Okayplayer

Is R&B Still Rhythm and Blues?

In 1992, the world was formally introduced to Mary J. Blige in her “Real Love” music video. The image of a young Black woman, rocking an oversized baseball jersey, a backwards cap, and singing over a ...
The New York Times

The Women Who Are Reinventing R&B

A group of young singer-songwriters have transformed the genre by looking backward, without getting stuck in the past. Here and below are seven of the many contemporary artists who are redefining and ...
Essence

Never Too Much? A Look At Sexually Explicit R&B Lyrics

Welcome to The State of R&B, ESSENCE’s look at the past, present and future of rhythm and blues. In this piece, writer Jaelani Turner-Williams addresses claims that today’s R&B is too sexual. R&B’s ...
The Harvard Crimson

So You Want to Listen to R&B: Travel Through Time

Now widely recognized as soulful and chill music brought to life with various musical instruments, the genre of rhythm and blues, also known as R&B, was originally introduced to market African ...