Where Has Our Soul Music Gone?

A River City Examiner Exclusive

By Byron Lee

Rap is the sound of the youth culture. A style that crossed over to the mainstream a little more than twenty years ago has many of our young people speaking in rhyming, rhythmic patterns and sitting behind keyboards and drum machines.

Not everyone in our community is happy with this reality. Many music lovers long for the songwriting and musicianship shown by acts such as James Brown, Parliament, Funkadelic, Earth, Wind, & Fire, and Kool & the Gang and are disappointed at what they feel is a modern assumption that rap music is all young black people can perform. These people are wondering, in essence, where our soul music has gone.

This article attempts to answer that question, without taking sides, by tracking the evolution of popular black American music from the late 70s, until now, when soul music is experiencing a bit of a renaissance.

The start of a change in the music landscape seemed to occur with the advent of the slow jam. At first, these staples of late-night "quiet storm" radio shows were filtered through the intricate styles of established names like Teddy Pendergrass, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, and the Isley Brothers, and up-and-coming acts such as the Force MDs, Zapp, and The Deele. These songs incorporated synthesizers into what had been an (mostly) organic sound. During the late 80's, a producer named Teddy Riley pushed this technique to the next level with a style known as New Jack Swing. This creation would alter R&B, as a whole. Furthermore, in the early 90's, Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, during his tenure as intern-turned-executive at Uptown/MCA records, brought acts such as Mary J. Blige and Jodeci to the public's attention, creating the Hip Hop Soul sound, using vocals sung over tracks that were essentially 4 bars looped throughout the song's duration. (Combs would continue to explore this territory with Faith Evans, Carl Thomas, and 112, when he started Bad Boy Records.) Meanwhile, the slow jam style evolved, or devolved, depending on your point of view, to the more straightforward and lascivious works of R. Kelly and Joe.

Another genre of music would soon make its presence felt. Rap music, a genre that broke through to the mainstream in 1986 with the release of Queens N.Y. trio Run-DMC's Raising Hell, had become the mainstream. The success of artists such as Snoop Doggy Dogg, Tupac Shakur, Wu-Tang Clan, The Notorious B.I.G., and The Fugees drove record labels to steer R&B artists towards production that was overtly influenced by rap and to have rappers guest star on songs released to radio and television outlets.

To parallel this change in the R&B paradigm, there was another movement called Neo-Soul, driven by Philadelphia rap band The Roots, that emphasized live instrumentation and less polished, more potent vocals. However, due to sporadic releases (D'Angelo, Erykah Badu), underperforming albums (The Roots), and outright disappearing acts (Maxwell, D'Angelo), the subgenre died quickly.

With the exception of Anthony Hamilton, very few R&B singers today make it big, unless they have a crossover following (Usher, Ne-yo, Chris Brown, Mario), are prominently displayed on rap songs (T-Pain), are strongly associated with a rapper (John Legend, Bobby Valentino) or have a thugged-out persona (Akon, Trey Songz, The Dream). (Perhaps the best understanding of where mainstream R&B is, today, would be a look at the style of The Dream. A talented singer and producer, his songs start off well, with interesting narratives. Yet, he seems to picture his audience in one of two places: the bedroom, or the club. Consequently, atmospherics trump songwriting, with his tracks abruptly shifting to extended repetition, or call-and-response chants. Furthermore, he occasionally delves into profanity that, although intrusive to some listeners, has become commonplace in R&B geared toward younger audiences. )

People who bemoan the influence rap has on today's youth should think about the origin of the genre and what the state of society means for today's youth. Rap was born out of a need that many community organizers saw to steer children away from illicit behavior. This need was only increased in the wake of urban decay brought on by the influx of drugs, the return of disillusioned Vietnam vets, and government cutbacks.

The effects of low income status and the absence of government funding can still be felt, today. With a lack of exposure to musical instruments and an aversion to the rising cost of higher education, many black youths view rap music as both an accessible form of creative expression and a means to financial prosperity.

Oddly enough, an album featuring a white, British, tattooed, beehive hairdo-sporting singer may play a role in turning the musical tide. Released in March of 2007 (in the United States) and guided by acclaimed DJ Mark Ronson, Back to Black, the sophomore release from Amy Winehouse, reintroduced audiences worldwide to the classic soul sound, complete with horn section. Anchoring the sonic textures were Winehouse's yearning vocals and confessional lyrics. The album sold 2 million copies in the U.S., earned Ronson 3 Grammys, and has been certified either gold or platinum in every country in which it has been released.

Since the success of Back to Black, other artists have felt free to delve into the resurgent genre. Raphael Saadiq, one time leader of Tony! Toni! Tone!, recorded an album of songs in this vein, entitled The Way I See It. Released this past September, the collection was named Album of the Year by the iTunes editorial board, and the material on the release has been nominated for 3 Grammys.

The Way I See It owes a great debt to Smokey Robinson. "Just One Kiss," a duet with rumored paramour Joss Stone, reminds listeners of ≥Baby, Baby Don't Cry,≤ "100 Yard Dash" has a "Going To A Go-Go" feel, and "Calling" is a poignant take on the doo wop ballad that Robinson pioneered with the Miracles. There is also a strong Marvin Gaye influence. "Big Easy," where an uptempo, handclapping arrangement is successfully married to lyrics sung from the vantage point of a Hurricane Katrina survivor, recalls Gaye's early material, and "Staying In Love" is reminiscent of "You're All I Need To Get By" (Gaye's duet with Tammi Terrell). Respect is also paid to The Temptations. "Love That Girl" and "Keep Marching" echo "The Girl's Alright With Me."

The references to other songs point to the main criticism of this album: before you press play, you've probably already heard it. There is a thin line between homage and replica, and many of these songs veer to the wrong side of it. The songs on Back to Black were rooted in the soul tradition, but were distinctive enough to standout on their own. (Two exceptions in Saadiq's collection are "Never Give You Up," which features Ray Parker Jr. soundalike C.J. Hilton and, in the ultimate stamp of approval, the legendary Stevie Wonder on harmonica, and "Sometimes." On the latter, an addition to the Lessons-Mama-Taught-Me canon, Saadiq, backed up by harmonies reminiscent of the Temptations, appears to be addressing his separation from both Tony! Toni! Tone! and the short-lived supergroup Lucy Pearl. These songs can be enjoyed, without playing the "This song sounds just like..." game.)

The concern over how closely Saadiq adheres to the style he loves so dearly could be a moot point. The main value of The Way I See It, and of the soul renaissance, in general, is as a gateway to lure in younger listeners, until they are no longer self-conscious about enjoying artists of yesteryear.

Cutlines:

For picture of members of Guy-

A NEW SOUND: Teddy Riley, flanked by brothers Aaron (left) and Damion Hall of Guy, pioneered a synthesizer-heavy style called New Jack Swing.

For R.Kelly Album Cover-

THE R BRINGS THE EDGE: Chicago singer/producer R. Kelly brought more explicit lyrics and crowd-pleasing, formulaic song structures to R&B.

For Fugees Album Cover-

RAP REIGNS SUPREME: The success of acts like The Fugees led record labels to steer R&B artists towards a more rap-based style.

For picture of Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson:

SAVIORS OF SOUL: Guided by acclaimed DJ Mark Ronson and showcasing singer Amy Winehouse, 2007πs Back to Black reintroduced audiences worldwide to the classic soul sound.

For Raphael Saadiq Album Cover-

A BRIDGE TO YESTERYEAR: Despite adhering a bit too faithfully to classic soul staples, Raphael Saadiqπs new album, The Way I See It, could get younger people to seek out the legends of the genre.

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PASSIONATE FOR THE PAST: Many music lovers long for the songwriting and musicianship shown by acts such as Earth, Wind, and Fire.

For Maxwell album cover-

FADED FAST: Maxwell was a part of the Neo-soul movement, which emphasized live instrumentation. The subgenre, however, died quickly.

For picture of Puff Daddy-

FATHER OF A STYLE: Sean ≥Puff Daddy≤ Combs used Mary J. Bilge and Jodeci to bring Hip Hop Soul to the masses.

For picture of the Dream-

THE R&B HITMAKER: The Dreamπs songs reflect the current sound of mainstream R&B.