Spec Songs

The best of old R&B

Spec+Songs

Last week the Spectator made a playlist acknowledging the best of new R&B. This week it’s time to give flowers to the old generation. 

Before there was a Summer Walker or a Jorja Smith, and even before there was a Beyonce ́ Knowles or Rihanna, there was still a strong R&B presence in music. 

Artists like Mary J. Blige and Lauryn Hill championed a sweet sound that combined Hip-Hop with more melodic tones. All the while, they were breaking barriers as dominant female artists in an overwhelmingly male section of the music industry. 

Check out the Spectator’s great 90s R&B playlist on Spotify. 

Obadiya can be reached at [email protected].