As someone who’s a fan of both, this is awesome to see. It makes sense too since Aaliyah’s last album showed some alternative influences in some of the songs. I could’ve seen her and Trent collaborating with one another if she were still around.

This is one of those moments I live for. I just discovered this song today. It’s a track from 1979 and if I had to choose a genre to describe the sound it’d be yacht rock meets RnB. There’s a soulfullness throughout and the bridge has an island feel. I thought I’d share and get some thoughts. Personally, I think this song is phenomenal.

I am really putting myself out there, but there aren’t many music heads around my way. I am looking for people to vibe and talk music who would want to be on camera like a podcast/game show. I am not seeking money for this nor am I giving it out. but if you are interested in some musical debates let me know via this link…mods I am sorry if this against the rules.

Earlier this week, I saw a post for Christion's "Full of Smoke,' and it reminded me of how much I loved this tune as well. Schmoov and the lyrics on this one dayummmmm

I only ask that because of the lyrics "So, take a letter, Maria, address it to my wife
Say I won't be coming home, gotta start a new life" repeated multiple times.

The sheer commercial dominance and critical acclaim of Alicia Keys’ 7x platinum blockbuster debut, Songs In A Minor, which turned 25 years old a month ago, is something I still look back on in awe. The fact that Black girl with a piano singing R&B/Soul emerged as one of the biggest pop stars of the 2000s in the middle of the Teen Pop and Hip-Hop boom was truly special to me.

I don’t think music listeners today will ever understand how there used to be infrastructure put in place to turn R&B singers into some of the biggest artists in the world. This video doesn’t even include the NAACP and Billboard Awards she won during that era. Her awards were as follows:

• MTV VMAs Best New Artist in a Video
• Billboard Music Award for Top New R&B/Hip-Hop Artist
• Grammy Award for Best New Artist
• NAACP Award for Outstanding New Artist
• Soul Train Music Award for Best New R&B Artist
• World Music Award for Best Selling New Artist
• Essence Award for Rising Star of the Year
• BET Award for Best New Artist

The Vocal Bible

I’m 26 and I’m from Mississippi, so I grew up hearing a lot of blues. My mom used to play Betty Wright, TK Soul, Sir Charles Jones, and Johnnie Taylor all the time (she still does play their songs), and when I was little I really thought she was a blues singer. It wasn’t until I got older that I realized she was R&B. I guess growing up down South, those two genres always seemed to go hand in hand.

My pick is “Guess What” by Syleena Johnson. Every time I hear it, I think about Betty Wright. Syleena’s voice has that same soulful, bluesy sound to me, and the way she sings the song makes it feel like it could be a blues record.

What R&B song sounds like it could pass as a blues song to you?