2012 R&B
“How do you feel about the state of R&B?” It’s a question that’s become standard amongst music writers covering Rhythm and Blues, a genre which has lacked the passion and luster veteran acts brought to the field in decades past.
At the top of 2012, a UK journalist sat down with three-fourths of R&B royalty, Boyz II Men. Not long after exchanging pleasantries, the question was asked. And the fellas did what most forgotten favorites would—passively crap on the new artists and stations that play them.
“A lot of the songs are reminiscent to what you may hear at a pop station, with the Techno and the House,” Shawn Stockman began. “That wasn’t really considered R&B when we came up. But that’s all that’s played on R&B stations. I think the only reason people are calling it R&B is because Black people are singing it.”
That, friends, is a light jab at Chris Brown and Usher, who’ve earned crossover appeal lately by jumping on the Euro train and clubbing up their music, choo-chooing to Billboard Hot 100 hits with songs like “Beautiful People” and “OMG” respectively.
“The R&B love song ceases to exist,” Men mate Nathan Morris continued. “The heart of R&B is the love song. And people just don’t listen to love songs anymore. It’s about pouring out your heart and doing that on an R&B record. Those records don’t exist anymore.” Fortunately for R&B fans, they were wrong.
Innovative R&B came in bunches this year. Within days of that Boyz II Men interview being published Usher released “Climax,” his falsetto-driven cut damp with the misery of a relationship that didn’t go the distance. Weeks later California charmer Miguel dropped the first for three Art Dealer Chic mixtapes, featuring hit single “Adorn.” Both got incessant radio burn.
Nate Morris may swear on stack of Marvin Gaye albums that love songs don’t exist. But there goes Miguel, singing “Baby, these fists will always protect ya/ And this mind will never neglect you.” The singles are excellent, unconventional takes on what most thought was missing. Usher’s “Climax” was the lead single from his Look 4 Myself album. Miguel’s “Adorn” kicked things off on his sophomore set Kaleidoscope Dream. Both are offerings where critics looking for “classic R&B” can find just that, but packaged in unfamiliar, inventive soundscapes.
2012’s breakout R&B star was Frank Ocean, who amid sexuality rumors—first alleged, then confirmed—overpowered the noise with his critically acclaimed channel ORANGE summer debut, featuring well-scripted tales about unrequited, overscrutinized, helpless love (“Thinkin Bout You,” “Bad Religion”).
Trey Songz and Ne-Yo also dropped solid efforts this year, equally boasting traditional R&B singles and dance-heavy songs. With the quality of music in the once drying well of R&B trending upward it’s getting harder to slight it.
Boyz II Men shouldn’t be clowned for their February 2012 opinions on the genre they hold near and dear to their hearts. The year prior wasn’t a particularly excited one. They must not have seen it coming. But 2012 was amazing for R&B. There’s hope yet.
FRANK OCEAN
As the year wraps, several music magazines have lauded channel ORANGE, the debut album from Frank Ocean, as album of the year. With the storytelling depth of a bestselling novelist lyrically and grooves that rival funk levels not heard since D’Angelo grooved more than a decade ago, Ocean took listeners on an often heartbreaking musical journey. He laments about a reluctant lover on “Bad Religion” and runs away with another as her guardians chase after them on “Monks.”
But music wasn’t Ocean’s only landmark this year. Amidst rumors of him being gay based on the content of his music (on “Thinkin’ Bout You” and “Forrest Gump” he uses “boy” where typically a female noun would be used by a straight man), on Independence Day, he decided to free himself and revealed that he had once been in love with a man. Though Frank has balked from labeling himself as bi or homosexual, the revelation proved to be a huge moment in Black music. Never before has an R&B artist the stature of Ocean, a burgeoning superstar, admitted to such a thing. The African-American community had never been known to be much accepting of man seemingly singing to another man. But when his album hit stores weeks later, fans bought 131,000 copies in its first week, propelling ORANGE to a No. 2 debut on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart.
Their statement was clear: It doesn’t matter who Frank loves. It’s about his music. ORANGE recently has been nominated for six Grammy awards, including Best New Artist and Album of the Year. It’s not that channel ORANGE is wonderful in spite of Ocean’s sexuality. Ocean’s simply just a great artist, one that moved black culture into a more colorful world.
WHITNEY HOUSTON
The evening of February 11, 2012 is one many hoped wouldn’t arrive so soon, but unfortunately didn’t shock much either. A day before the 54th annual Grammy Awards, iconic vocalist Whitney Houston was found unconscious in a Beverly Hilton Hotel room, submerged in a bathtub, dead at 48. The Los Angeles County coroner’s office would later reveal that cocaine was in her system at the time, as well as marijuana and a slew of other drugs. Again, no surprise.
Houston’s career began in the mid ‘80s. Her self-titled debut album fittingly came out on Valentine’s Day of 1985. Her biggest hits—and there were plenty—focused on love. With Miss Universe beauty and a soul-powered voice, Whitney warmed the pop charts with jams like “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me),” “How Will I Know,” and enthralling ballads like “I Will Always Love You.”
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But even though she enjoyed a great deal of time in the limelight, adorned with six Grammys and heralded acting roles in The Bodyguard and Cinderella (which she earned an Emmy nom for), Houston did her fair share of dark things in the shade.
Heavy drug use with ex husband and R&B bad boy Bobby Brown damaged her voice. It was a habit that made a once faultless singer a shaky live performer towards the end of her life. Touring for her 2009 album I Look to You, one that should have marked a triumphant return, proved to be too much for her. Stints at rehab apparently weren’t much help. Though those who had seen Whitney claim that she was in good spirits when they’d seen her on the eve of that Grammy weekend, she had obviously relapsed. On Sunday, February 19, 2012 Houston mother Cissy and family buried her in Westfield, New Jersey next to her father, John Russell Houston, the end of a marvelous career and a troubled life.
RIHANNA AND CHRIS BROWN
Time heals all wounds, no? The bruises and knots Chris Brown put on then-girlfriend Rihanna’s gorgeous face years ago on the eve of the 51st Grammy Awards in 2009 didn’t take long to disappear. But the time it took to mend their relationship, at least publicly, lasted a bit longer.
In August 2009 Brown was sentenced to serve the probation and to spend more than 1,400 hours in “labor-oriented service” for his felony assault conviction. He was also had to complete a 52-week domestic violence program.
As Brown made progress serving, things apparently got better with his ex flame as well. In California Judge Patricia Schnegg lifted her “stay away” order that prevented Brown from being near Rihanna, in February 2011. Gossip blogs gleefully fed on images of the two canoodling in nightclubs, seemingly confirming rumors that they’re together again.
Rihanna and Chris gave their listening audience and bloggers more to feast on this year. It began in the spring, when the two pop stars hopped in each other’s singles for remixes, releasing them within days of each other. Brown’s “Turn Up the Music” featured a sultry Rih’, while an aggressive Brown leapt on Rihanna’s “Birthday Cake.” “I wanna f**k you right now,” he sings at the top of his verse, clearly not holding anything back. It was the first time they worked together since the ’09 controversy.
Throughout the summer the twosome peppered their Instagram timelines with pictures of them hanging out all over the world. Then after feeding the Internet all of that, they made a statement on their latest collaborations. Playing off of the conclusion of Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel,” Rihanna invited Brown on her Unapologetic track “Nobody’s Business.” They take turns yelping that their relationship “ain’t nobody’s business.” Whatever.
Whether they’re in a relationship again or not is anybody’s guess. But they are back in business. That’s for sure.
CHIEF KEEF
Chicago is on pace to crack 500 homicides by year’s end. Not one person can be blamed for them. But a rap upstart, Chief Keef, has done a helluva job almost buoyantly crafting anthems that soundtrack Chi-town’s miserable year.
With loud cuts from his spring mixtape Back from the Dead, Keef burst onto the hip-hop scene with obnoxious bangers, hypnotically catchy if not basic. Its marquee single “I Don’t Like” is a club-quaker simply listing things he doesn’t like. Sneak dissers? Snitches? Men that act like women? They all stay on his bad side.
His raucous lyrics even baited music site Pitchfork into taking the then 16-year-old Keef to a gun range to pop a few rounds off. Never mind that he spent a chunk of 2012 under house arrest in connection with gun charges or that his Chicago hometown was suffering through a murderous, cruel summer. After feeling the heat from their angry audience, Pitchfork pulled the piece from their site.
Now 17, Chief Keef is still a problem child. His debut album Finally Rich hit stores recently, featuring the same gang-related bravado of mixtapes past. How responsible a kid this young should be held for the villainous actions of his neighbors is up for discussion. What’s for sure is that he certainly hasn’t been helping the cause.
Brad Wete is a New York-based journalist. He’s written for Billboard, GQ, Entertainment Weekly, and Vibe amongst others. You can follow him on twitter at @BradWete.