The 90s R&B singer Tevin Campbell is getting his shine after trending last year and when online haters shaded the suggestion of him performing at a memorial for Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin.
What they seemed to forget is that Campbell is relevant and was a 90s icon that worked with music legends such as Prince and Quincy Jones. He had hits that were the soundtrack of our lives like Tomorrow (A Better You, Better Me), I’m Ready, and the chart-topping, “Can We Talk.” Those jam still evoke emotions.
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Ava DuVernay was one of many who took up for Campbell and even promised to place him in the upcoming season of the critically acclaimed drama series. Queen Sugar. And the Academy Award-nominated filmmaker and director has made good on her promise and revealed Campbell will appear in Queen Sugar which premieres on Wednesday, June 12 on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, The Source reports.
Take that internet trolls!
Tevin is a legend
Luvvie Ajayi, known as @Luvvie or Awesomely Luvvie, tweeted last year: “Someone suggested Tevin Campbell to sing at Aretha’s tribute. Under what rock did they pull that name from?”
To be fair, Ajayi’s thing is offering up her opinions with a raw twist. She is author of I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual.
Tevin Campbell can sang better that 98% of your faves, and do it effortlessly pic.twitter.com/fMnr8wmQ6x
— Christopher Aka Mr. Black (@Consiglie1Chris) August 17, 2018
But her comment regarding Tevin Campbell just went too far—apparently.
Twitter followers from award-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay to award-winning author Roxane Gay were not having it, posting defenses of Campbell or video of him performing with heavy hitters and holding his own.
Rebuking any Tevin Campbell slander from millennials and plotting to write him into an episode of Queen Sugar SOMEHOW. On general principle. pic.twitter.com/mcNCGBnvDv
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) August 17, 2018
The backlash became so great that Campbell was trending on Twitter, prompting even Ajayi to take notice.
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“Tevin Campbell is trending,” she tweeted on Friday. “Lawdt. I KNOW he can blow but I haven’t heard his name in awhile. People took my tweet and acted like I called his mama a sinner. I ain’t say he can’t sing. Folks added all that stuff to that one tweet. Chisos.”
Campbell has an impressive musical catalogue has been nominated for five Grammys. He has worked with the best of them in the business biz: Quincy Jones, Prince and Babyface, just to name a few.
Let’s also hope he’s got an album in the works.
“@Ava is a doer, she kept her word.” Welcome to #QueenSugar, Tevin Campbell— stay tuned! ? pic.twitter.com/jKKUcBreyO
— Queen Sugar (@QueenSugarOWN) March 19, 2019