R&B music emerged out of African American expressive culture over an eighty year period that bridged legally sanctioned segregation and the Civil Rights Movement.
Washington DC can lay claim to having played a crucial role in the rise of rhythm and blues music, evidenced by R&B in DC 1940-1960 from Bear Family Records. This luxurious archiveal box provides a glimpse into this rich musical legacy.
Baby Rose
Rhythm and blues is an expressive art form derived from African American expressive culture. Originating over 30 years that included legally sanctioned segregation, international conflicts, civil rights movement protests and innovative innovations that combined jump blues, big band swing, gospel music and boogie woogie with new innovations; its formal qualities, stylistic range, marketing trends and worldwide currency today reflect not only changing social landscapes of 20th Century but also the continuing development of music itself.
Early in its evolution, rhythm and blues was known as race music or black music, while by 1940 it had evolved to more accurately represent its array of antecedent styles; additionally it began being used to differentiate it from more commercially lucrative pop styles that began dominating black musical markets.
R&B music is known for its soulful melodies and silky voices. Additionally, this genre includes various instruments such as bass guitars, drums, keyboards and guitars that create rhythmic and harmonic frameworks for songs performed. R&B lyrics often discuss love, sexuality and life’s hardships.
Kali Uchis has quickly become one of the most sought-after R&B artists today, hailing from Northern Virginia and having collaborated with many acclaimed musicians. Her distinct sound resembles classics from earlier genres. Uchis has received widespread critical acclaim for her work.
Reggie Becton is an up and coming R&B artist. Over the last several years, he has released multiple albums and singles with soulful vocals that have won him fans around the globe. His latest release “It Feels So Doggone Good” serves as proof of this talent.
Baby Rose, 28, hailing from Washington DC with an expressive contralto voice and emotive lyrics is known for her second album “Through and Through”. In it she explores conflicting impulses and extreme emotions such as pleasure and paranoia; self-affirmation and self-sabotage; connection vs disconnection; mourning vs healing etc.
Reggie Becton
Reggie Becton, born and bred in Prince George’s County (PG County), was exposed to music at an early age through his family members exposing him to different genres. With his mom playing gospel artists like Kurt Franklin and Trin-i-tee 5:7 while his dad enjoyed classic soul like Marvin Gaye and Brandy; with 112 and Boyz II Men boy bands being introduced by older sister; as well as Rare Essence playing on grandmother’s jukebox; Becton became fully immersed in go-go from day one!
Becton draws comparisons to Tank, Avant and Miguel due to his smooth vocal talents; however his atmospheric production and conceptual approach create a distinct perspective. His mixtape, Timing is an intimate story about fears and doubts with stripped-back production featuring melodic storytelling.
The DMV (Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia) region is an epicenter for R&B music. Home to jazz/blues icons Ella Fitzgerald and Bill Withers as well as hip-hop icon Missy Elliott as well as contemporary R&B singers Chris Brown, Ari Lennox and Kali Uchis, it also acts as a hotbed for emerging singers.
DMV has become home to some of the most talented and promising R&B artists of late, such as Baby Rose who made her debut this year and Alex Vaughn from Maryland who’s garnering attention as an R&B singer. These up and coming artists promise to usher R&B music into an entirely new era.
R&B (rhythm and blues), is an African-American musical genre which encompasses multiple styles. While its roots lie in traditional blues and jazz, R&B has since evolved into popular forms such as funk, disco, new jack swing, hip-hop soul and many others. Although classified as pop music by many classification systems, R&B includes elements from black culture and history that define its sound; specifically its emphasis on relationship-based performance coupled with emotion evoking vocalists versus listeners as well as performer-listener relationships & emotive capabilities of performers / listener interaction & engagement in terms of performing relationship between performer and listener which has made its appeal timeless universal across generations and cultures while its message of hope remains relevant today & influences other genres including pop country and rock music as well as hip-hop soul music genres.
Toni Braxton
Toni Braxton was one of the best-selling female artists of the 90s and has an extensive catalogue of hit singles, albums and collaborations to her credit. Her husky voice lends itself well to both ballads and uptempo hits and she has made it her mission to explore different genres throughout her career. Additionally, Toni has ventured into acting, appearing in multiple television shows including reality TV programs.
Toni Braxton was born in Severn, Maryland to Michael and Evelyn Braxton who raised their five daughters according to the Apostolic faith, restricting their engagement with popular culture. Over time however, this rigidness eased and they began exploring musical talent; Toni performed her earliest performances at his church choir before signing with Arista Records as their main outlet.
Toni originally desired to become a music teacher and attended Bowie State University to pursue this career goal. Her life would change drastically after Bill Pettaway overheard her singing to herself at a gas station and was so taken by her voice that he encouraged her to leave Bowie State and focus solely on music instead.
Toni made her comeback in the 2010s via reality series Braxton Family Values, following her and her four sisters as they attempted to make it in the entertainment industry. Later she collaborated with Babyface for Love Marriage Divorce album which earned them both Grammy awards for Best R&B Album.
In 2017, she released Unbreak My Heart: A Memoir which detailed both her personal and professional triumphs. Additionally, she returned to studio recording Sex & Cigarettes – an album filled with emotive ballads – as a set featuring them.
Toni Braxton made her return to recording in 2020 with Spell My Name, her fourth studio set released through Island Records and immediately chart-topping on US Billboard 200 chart, becoming fifth Top Ten album for Toni Braxton.
Central Heat
DC has recently emerged as a center for an exciting new genre of music. DC hosts bands that draw their influence from 1960s British mod revival styles and funk grooves; several bands from these groups have released international hits, making an impactful statement about dance music culture – shaping R&B genre trends today.
R&B (Rhythm and Blues) music first made its debut during the 1940s and 50s as a marketing term by white record companies targeting African-American audiences for Blues recordings. Over time, however, R&B became an extremely popular form of music among young black people – particularly during its peak decades in popularity during that period.
R&B music has had an extraordinary effect on contemporary music. Influences from this genre can be found within pop stars such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Rihanna as well as its effect on contemporary rock, hip hop and other popular genres.
District of Columbia musicians have played a pivotal role in the evolution of Rhythm and Blues. Local club scenes boast talented individuals while the R&B scene offers many talented vocal groups that have gone on to national stages; additionally, District artists have founded record labels of their own.
District of Columbia’s R&B music scene boasts an extensive and vibrant history. Over time, DC has produced singers like Eva Cassidy and Toni Braxton as well as go-go band Central Heat, and was the center of hardcore rock during the 90s with notable bands like Dismemberment Plan, Fugazi and Nation of Ulysses; more recently there is also posthardcore group Medications along with funk/rock group The Evens and Eighteenth Street Lounge record labels like Fort Knox Five Records or Maritime Records to promote these artists’ musical works.