Usher paid tribute to the next generation of R&B artists during a new cover story for Billboard and says that anyone suggesting the genre is dead, "sounds crazy." The comments come after SZA, Victoria Monét, and Coco Jones, among other artists were recognized at the Grammy Awards, last weekend.
“I’m very happy that there’s a new installation of R&B artists who care to be authentic to what they are creating, inspired by artists of the past,” he told the outlet. “Everybody who has ever said to me that R&B is dead sounds crazy. Especially when I know the origins of R&B are in all other genres of music.”
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The legendary singer continued: “My point is, I never felt like R&B was dying. I think it just needs expansion. We’re moving toward a standard where people are looking at snippets — TikTok, Instagram and other things — and when fans get it, they take it and do something with it. But if we start to think of it that way and create from that place, the standards for R&B will change. You won’t be able to compare it in an old-versus-new way. It’ll just be what it is.” He added that the genre needs more spaces similar to the Lovers & Friends Festival. “It’s about creating commerce in other spaces. Lovers & Friends is a successful R&B festival that gives you a place to go and celebrate the songs that we make,” Usher said. “We need things that you associate with R&B that you can buy into. Like with hip-hop — glasses, clothes, cars, jewelry, sneakers … ancillary things that people can access. R&B needs and has the potential to have those things as well.”
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Usher will be releasing a new album, Coming Home, on Friday. After that, he's scheduled to bring his iconic catalog of hits to the Super Bowl Halftime Show on Sunday. Be on the lookout for further updates on Usher on HotNewHipHop.
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