Diddy Responds To Backlash On His “R&B Is Dead” Comments
After proclaiming that ‘R&B is dead’, Diddy responded to backlash of his statement, saying that he wanted to “bring attention” to the genre.
Diddy is facing the music after claiming that “R&B is dead.” During an Instagram Live session with Timbaland last week, the Bad Boy Records and Love Records founder claimed that the genre was becoming endangered.
“The R&B I made my babies to? R&B gotta be judged to a certain thing — it’s the feeling though, doggy. No, no, no. It’s a feeling,” Diddy said during the livestream. “You gotta be able to sing for R&B and then you gotta tell the truth. R&B is not a hustle. This shit is about feeling your vulnerability.”
Diddy continued, “You gotta muthafuckas make a nigga dick hard or a woman’s vagina wet. You gotta cry. You gotta be able to get your girl back. I don’t wanna hear all this bitchass […] It’s our fault for accepting anything less for anybody getting on a mic. I feel like there was a death of R&B singing, and I’m a part of bringing that shit back! I ain’t feelin’ no emotions.”
On Saturday (August 20), he went to Twitter to clarify his statements.
It’s been 3 days of the debate…This is the clarity of the message…It’s not disrespect to anybody.
— LOVE (@Diddy) August 20, 2022
This conversation was out of love and me purposely wanting to bring attention to R&B! It was something that I saw the effect of the Hip hop and R&B balance. That balance is honesty and realness when it comes together, melodies, vulnerability and most importantly LOVE!!!
— LOVE (@Diddy) August 20, 2022
This message is that R&B game needs more love, vulnerability, support!!
— LOVE (@Diddy) August 20, 2022
Also joining an Instagram Live session with the Bad Boy Records founder was Mary J. Blige who shared that R&B gets dubbed as “popular music” when white vocalists like Adele and Justin Bieber “get a hold of it.”
Contemporary R&B singers like Arin Ray and Brent Faiyaz jumped into the ‘R&B’ is dead conversation on Twitter with their own takes.
these old heads need to stop and just admit that THEY ain’t got it no more.
you’re washed. not r&b. @Diddy
— Arin Ray (@ArinRayCamp) August 18, 2022
try developing artist. not the gimmicks.
see what happens.
— Arin Ray (@ArinRayCamp) August 18, 2022
don’t nobody care about music genres anymore, dat shit primitive.
sauce dat shit up & let it fly— Faiyaz (@brentfaiyaz) August 18, 2022
Diddy’s clarification comes days after announcing that he’d be joining Jermaine Dupri for a hit-for-hit music battle in Atlanta. In the style of Verzuz, the battle will not be a Verzuz exclusive amid Swizz Beatz’s and Timbaland’s $28 million lawsuit against Triller.