Welcome to The State of R&B, ESSENCE’s take a look at the past, present and way forward for rhythm and blues. On this piece, author Imani Mixon takes on the “R&B is dead” debate.
While fulfilling my duty as maid of honor in my cousin’s Memorial Day wedding, I set out to pick the form of songs you play at a marriage — the entrances, the exits, the primary dance, the toast. I quickly realized that current R&B wedding playlists were crammed with the identical songs that played in my parents’ 1999 wedding video. Faith Evans’ “Never Let You Go.” Eric Benét and Tamia’s “Spend My Life With You.” Case’s “Happily Ever After.” Much of our modern understanding of traditional R&B is...
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