Discussion of the Week: Who Was The Last Great Male R&B Group On The Scene?

Happy Manic Monday Musicheads! (Try saying that 5 Times Fast!)

Maybe I’m “Old School” (Guilty!), but back in MY day, brothas who knew how to sang, used to go forth out into the world, search far and wide, and seek out other like-minded saangin brothas. They’d put all their epic saaangin talents together, sprinkle some “Oooo’s and Ahhh’s” on that ish’, and make something called a Saanging Group.”

I know, I know, it shouldn’t be that far-fetched of a concept, but you know as well as I do- that type of thing is certainly not commonplace anymore. R&B groups, (especially in the Male R&B genre) seem to be a thing of the past. I guess it’s due to the fact that everybody wants to shine and be a solo star nowadays (Even though some are only suited to be backup singer at best- but that’s a post for another day). In your opinion, who would you say was the Last Great Male R&B Group to come on the scene?

Jagged Edge?

B2K?

Day 26????

C’mon son, the latter’s name was based off of how long they lasted on a Reality Show, hosted by Diddy!

If you’re fixing up your mouth to say any other group besides these cats right here, Imma need you to go back and rethink your life choices!

Yeah sure, their popularity has waned now, but from 1996-1999, these dudes was straight FIRE! Dru Hill (in their original lineup) was the Quintessential Male R&B group for the times. They had those “old-time religion,” church-like harmonies, with an updated flow that made them the perfect candidates to carry on the torch from earlier groups of the decade, like Boyz II Men. They could out-sing most of their contemporaries of the day by leaps and bounds.

And of course, let us not forget all that is Sisqo……Say what you will, but every great group needs a Brash, Unapologetically EXTRA front man. The Temptations had Ruffin; Jodeci had K-CI; and Dru Hill had Sisqo. If you’re going to be a frontman, you got to let folks KNOW that you’re the guy everyone needs to watch. Every time they handed that brotha the mike, he sang like his life depended on it!

(Singing) “YEEAAAAA-AHHHHH-AHHHHH!”

Every Damn Song…

Do you need further proof? Listen to “Fiiiiiive Steps” or “We’re Not Making Love No More,” and I dare you not to be all up in your feelings….

And yes “Fiiiiiive Steps” has to be spelled with like 18 “I’s” for emotional content…..Nothing less will be accepted!

That’s all…..Mann, listen to their first 2 albums, and let me know what you think in the comments…