[Locke.]

Written by Claude Kelly:

Its 2013, and the debate about whether R&B is alive, on life support or dead is still very real.

In my opinion, R&B is HERE…to stay. hasn’t been in the forefront like it was in the 90’s but great albums HAVE been released.

here are the 13 R&B albums (since 2000) that everyone should be familiar with…

1. Usher - Confession

complete in every way. amazing ballads, amazing club bangers, heart-felt mid tempos. quality vocals, soulful and honest as hell!

2. Brandy - Full Moon

the vocal bleuprint. vocal arrangements are perfect. Brandy is THE singer’s singer and this album covers all the bases. don’t you dare argue this…

3. Tweet - Southern Hummingbird

under-rated in every way. the first single does this album no justice. please go back and listen.

4.Amerie - All I Have

Rich Harrison is genius for this. if you like Beyonce’s ‘Crazy in Love’ THIS album was the catalyst. It has the raw east coast flavor that makes a Mary J record hot, with the vocal arrangement of a Brandy album, and is still unique.

5. R. Kelly - Chocolate Factory

Sort of got overlooked due to his legal troubles, but this album is golden. R. Kelly is the most important black male artist we have since Michael Jackson. This album reflects his genius.

6. Rihanna - Good Girl Gone Bad

Established her a star. single after single after single. people are still trying to catch up. and people are still putting “eh eh’s” in their songs because of it.


7. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black

throwback perfection, but with the urgency and subject matter that was ahead of its time.

8. D’Angelo - Voodoo

a musician’s masterpiece. period.

9.Mariah Carey - The Emancipation of Mimi

the comeback of all comebacks. those Bone Thugs-ish rhythmic phrases and pretty vocals are a winner.

10. India.Arie - Acoustic Soul

incredible introductory album. R&B is famous for drum, bass. India made the guitar the sexy primary instrument. Most refreshing singer/songwriter alto since Tracy Chapman.

11. Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds

there is absolutely nothing wrong with this album. nothing.

12. Mary J Blige - No More Drama

for the title track alone. this was her “arrival” album. go watch her Grammy performance of this No More Drama. chills. she’s the queen, she earned it.

13. Alicia Keys - The Diary of Alicia Keys

quality soul. intelligent writing. You Dont Know My Name, Diary, If I Got You are real gems.

buy em, and enjoy…