R&B HAS NO SOUL

Maafa M. Muhammad,

Author Of 20 Years Later “Redemption"

Contributing Blogger For Unheard_Voices19

While watching the Queen of Soul's big sendoff on August 31, 2018, I realized what was missing from today's music. Of course no one will ever be able to hold a note to the Queen but that's only because she was endowed with the pain of our ancestors. Aretha Franklin supported her place of worship and our struggle with her talents and pocket book.

Outside of rappers, where are the musicians in our struggle? The Soul singers in the past provided us with a soundtrack of the day's temperature. From Billy Holiday's Strange Fruit which gives a testimony of the torture that her people were going through primarily in the South to James Brown's anthem, Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud that gave us the strength to keep moving forward.

Yes, they sang lyrics that spoke of drug abuse, partying and womanizing because that has always been our relief from the harsh reality of Black life in America. However, musicians have always used their platforms to raise awareness of our suffering or guide us into better conditions. If R & B singers aren't willing to add the Blues to their music then it will remain to be the mockery that we all know it is. Jennifer Hudson and Fantasia, get your money but we need your voices to guide us through this administration or we may all end up like Kanye West, Godless.