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Description of Contemporary R&B

 
Contemporary R&B artists aren't much different than their New Jack Swing forefathers, incorporating hip-hop rhythms, samples, and production techniques into their sound. Contemporary R&B seamlessly blends the melodic qualities of soul and the funky rhythms of rap, leading rappers appearing alongside singers so that singing isn't just relegated to the chorus. Contemporary R&B is also notable for its high level of studio manipulation, as voices and instruments are stretched and edited digitally.
 

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Contemporary R&B Key Artists

 
Aaliyah

Budding R&B superstar
Aaliyah was tragically killed
in a plane crash in 2001.
Aaliyah was discovered at
age fifteen by R. Kelly, w...

After 7

After 7's brand of suave
urban soul caressed
American airwaves in the
early 1990s. Melvin and
Kevon Edmonds' younger...

Boyz II Men

The four-man vocal group
formed by Michael Bivins of
Bel Biv Devoe wowed
audiences and the charts
throughout the early '90s....

Brandy

A television/film star and
diva, Brandy melds mostly
wholesome pop with safely
sassy R&B. She landed her
first record deal when sh...

Brian McKnight

A multi-faceted singer and
songwriter from a musical
family, McKnight is a highly
respected Contemporary
R&B artist. McKnight's older...

Destiny's Child

Destiny's Child wrapped up
pop charts in the '90s,
dispensing sassy R&B over
frenetic hip-hop/club beats.
Destiny's Child has been t...

Dru Hill

Revered for their mature,
harmonized R&B, Dru Hill had
a slew of No. 1 R&B hits in the
'90s and also launched
Sisqo's career. The band'...

En Vogue

En Vogue put the "grrr" in
the '90s prefab girl group,
performing sassy,
attitude-laden hits with
impressive vocal interplay...

H-Town

A booty-driven,
harmony-rich Soul outfit,
H-Town was managed by
Luther Campbell of 2Live
Crew fame.

Janet Jackson

A member of the Jackson
clan, Janet broke out with
the highly successful
"Control" and hasn't looked
back since. Jackson's ear...

Jodeci

New Jack Swing favorites,
Jodeci's subtly harmonized
singing made them darlings
of the charts and spun off
K-Ci and Jo-Jo. Devante (t...

K-Ci & Jo-Jo

Brothers and one-half of
Jodeci, K-Ci and Jo-Jo
backed Tupac on "How Do
You Want It" before striking
out on their own. K-Ci an...

Keith Sweat

Sweat is an elder statesman
of the Contemporary R&B
game, seeing it through
over a decade of change.
Keith Sweat was born and...

Lauryn Hill

One-third of the Fugees and
an accomplished singer and
composer in her own right,
Hill won a Grammy in 1999
with her debut. Lauryn is...

LSG

This all-star collaboration
joined Contemporary R&B
heavyweights Gerald
Levert, Keith Sweat and
Johnny Gill.

Mariah Carey

With a No. 1 single each
year in the decade, Mariah
Carey was the
biggest-selling female solo
artist of the 1990s. And in...

Mary J. Blige

The undisputed queen of
hip-hop soul, Mary J. Blige
has one of the most
powerful and stirring voices
in all of music. Her first so...

R. Kelly

A successful R&B vocalist,
producer and songwriter,
R. Kelly has sold more than
20 million albums. Hip-hop
beats work with Kelly's c...

SWV

Consistent 1990s
chart-toppers SWV
packaged hard-edged sass,
rap, and slick urban lyrics
into a winning combinatio...

TLC

Drama-laden in song and
real life, TLC have seen
both bankruptcy and
platinum success in their
decade-long R&B career. T...

Usher

Discovered at age 14 by
LaFace Records, Usher's
been bringing the lyrical
love since 1994. Usher
notched up a gold album...

Whitney Houston

A pop star who's hovered in
the charts for two decades,
Houston is best known for
her unbeatable set of pipes.
A cousin of R&B legend Dio...

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