R&B

Blackground Records 2.0 and EMPIRE have digitally reissued the companion soundtrack for the 2000 action flick Romeo Must Die. The Andrzej Bartkowiak-directed film starred Jet Li and Aaliyah, who also contributed four songs to the compilation of her feature film debut.  Among those songs were the DMX-assisted “Come Back in One Piece,” “Are You Feelin’

Victoria Monét‘s customer service skills in her “Coastin’” video might have Mama Monéts patrons writing unpleasant Yelp reviews.  In the Omar Jones-directed video, Monét, who plays a waitress, greets a couple with lots of sass and gum-smacking. They’re craving the Jaguar Part II special, which seems to be a hot menu item.  Unfortunately, according to the diner’s manager,

KIRBY is covered in “Coconut Oil” on her latest track.  On the hot girl summer anthem, the self-described song therapist is strict about keeping her hair and stallion back end, tight and right, keeping them both out of grasp from crazed admirers.  “Baby I don’t go outside in the rain (Just got my hair done)

Jorja Smith’s Be Right Back is on track to being a visual EP. The British singer has shared a self-directed video for “Time.”  Smith makes the best use of time behind the lens capturing scenes of herself in camcorder-style footage on the set of what appears to be a photo shoot. Her energy is free

Known for his instinctively unmistakable falsetto and exceptional songwriting for big names such as Usher and Rihanna, Elijah Blake’s dreams and future aspirations aren’t tied into anyone else’s. Instead, he’s focused on his own. The equally skilled songwriter and vocalist carefully adjusts his LED light in his cozy studio, asking for direction on his brightness

H.E.R. continues to collect plaques from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Her debut album, Back of My Mind, has been certified gold by the RIAA with more than 500,000 equivalent units sold.  Back of My Mind, released June 18 via MBK Entertainment/RCA Records, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard R&B Albums chart. The

Grammy-winning songwriter/singer Lyrica Anderson has returned with “Guilty,” her first solo track of the year. Produced by Stacey “SOS” Owens and co-produced by Emmanuel “MANO” Harrison, “Guilty” finds Anderson engaging in role play in the bedroom with her love interest.  “‘Guilty’ is about having fun and doing sensual things with your partner while saying all the

R&B newcomer Jawan is back with his new track titled “Cause & Effect,” which was produced by his longtime collaborator Tonye Ayeba. Speaking on his new track, Jawan said, “‘Cause & Effect’ is a very personal song. Writing has always been a healing process for me, so penning this record about ending a toxic cycle gave

Charlotte Day Wilson undergoes a metamorphosis in her video for “Changes.”  She puts her introspective vision in the lens of director Kevan Funk, who reflects on some keepsakes from her life journey. This includes home movies and personal photos from Wilson’s past, along with abstract imaging and scenes.  “Changes” is lifted from her chillingly intimate album ALPHA.

Rotimi has followed 2019’s The Beauty of Becoming EP with All or Nothing, his first proper album.  The singer/actor opens the 15-song release with “Memory Lane,” a reflective track about his rise to fame featuring a soundbite from his proud mother and contributions from Stacy Barthe and Marquis Rashad.  Tank appears on “Grown Decisions,” an

Those who have attended a Mary J. Blige concert in their lifetime have described it as a restoration service. Each tour setlist is fixed on producing a show, night after night, where she, her fans and first-time concertgoers can reflect on a complex range of emotions.  No finer sermonette from Blige’s nearly three-decade-long catalog brings

The intro on 112’s eponymous debut album is a clear-cut example of what to expect on the 19-track effort: heartfelt ballads, liquifying harmonies, and noteworthy vocal performances. These elements would serve as the groundwork for one of the most essential listening experiences of the last 25 years. The ‘90s ran the gamut of male groups

Stokely‘s sophomore solo album Sankofa has a solid new release date. It will arrive on September 17, via Bluraffe Entertainment, in partnership with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis’ Flyte Tyme / Perspective Records. The third-quarter release from Stokely features a handful of appearances, including H.E.R., The Bonfyre, Wale, Snoop Dogg, KiDi, and Shakespeare!. Dogg pops

Blackground Records continues to open up its compressed folder of previously released albums with support from EMPIRE. This week’s spotlight artist is Timbaland, who had four albums, three of which were collaborative works with Magoo, vaulted.  Timbaland and Magoo’s debut album, Welcome to Our World, was released in November 1997, and featured their gold-selling, party

Rated R&B’s Front + Center artist Jvck James has shared a stripped-down cover of Aaliyah’s 2002 song “Come Over.” The East London native rolls it out with a music video.  James’ version is lean on its soothing production, featuring gentle acoustic guitar licks, limited finger snaps, and light drumming. However, his vocal performance offers just

Amber Mark continues to win fans over with new music. The rising singer-songwriter has released “Foreign Things,” another song from her upcoming album. It arrives alongside its accompanying video co-directed by Satya Zoa.  The modern-day funk-tinged track finds Mark singing about the desire to up the ante in her taste for finer things in life. She

Today marks the 20th anniversary of Aaliyah’s tragic death. The beloved legend continues to hold a special significance in the hearts of career-long fans and even those now experiencing her star quality through recent uploads of her music on streaming platforms.  As the world celebrates the life of Aaliyah, her estate has revealed plans to

Just weeks ahead of her new album, Ch. 1 Vs. 1, Cynthia Ervio has shared another new track titled “Glowing Up.” Throughout its duration, she reflects on victoriously shining after conquering the battles that life has thrown at her Speaking on the background of “Glowing Up,” Erivo stated, “I wanted to write a song that felt

Rated R&B’s Front + Center artist Tone Stith has announced his first headlining tour. The FWM Tour will kick off on September 19, at the Lights On Festival in Concord, California. From there, Stith will hit major U.S. cities such as Atlanta, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Denver, before wrapping up in New York City on November 10.

Remember that music dump that SZA hinted at last year? Well, the three previously unreleased songs have emerged on the singer-songwriter’s SoundCloud account. They’re titled “Nightbird,” “I Hate You,” and “Joni,” a fan-requested song.    The next day, however, fans alerted SZA of their removal from the music sharing platform. She responded in a tweet stating her confusion of