Another Silly Neo-Soul Discussion...

batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
edited January 2009 in Strut Central
Is this Neo-Soul or just Soul/R&B?Sometimes I throw certain albums into my Windows Media Player and 'Soul & R&B' shows up the musical catagory.Ive been tryin to label my shit "correctly" so ill change certain albums to fit my labelling.Is Eric Benet Neo-Soul?Teedra Moses? Usually newer cats like Keyshia Coles i'll just label Soul/R&B.And not get too crazy and call her 'Hip Hop Soul'.Carl Thomas? Str8 R&B.

  Comments


  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    These labels were always rather artificial to begin with. I doubt very many artists would just go out and self-define themselves as "neo-soul". They see themselves as "soul artists," period.

    Someone like TTT were R&B, straight up and down and while they may have influenced neo-soul, I don't know if they'd be classified as such compared to, say, D'Angelo or Erykah Badu or Jill Scott.

    At the end of the day, it doesn't matter. Whatever you label your categories as as "accurate" as anything the music industry ever came up with.

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    Someone like TTT were R&B, straight up and down and while they may have influenced neo-soul, I don't know if they'd be classified as such compared to, say, D'Angelo or Erykah Badu or Jill Scott.

    No doubt.

    But wasnt House Of Music a more blatant return to roots vs. the New Jack/Synthy stuff they did before?

    1996 was right in line w/ D'Angelo,Maxwell, and Badu.
    U cant tell me Saddiq and them werent aware of the "industry trends".

    Thinkin Of You sounds nuffin like It Never Rains In California.

  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    Batmon: I think one could call "House of Music" a neo-soul album but it'd be different to put that label on the group.

    Saadiq's last album was unquestionably a retro-soul album but I wouldn't call him a retro-soul artist.

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    Batmon: I think one could call "House of Music" a neo-soul album but it'd be different to put that label on the group.

    Saadiq's last album was unquestionably a retro-soul album but I wouldn't call him a retro-soul artist.

    I agree.

    I only wanted a "label" for the album.

  • JimsterJimster Cruffiton.etsy.com 6,960 Posts
    I go with 5 "Genres" now:

    Jazz (inc. Fusion and Brasilian - widdling, basically)

    Hip Hop (Breaeak-or-Rap-R)

    R&B (if they are actually singing and the beats aren't
    4/4 or "Ambient")

    Dance & Electronica

    Everything Else (Rawk, Pop, stuff you wife likes)
Sign In or Register to comment.