The “Is R&B dead?” discussion initiated by Diddy last week has kept social media alight with artists, fans, and music industry insiders alike, adding their opinions to the conversation.
The Hip-Hop mogul gathered some of the genre’s biggest artists to share their thoughts on the topic, and now Usher has waded into the discussion. According to Mr. Raymond, as a pioneer, Diddy should know better and called the suggestion “blasphemous.”
Usher Says Diddy’s “R&B Is Dead” Discussion “Sounds Crazy”
He shared his view during a recent discussion with Bevy Smith, claiming Diddy “sounds nuts to me.”
“When I hear people say stuff like ‘What happened to R&B?’ or ‘R&B is dead’…it’s not. You just don’t understand the basis of it. Matter fact, maybe I need a reminder, an understanding of what it is. How can something come out 20-some-odd years ago, and then all of a sudden have a resurgence in a way that people just wanna talk about it, sing it, enjoy it? That’s because it’s classic. That’s ‘Superstar.’” He concluded, “That’s R&B.”
During an Instagram Live session with Timbaland last week, Diddy declared that “R&B is m############ dead as of right now.” Usher disagrees.
“That’s what R&B is. R&B is timeless, it ain’t gonna go away,” Usher continued. “So, when I do hear people, even like Puff saying ‘R&B is dead,’ he sounds nuts to me. It sounds crazy, you know, especially knowing he was a pioneer in understanding and beneficiary of it. You know, the source that is R&B created the breath of life that was breathed into Hip Hop.”
Furthermore, Usher says Hip-Hop owes everything to R&B, as such, Hip-Hop artists should hold their tongues on the subject.
“There wouldn’t be—there would be no Hip Hop if there were not R&B,” Usher added. So it’s blasphemous to hear people say anything—especially Hip Hop cats—to say anything about R&B. It’s like, nah, it’s been there. It’s gon’ stay there.” Check out his comments below.
Meanwhile, Diddy attempted to clarify his comments earlier this week after the backlash.
“It’s been 3 days of the debate… This is the clarity of the message… It’s not disrespect to anybody,” Diddy penned in a Twitter thread. “This conversation was out of love and me purposely wanting to bring attention to R&B! It was something that I saw the effect of the Hip hop and R&B balance. That balance is honesty and realness when it comes together, melodies, vulnerability and most importantly LOVE!”