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Understanding
The Individuality
of Neo Soul Music
by: Herndon L. Davis
The Individuality
of Neo Soul Music
by: Herndon L. Davis
You could call it poetry that’s effortlessly married to a musical beat; reminiscent of the smokiness of the soul of the
1970’s but infused with nuisances of 90’s smooth jazz. You could also call it socially conscious as its lyrics speak
more to personal empowerment and cultural uplifting more so than sexual romps, drug and alcohol binges. But in
many ways you could call it a softer and slower version of hip-hop but with much stronger R&B style vocals.
However you choose to define it, the musical genre of neo soul for the past decade has literally grown from
describing one or two fledgling musical groups to earning its very own section in suburbia’s music mega-store.
Today it stands poised to do something that many of its own artists often speak against, which is crossing over into
the mainstream.
1970’s but infused with nuisances of 90’s smooth jazz. You could also call it socially conscious as its lyrics speak
more to personal empowerment and cultural uplifting more so than sexual romps, drug and alcohol binges. But in
many ways you could call it a softer and slower version of hip-hop but with much stronger R&B style vocals.
However you choose to define it, the musical genre of neo soul for the past decade has literally grown from
describing one or two fledgling musical groups to earning its very own section in suburbia’s music mega-store.
Today it stands poised to do something that many of its own artists often speak against, which is crossing over into
the mainstream.
Who’s Who In Neo Soul
Raphael Saadiq of the band Tony! Toni! Toné! has often been credited for originating the unique sound of neo
soul back in the mid-90’s. Pretty soon many other lyricists and musical performers followed and the term “neo
soul” was birthed.
In a 2004 interview with freelance journalist Felecia Pride, titled “Neo Soul: What’s New About It?,” hip-hop
producer Bobby Blake explained his frustration with the genre, stating that that the term "neo" infers that soul is
dead. "In order for it really to have any meaning, soul music would have to have been dead at some point. Soul
music never went anywhere." Meanwhile others in the industry have also taken pot-shots at the genre stating that
the music is “soul-lite” by not hearkening enough back to its 1960-70’s soulful origins.
Often viewed as an underground sound that eventually made its way to urban radio outlets, many of its neo soul
artists actually consider themselves to be independent artists, creative mavericks, and an unspoiled reservoir of
talent that the corporate mainstream has yet to stamp out with its cookie-cutter board mentality and branding
strategies.
According to Neo Soul Masters, a website which bills itself as the “unofficial guide” to neo soul music, “Neo soul
differs in one major way - each artist is a talented musician in their own right and do not rely on corporate sounds
to achieve mass sales, instead succeeding from sheer originality and rawness of their vocal talents.”
In the past decade or so of growth, popular neo soul artists and musical groups have included the following:
D'Angelo, Joi, Groove Theory, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Angie Stone, Kem, Musiq Soulchild, Jill Scott, India.
Arie, Lucy Pearl, Floetry, Tony Rich, Glenn Lewis, Res, Alicia Keys, Van Hunt, Eric Benet, Truth Hurts, Bilal,
Maxwell, and John Legend.
Of all of these neo soul graduates, Lauryn Hill has probably achieved the most mainstream cross-over success
while Alicia Keys’ overwhelming mainstream success came chiefly because of her hybrid pop sound yet neo soul-
centric lyrics and pace.
soul back in the mid-90’s. Pretty soon many other lyricists and musical performers followed and the term “neo
soul” was birthed.
In a 2004 interview with freelance journalist Felecia Pride, titled “Neo Soul: What’s New About It?,” hip-hop
producer Bobby Blake explained his frustration with the genre, stating that that the term "neo" infers that soul is
dead. "In order for it really to have any meaning, soul music would have to have been dead at some point. Soul
music never went anywhere." Meanwhile others in the industry have also taken pot-shots at the genre stating that
the music is “soul-lite” by not hearkening enough back to its 1960-70’s soulful origins.
Often viewed as an underground sound that eventually made its way to urban radio outlets, many of its neo soul
artists actually consider themselves to be independent artists, creative mavericks, and an unspoiled reservoir of
talent that the corporate mainstream has yet to stamp out with its cookie-cutter board mentality and branding
strategies.
According to Neo Soul Masters, a website which bills itself as the “unofficial guide” to neo soul music, “Neo soul
differs in one major way - each artist is a talented musician in their own right and do not rely on corporate sounds
to achieve mass sales, instead succeeding from sheer originality and rawness of their vocal talents.”
In the past decade or so of growth, popular neo soul artists and musical groups have included the following:
D'Angelo, Joi, Groove Theory, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Angie Stone, Kem, Musiq Soulchild, Jill Scott, India.
Arie, Lucy Pearl, Floetry, Tony Rich, Glenn Lewis, Res, Alicia Keys, Van Hunt, Eric Benet, Truth Hurts, Bilal,
Maxwell, and John Legend.
Of all of these neo soul graduates, Lauryn Hill has probably achieved the most mainstream cross-over success
while Alicia Keys’ overwhelming mainstream success came chiefly because of her hybrid pop sound yet neo soul-
centric lyrics and pace.
| Style, Substance or Both? |
Although their lyrics often speak affirmatively to life and the need to self-improve and their vocals are
resoundingly far stronger than manufactured candy pop, still could the true allure and possibly the staple of neo
soul music actually be its style and persona versus its substance?
Who can forget the bohemian image that Erykah Badu commanded upon the genre with her head wraps, bald
head, and then braids? And who can forget the big guitar that India.Arie continues to lug around with her
whenever she sings from dreads, to shaved head, to puffs?
Now add in Angie Stone and Maxwell’s big haired Afros, D'Angelo’s swelled biceps, triceps, and corn rows
along with the British and dainty accents of Floetry, and it can all add up to what some observers have come to
suggest that the genre is really about hair and physical looks versus substantive roots (no pun intended).
Granted looks and image mean everything in the split-second entertainment world that we live in, but could the
bohemian and tragically hip image that neo soul artists often present be the real attraction to the genre?
resoundingly far stronger than manufactured candy pop, still could the true allure and possibly the staple of neo
soul music actually be its style and persona versus its substance?
Who can forget the bohemian image that Erykah Badu commanded upon the genre with her head wraps, bald
head, and then braids? And who can forget the big guitar that India.Arie continues to lug around with her
whenever she sings from dreads, to shaved head, to puffs?
Now add in Angie Stone and Maxwell’s big haired Afros, D'Angelo’s swelled biceps, triceps, and corn rows
along with the British and dainty accents of Floetry, and it can all add up to what some observers have come to
suggest that the genre is really about hair and physical looks versus substantive roots (no pun intended).
Granted looks and image mean everything in the split-second entertainment world that we live in, but could the
bohemian and tragically hip image that neo soul artists often present be the real attraction to the genre?
| Commercialization: The New Threat to Neo Soul? |
As the fickle and out-of-touch music industry execs roam the planet looking for the next music sensation to
place on a McDonalds’ Happy Meal bag or possibly to create a reality TV show around, will they soon
eventually “discover” and exploit the genre of neo soul?
Well, if large streams of revenue can be pumped out of it by placing a sugary pop-twist on the genre, then the
answer is a resounding “Yes.” But the question is which neo soul artists will compromise their highly valued
independently creative freedoms?
The answer is probably very few. However, that doesn’t stop the craftiness of the music industry. Today an
increasing number of artists who don’t fit into any traditional music category get dubbed as being neo soul and
are packaged in bohemian fashion with manufactured media kits that are peppered with soul and R&B
influences.
In fact one would only have to look at the VH1’s website to clearly see the corporate marketing shift. While
the site defines neo soul as being a “soul-enhancing approach to R&B, a fully-formed sound …both soulful--
classically '70s--yet compellingly contemporary,” it then lists several popular neo soul artists but with a few
questionable if not glaring additions such as the intensely vocally driven house music of Groove Armada, the
melodic sound of the late blues singer, Ray Charles, the urban angst of R&B queen, Mary J. Blige, and the
soulfulness of pop-jazz princess, Alicia Keyes.
Clearly as the genre of neo soul continues to evolve, so will its musical direction into even more creative sub-
branches of the same tree of soul that funk planted, that jazz watered, and that R&B pruned.
place on a McDonalds’ Happy Meal bag or possibly to create a reality TV show around, will they soon
eventually “discover” and exploit the genre of neo soul?
Well, if large streams of revenue can be pumped out of it by placing a sugary pop-twist on the genre, then the
answer is a resounding “Yes.” But the question is which neo soul artists will compromise their highly valued
independently creative freedoms?
The answer is probably very few. However, that doesn’t stop the craftiness of the music industry. Today an
increasing number of artists who don’t fit into any traditional music category get dubbed as being neo soul and
are packaged in bohemian fashion with manufactured media kits that are peppered with soul and R&B
influences.
In fact one would only have to look at the VH1’s website to clearly see the corporate marketing shift. While
the site defines neo soul as being a “soul-enhancing approach to R&B, a fully-formed sound …both soulful--
classically '70s--yet compellingly contemporary,” it then lists several popular neo soul artists but with a few
questionable if not glaring additions such as the intensely vocally driven house music of Groove Armada, the
melodic sound of the late blues singer, Ray Charles, the urban angst of R&B queen, Mary J. Blige, and the
soulfulness of pop-jazz princess, Alicia Keyes.
Clearly as the genre of neo soul continues to evolve, so will its musical direction into even more creative sub-
branches of the same tree of soul that funk planted, that jazz watered, and that R&B pruned.
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Herndon Davis is an author, lecturer, and TV/Radio Host of The Herndon Davis Reports. He can be reached
directly at http://herndondavis.com
Herndon Davis is an author, lecturer, and TV/Radio Host of The Herndon Davis Reports. He can be reached
directly at http://herndondavis.com
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