I think of when I hear the word "technical" applied

to singers.

I've heard this said about her her entire career and could never figure out what that meant.

I think she's more of a "raw" singer with an uncanny ability to connect to people. I also don't understand why she's compared to opera singers who are obviously trained. She's never claimed to be a trained singer but she's been in the game for 25 years and doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. She came along at a time when hip-hop and R&B were just beginning to merge together. Nowadays, hip-hop has completely taken over but she's one of the few who still does R&B these days. She knows how to stay relevant and change directions without losing her core fan base.

SeventeenDayze said:

duccichucka said:

What do people mean when they say Mary J. Blige is not a great technical singer? Is she not

trained to sing opera? No. But what are they getting at, because opera singers are not the only

great singers of the world, and opera's what I think of when I hear the word "technical" applied

to singers.

I've heard this said about her her entire career and could never figure out what that meant.

I think she's more of a "raw" singer with an uncanny ability to connect to people. I also don't understand why she's compared to opera singers who are obviously trained. She's never claimed to be a trained singer but she's been in the game for 25 years and doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. She came along at a time when hip-hop and R&B were just beginning to merge together. Nowadays, hip-hop has completely taken over but she's one of the few who still does R&B these days. She knows how to stay relevant and change directions without losing her core fan base.

gotta agree...

who else from her era can still be a headliner?

can't think of one

HuMpThAnG said:

SeventeenDayze said:

I think she's more of a "raw" singer with an uncanny ability to connect to people. I also don't understand why she's compared to opera singers who are obviously trained. She's never claimed to be a trained singer but she's been in the game for 25 years and doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. She came along at a time when hip-hop and R&B were just beginning to merge together. Nowadays, hip-hop has completely taken over but she's one of the few who still does R&B these days. She knows how to stay relevant and change directions without losing her core fan base.

gotta agree...

who else from her era can still be a headliner?

can't think of one

Unlike some of her peers who jumped ship and went into acting, she's found a way to stay relevant in both worlds. I think most singers who go into acting, if they are even halfway decent, stay there for eternity

HuMpThAnG said:

Eric Benet for starters. A lot of artists can headline. It all
depends who are on the bill with them. If their were other good artists on the
lineup with Mary headlining I would just leave when she come on.

phunkdaddy said:

HuMpThAnG said:

gotta agree...

who else from her era can still be a headliner?

can't think of one

Eric Benet for starters. A lot of artists can headline. It all depends who are on the bill with them. If their were other good artists on the lineup with Mary headlining I would just leave when she come on.

he isn't hip-hop soul

i was referring to artists who was in that genre

it seems that Mary was the only one who survived

phunkdaddy said:

HuMpThAnG said:

gotta agree...

who else from her era can still be a headliner?

can't think of one

Eric Benet for starters. A lot of artists can headline. It all depends who are on the bill with them. If their were other good artists on the lineup with Mary headlining I would just leave when she come on.

I think there's folks in the industry doing everything they can to destory R&B completely. Well, it seems that those that want to keep it somewhat alive are trying to change the entire face of it. There are only a handful of stations across the country that still play real R&B.

Meanwhile, hip-hop is also dying a slow death as well.

The other day, I learned about this new kid rapper. It seems to me that he's getting screwed making five albums for what they are offering. This is another reason why certain genres of music are dying off as well. Pop music has taken over and the few genres that are still hanging on have 15 year old rappers with shady deals to save the day.

http://watchloud.com/kid-rapper-chris-miles-record-deal/

[Edited 6/29/14 13:58pm]

HuMpThAnG said:

Gotcha
Would you include Usher in that category even though he didn't have his first major hit until 1997 he started out as a kid prodigy when Mary got started?

phunkdaddy said:

HuMpThAnG said:

he isn't hip-hop soul

i was referring to artists who was in that genre

it seems that Mary was the only one who survived

Gotcha Would you include Usher in that category even though he didn't have his first major hit until 1997 he started out as a kid prodigy when Mary got start

good question

HuMpThAnG said:

phunkdaddy said:

HuMpThAnG said: Gotcha Would you include Usher in that category even though he didn't have his first major hit until 1997 he started out as a kid prodigy when Mary got start

good question

When Confessions happened, it was all over (in a good way) for Usher. He had a lot of crossover success from that point. The few years prior to that I'd say he was strictly R&B.

Schubert said:

MotownSubdivision said:

Schubert said: Yeah, I'm sure you were there. Quit being such a prick and hate MJ your own. Nobody's forcing you to like him so quit trying to force your ignorant opinions on those who enjoy his music like the stupid spoiled brat you're being.

No, I wasn't there. But answer that question, if you, in your MJ fandom, have the balls to do it. Why did MJ pay off a kid not to go to trial if he was innocent? Simple.

The Real question is what sane parent would accept a pay off from a person who allegedly molested their kid? If some one had molested my son they would either be dead or in jail but that kids greedy father had other motives. Dead Beat pimped his own kid.

Gemini688 said:

Schubert said:

No, I wasn't there. But answer that question, if you, in your MJ fandom, have the balls to do it. Why did MJ pay off a kid not to go to trial if he was innocent? Simple.

The Real question is what sane parent would accept a pay off from a person who allegedly molested their kid? If some one had molested my son they would either be dead or in jail but that kids greedy father had other motives. Dead Beat pimped his own kid.

Absolutely. They found a way to make money off filing a lawsuit. People who think only "innocent" people take things to trial to prove they are innocent have no idea what the judicial system is like...

Beyonce

50 Cent

Eminem

Adele

Robin Thicke

kishi said:

Beyonce

50 Cent

Eminem

Adele

Robin Thicke

Agree, although I somewhat like Robin Thicke

SeventeenDayze said:

kishi said:

Beyonce

50 Cent

Eminem

Adele

Robin Thicke

Agree, although I somewhat like Robin Thicke

yeah, dude can sing

HuMpThAnG said:

SeventeenDayze said:

Agree, although I somewhat like Robin Thicke

yeah, dude can sing

Believe it or not, another reason Adele is given so much hype is that she's not thin either. So, good for her for breaking that barrier for larger women. But if she weren't a novelty for all the other reasons, I don't think she'd be famous.

Beyonce

Elvis Presly

Justin Timberlake

Jay Z

Lil Wayne

Eminem

Also, I don't think Mary J Blige deserves to be on a list like this. Yes, she is not a great technical singer but she has a descent disography, handful of classics, decent songwriter and an undeniabe ability to connect with people when she sings. She hasn't received many awards for being a "great technical singer" and I don't hear alot of critics calling her a "great technical singer". Most of the time I hear people coin her as the Queen of hip hop soul and discuss her music. People call her a good singer because of the effortless emotion she puts into her singing not necessarily because of her "technique" which is why I consider a singer like Sly Stone one of the greatest. Last but not least, some here want people to take the whole "MJ is the most overrated act" seriously and nobody has mentioned Madonna??? O-kay to each is own I guess. All his albums are not "critically acclaim" and I would argue he is underrated in certain capacities.

mjscarousal said:

Beyonce

Elvis Presly

Justin Timberlake

Jay Z

Lil Wayne

Eminem

Also, I don't think Mary J Blige deserves to be on a list like this. Yes, she is not a great technical singer but she has a descent disography, handful of classics, decent songwriter and an undeniabe ability to connect with people when she sings. She hasn't received many awards for being a "great technical singer" and I don't hear alot of critics calling her a "great technical singer". Most of the time I hear people coin her as the Queen of hip hop soul and discuss her music. People call her a good singer because of the effortless emotion she puts into her singing not necessarily because of her "technique" which is why I consider a singer like Sly Stone one of the greatest. Last but not least, some here want people to take the whole "MJ is the most overrated act" seriously and nobody has mentioned Madonna??? O-kay to each is own I guess. All his albums are not "critically acclaim" and I would argue he is underrated in certain capacities.

That's a good point you bring up about Madonna. She was lucky to have great production and marketing teams. These days, she's in excellent physical shape and she's kind of a spectacle seeing her do all this funky stuff now that she's well into her 50s. Aside from Janet, Madonna had no real competition for the better part of a decade. Almost all of the bubble gum pop stars of this generation have copied Madonna to a T.

Beyonce
Beyonce
Beyonce

John Lennon solo

Eric Clapton after the '70s

James Taylor

The Eagles

Tom Waits

Pink Floyd

Queen (great singles, but the filler was insane and omnipresent)

John C. Mellencamp

Phil Collins solo

Sting solo

Robin Thicke

John Legend

Joe Bonamassa (not his playing, but his songwriting skills)

The Stray Cats

Kenny G

Garth Brooks

Lenny Kravitz

Metallica after 1988

Pantera

Creed

Kings of Leon

The Talking Heads

Happy Mondays

The Stone Roses (fuck'em)

The Arcade Fire

The Arctic Monkeys

Pearl Jam

Green Day

Pavement

Mogwai

Rufus Wainwrong

Neutral Shit Hotel or something like that

Yo La Tengo

Wilco

Kanye West

2Pac

50 cent

Notorious Big

D'Angelo

Maxwell

Bruno Wars from Mars

Justin Timberlake

The Black Eyed Peas

Terence Trent d'Arby

Whitney Houston

Mariah Carey

Janet Jackson

Sheryl Crow

Alanis Morrissette

Mary J. Blige

Lauryn Hill

Norah Jones

Alicia Keys

Beyonce

[Edited 7/7/14 4:46am]

JoeTyler said:

John Lennon solo

Eric Clapton after the '70s

James Taylor

The Eagles

Tom Waits

Pink Floyd

Queen (great singles, but the filler was insane and omnipresent)

John C. Mellencamp

Phil Collins solo

Sting solo

Robin Thicke

John Legend

Joe Bonamassa (not his playing, but his songwriting skills)

The Stray Cats

Kenny G

Garth Brooks

Lenny Kravitz

Metallica after 1988

Pantera

Creed

Kings of Leon

The Talking Heads

Happy Mondays

The Stone Roses (fuck'em)

The Arcade Fire

The Arctic Monkeys

Pearl Jam

Green Day

Pavement

Mogwai

Rufus Wainwrong

Neutral Shit Hotel or something like that

Yo La Tengo

Wilco

Kanye West

2Pac

50 cent

Notorious Big

D'Angelo

Maxwell

Bruno Wars from Mars

Justin Timberlake

The Black Eyed Peas

Terence Trent d'Arby

Whitney Houston

Mariah Carey

Janet Jackson

Sheryl Crow

Alanis Morrissette

Mary J. Blige

Lauryn Hill

Norah Jones

Alicia Keys

Beyonce

[Edited 7/7/14 4:46am]

Although there are a few on your list that I disagree with, this is a good list that spans different genres. But, please do tell me why you think Maxwell is overrated I've never heard anyone say he was overrated so I'd like to know your opinion of him.

I'm also shocked by Whitney Houston and 2pac being on the list as well Do tell!

SeventeenDayze said:

JoeTyler said:

John Lennon solo

Eric Clapton after the '70s

James Taylor

The Eagles

Tom Waits

Pink Floyd

Queen (great singles, but the filler was insane and omnipresent)

John C. Mellencamp

Phil Collins solo

Sting solo

Robin Thicke

John Legend

Joe Bonamassa (not his playing, but his songwriting skills)

The Stray Cats

Kenny G

Garth Brooks

Lenny Kravitz

Metallica after 1988

Pantera

Creed

Kings of Leon

The Talking Heads

Happy Mondays

The Stone Roses (fuck'em)

The Arcade Fire

The Arctic Monkeys

Pearl Jam

Green Day

Pavement

Mogwai

Rufus Wainwrong

Neutral Shit Hotel or something like that

Yo La Tengo

Wilco

Kanye West

2Pac

50 cent

Notorious Big

D'Angelo

Maxwell

Bruno Wars from Mars

Justin Timberlake

The Black Eyed Peas

Terence Trent d'Arby

Whitney Houston

Mariah Carey

Janet Jackson

Sheryl Crow

Alanis Morrissette

Mary J. Blige

Lauryn Hill

Norah Jones

Alicia Keys

Beyonce

[Edited 7/7/14 4:46am]

Although there are a few on your list that I disagree with, this is a good list that spans different genres. But, please do tell me why you think Maxwell is overrated I've never heard anyone say he was overrated so I'd like to know your opinion of him.

I'm also shocked by Whitney Houston and 2pac being on the list as well Do tell!

Maxwell: mostly overrated here, at the org

2Pac: RIP, this is when I started losing interest in hip-hop (overall), being a Golden Age traditional fan, I just wasn't thrilled by his sound, his style or his lifestyle

Whitney: RIP; great voice, but I just can't stand her material, she opened the door for the likes of Mariah and shit

JoeTyler said:

SeventeenDayze said:

Although there are a few on your list that I disagree with, this is a good list that spans different genres. But, please do tell me why you think Maxwell is overrated I've never heard anyone say he was overrated so I'd like to know your opinion of him.

I'm also shocked by Whitney Houston and 2pac being on the list as well Do tell!

Maxwell: mostly overrated here, at the org

2Pac: RIP, this is when I started losing interest in hip-hop (overall), being a Golden Age traditional fan, I just wasn't thrilled by his sound, his style or his lifestyle

Whitney: RIP; great voice, but I just can't stand her material, she opened the door for the likes of Mariah and shit

I think with Maxwell he's popular because of his raspy vocals and sex appeal. He oozes sex, effortlessly, so that's probably why women (like me) fawn over him He's also got kind of an old-school crooner vibe to him as well.

Gunsnhalen said:

Michael Jackson. X10000000000000
Grateful Dead
Michael Jackson
Tito Jackson
Johnny Jackson

The Jacksons
Michael Jackson
AC/DC
Michael Jackson
Latoya Jackson
Dr. Dre
Michael Jackson

Ahh, fuck off! Your taste is crap too!

Rihanna

I'm sorry, but in my opinion she cannot sing

she is beautiful and performs well but she has NO voice

in fact her voice is quite annoying IMO.

chriss said:

Rihanna

I'm sorry, but in my opinion she cannot sing

she is beautiful and performs well but she has NO voice

in fact her voice is quite annoying IMO.

I also agree that Kanye West and John Legend are overrated.

and yes Beyonce is overexposed

and please let Michael Jackson Rest in Peace!

chriss said:

Rihanna

I'm sorry, but in my opinion she cannot sing

she is beautiful and performs well but she has NO voice

in fact her voice is quite annoying IMO.

I agree that she can't sing but I disagree that she performs well. The few clips that I have seen kind of show her having this look like it's the first time she's ever been on stage. She seems like an amateur.

Sadly, Bobby Womack. Can't feel it.

Patti Labelle. She doesn't sing, she screetches. Nice lady, her hot sauce in purse and all, but...nah.

Obviously, Beyonce.

Kraftwerk? I don't get it. They have zero soul, are German and black folk just love em. Wow. lol.

chriss said:

chriss said:

Rihanna

I'm sorry, but in my opinion she cannot sing

she is beautiful and performs well but she has NO voice

in fact her voice is quite annoying IMO.

I also agree that Kanye West and John Legend are overrated.

and yes Beyonce is overexposed

and please let Michael Jackson Rest in Peace!

John Legend is more of an artist that you say you like yet can't really explain why than an overrated one. He's pretty much just a harmless blip on the music radar and I never hear people sing his praises like Kanye, JT, Jay, Beyonce, Gaga, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, and many, many others. Whenever his name is brought up in conversation, it's simply brought up and nothing more.

Badu is a Goddess and I want it stopped.

MotownSubdivision said:

chriss said:

I also agree that Kanye West and John Legend are overrated.

and yes Beyonce is overexposed

and please let Michael Jackson Rest in Peace!

John Legend is more of an artist that you say you like yet can't really explain why than an overrated one. He's pretty much just a harmless blip on the music radar and I never hear people sing his praises like Kanye, JT, Jay, Beyonce, Gaga, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, and many, many others. Whenever his name is brought up in conversation, it's simply brought up and nothing more.

Yes, you have a good point, but thats my point he's always being brought up in conversation, thus being overrated! However I will say he is a REAL artist, just not my cup of tea i guess...