R&B

“I’m just trying to create a world for people to experience and feel something,” Josh Levi tells Rated R&B over a video call one afternoon in April. The 23-year-old singer/actor is metaphorically speaking about his vision for creating a body of work, more specifically his new EP Disc Two, out June 9. The multi-dimensional entertainer

Anthony David and Algebra Blessett have teamed up to remake BeBe & CeCe Winan’s classic “Heaven.” Their superb cover of this late ’80s inspirational has no bells and whistles to fill out the production. It’s for a good reason. Blessett’s and David’s soul-searching vocals do the heavy lifting, mounting and descending at the right moments

No one should be surprised that T-Pain is still collecting certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). While on his Road to Wiscansin Tour, the rapper-turnt-sanga’s sophomore album Epiphany graduated to double-platinum status with more than two million equivalent units sold. It becomes his only album to climb over the multi-platinum level. Released

The 2022 Roots Picnic is happening on Saturday, June 4, and Sunday, June 5, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Hosted at The Mann at Fairmount Park, the two-day festival is headlined by Mary J. Blige and the Roots, and Summer Walker. Other performers on the star-studded lineup include Jazmine Sullivan; Summer Walker; Alex Isley; Tone Stith; Robert Glasper &

The last big song titled “Magic Stick” united Lil’ Kim and 50 Cent and occupied the number two spot on the Hot 100 without a video. None of that is intended to add pressure on Trè Samuels, the newest Warner Records signee who released his major-label debut single of the same title. Nothing about the

Arin Ray is back with his first studio album in four years. Hello Poison follows his 2018 debut album, Platinum Fire, which was expanded months later with a few bonus cuts.  Among the 15 songs on Ray’s sophomore album are the glistening “Gold” and “The Mood” featuring D Smoke. In between those two songs, he

Anderson .Paak does more than dominate the charts and win awards as one-half of Silk Sonic with Bruno Mars. The extraordinary musician makes style a patent priority of his brand, displaying it through his third collaborative collection with Vans. The Vans x Anderson .Paak Vanderson Collection features unique footwear and apparel made for the entire

Each year, the structure of the Recording Academy undergoes ambitious changes to showcase diversity and inclusion as well as the enthusiasms of qualified music influencers. Its National Board of Trustees team gets 19 new and familiar additions for its 2022-2023 term.  PJ Morton, whose new album Watch The Sun dropped in April, rejoins as a

It’s a Monday afternoon and Sir Darryl Farris, affectionately known as SiR, is sitting in his all-white room and is wearing a crisp white t-shirt accessorized by two gold chains. The Inglewood, California, native’s lunch order arrives just as our interview begins but he prefers to hold off. “It’s going to have to wait. It’s

Tank and his manager J. Valentine are hosting a new podcast series, R&B Money, powered by iHeartMedia and Charlamagne tha God’s Black Effect Podcast Network. The weekly podcast, named after his independent imprint in partnership with Atlantic Records, launched June 1. The first show features Oscar and Grammy winner Jamie Foxx.  Each episode will feature

This year’s Black Music Month kicked off with nominations for the 2022 BET Awards. Leading the R&B pack in three categories is Ari Lennox, who received four nods. The Washington, D.C. native’s hit single “Pressure” scored two acknowledgments, including Video of the Year and Bet Her. She is a two-time nominee in the latter field,

Festival season continues to shift in full throttle as the weather heats up. Even though events such as the Lovers and Friends Festival, Smokin’ Grooves, and R&B Only Fest have already passed, there are still plenty of options for R&B lovers. Here’s a roundup of R&B festivals happening around the U.S. in 2022 (in order

Kaash Paige wants a girl who’s not into wasting time. On her Lil Tjay-assisted single, “24 Hrs,” the emerging singer looks forward to being entangled with a young lady who makes her interludes back home in Dallas memorable. “I’m up till 3 in the morning / Calling ’cause you know that I want it /

Almost seven years after releasing his East Hollywood EP, Marc E. Bassy releases the second installment. Unlike his previous effort, which was loaded with several stars such as Ty Dolla $ign and G-Eazy, the sequel is feature free. “I made this project with my friends in my house over the course of 10 sessions. All

Caleb McLaughlin could not have timed his return to music more perfectly. After taking a woozy stroll through the “Neighborhood” on his debut single, the emerging singer/actor has shared “Soul Travel.” It arrived ahead of the season four premiere of Netflix‘s Stranger Things, in which he stars as Lucas Sinclair. On “Soul Travel,” produced by

After a seven-year hiatus, Natalie La Rose has returned with her new single, “Tables.”  On the D’Mile-produced track, La Rose dismisses her unfaithful lover, who thinks he can creep around without her noticing. Luckily for La Rose, she is hip to his game and gets the last laugh as she entertains her other options.  “I’ll

Front + Center is Rated R&B’s artist discovery series, putting new and emerging R&B singers at the center of your attention. Honesty is a two-way street. How upfront someone is at the beginning of any situation can influence the initial emotions of the person on the receiving end, whether that be for good or bad.

Kehlani’s video for “Melt” is inspired by a romantic interlude to Brazil with their partner 070 Shake.   Co-directed by Kehlani and 070 Shake, the video begins with Kehlani taking travel photos in the vivid streets of Brazil. Kehlani takes time away from photography to grab a drink at a nearby bar, where they siren a

Ella Mai visited the Vevo studios in London to perform “Leave You Alone” and “Feels Like.” Both songs are from her sophomore album, Heart On My Sleeve. Mai wore an oversized crinkled eggshell-colored windbreaker and matching pants in both sets. The Grammy winner performed each song with tons of heart and fun as she worked

UMI is a breath of fresh air and a thoughtful freshman act whose soft soul paraphrases self-reflection, love, and existence with such delight. What comes out of all this is Forest in the City, her debut album and third project overall for Keep Cool/RCA Records.  As ever, UMI’s downy voice is beautiful and lulling, a