Chance The Rapper, Kehlani, & The Shifting Sound of R&B with Oak Felder
The sound of R&B is difficult to pin down. Since the 1950s, the label has been used both as a genre and as a catch-all for the entirety of black popular music. Soul, funk, disco and even hip-hop have at times been covered by this "R&B" umbrella. On Chance The Rapper's new album, The Big Day, all of these influences come through\u2014and he's not alone. On recent Kehlani records, 90s R&B and 2000s trap both play a role. But both these artists are a far cry from the 50s R&B sounds of Sam Cooke. To understand how R&B has changed over time, we consult with Trevor Anderson, manager of Billboard's R&B/Hip Hop chart. Then we speak with R&B super-producer Oak Felder to understand how R&B is progressing and what it might become.\nSongs Discussed\nChance The Rapper \u2013 Hot Shower\nChance The Rapper \u2013 I Got You\nSam Cooke \u2013 You Send Me\nElvis Presley \u2013 Crying In the Chapel\nThe Temptations \u2013 I Can\u2019t Get Next To You\nMtume \u2013 Juicy Fruit\nBiggie \u2013 Juicy\nToni Braxton \u2013 Breath Again\nJanet Jackson \u2013 That\u2019s The Way Love Goes\nBoys II Men \u2013 I\u2019ll Make Love To You\nLauryn Hill \u2013 Doo Wop (That Thing)\nDiddy \u2013 I\u2019ll Be Missing You (feat. Faith Evans & 112)\nNelly \u2013 Dilemma\nKehlani \u2013 Distraction\nSWV \u2013 Weak\nAaron Hall \u2013 I Miss You\nUsher \u2013 You Make Me Wanna\nBrandy \u2013 Sit-in Up In My Room\nDru Hill \u2013 In My Bed\nSilk \u2013 Freak Me\nDemi Lovato \u2013 Sorry Not Sorry\nJodeci \u2013 Cry For you\nMariah Carey \u2013 Vision of Love\nKehlani Everything Is Yours\nChance The Rapper \u2013 All Day Long\nQueen \u2013 Fat Bottom Girls\nDiana Ross \u2013 I\u2019m Coming Out\n\nFor an in depth history of R&B on Billboard, read Chris Molanphy's feature on\xa0Pitchfork.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices