SOHH SOULFUL
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Crossing Genres: When R&B Meets Hip-Hop/Pop/Rock Featuring Kanye West, Ne-Yo, Akon, Santogold And Many Many More
Posted on December 16, 2008 9:20 AM
When Kanye West came out with College Dropout, there was a whole slew of folks talking about how he saved hip-hop, but now homie has picked up AutoTune and has jumped the fence to, well, honestly I don't know what to call it but it probably plays on a lot of DIFFERENT radio formats. Now Ne-Yo's not only doing the pop thing, but rumored to be working with Marilyn Manson? Is all this genre-blending a good thing or a bad one?
Page Six Magazine posted some quotes from Ne-Yo discussing some upcoming collaborating with Marilyn Manson... :
"I'm sitting down next with Marilyn Manson so we can write songs for his new album. I don't have preconceived notions about what he is musically, the clothes he wears, none of it."
"We're about to go into the studio together. I've wanted to work with him for ages and his people reached out to me when they heard."
"I have no idea what the music will sound like or what direction we'll take, but it will be really cool. We're obviously two separate sides of the musical extreme but that's what makes it exciting."
"People might think it's a strange collaboration, I don't. But don't worry - you won't see me adopting his style. I don't think you'll ever see me in make-up.""
Ironically enough the NY Post's PageSix.com also printed quotes from Manson's reps denying that he's spoken with Ne-Yo or has immediate plans to work with him.
I know it's probably a crazy big check, but Ne-Yo you might be better off not doing this...
Did Ne-Yo Go Pop with NKOTB???
As an artist Ne-Yo fits fairly comfortably into the R&B category. He never shies away from the occasional hip-hop collabo (see The Game's "Camera Phone," Plies "Bust It Baby Pt. II, Jadakiss "By My Side") but his discography includes work with Celine Dion, Britney Spears and Enrique Iglesias so I could see how Manson might not be such a stretch.
The question is, who would want to hear it? My guess is that Ne-Yo's fans may not be ready to hear him on a Manson track. I know I was pissed enough when he let New Kids have "Single". Am I looking at this the wrong way? Am I being too afraid of Marilyn Manson? Should I be more open to what such a collaboration might bring?
I mean let's face it, artists like Kanye West, Jay-Z, Beyonce and Akon have definitely crossed over to popular music, so should we stop thinking of them as urban artists? In an era where R. City write and produce for The Pussycat Dolls and Beanie Siegel while Keri Hilson writes for Britney Spears and collaborates with Lil Wayne,should we change the way we pass out awards, and chart and program music or continue along the same old outdated lines?
And what exactly do you call artists like Santogold and M.I.A. besides dope? Let's face it, music is changing. What used to be called a mashup is now just another great production tool.
What do you think? Talk to me y'all!
3 Comments
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How about putting your email up on the site Sohh Soulful so people can send you music!
I wouldn't go so far as to categorize Neyo all the way Pop... He even told us a while back that, there is a lot of $$$ out there so dont be surprised if he delves into other genres of music to get that gwop....He is always going to be R&B at heart and will not forget his fans who put him in his current position. Neyo is smart and will get that $$$ regardless of who he collabs with..I'm not really mad about the NKOTB collab. Who would of ever thought it was possible for NKOTB to make a comeback, but they were able to thanks to NeYo....I don know, what ever will come of the Marilyn Manson track, that I wouldn't even want to hear it. Mr Manson has never made a song that made me listen to for more than 5 seconds...That song will be strictly for the Marilyn fans in my opinion.
I don't no what to think of MIA or Santagold.....I think MIA is talented but really didn't impress me w/her first single "Paper Planes"...I mean she wasn't really saying shit on the track but, "Summa Summa Summa, Sum, Sum, Sum,".. What the hell is that?????????
@ Yea My email address is sohh.soulrebel@gmail.com
@ Clo-Fresh, I hear what you're saying about Ne-Yo, MIA actually gets kinda deep but you have to pay attention and understand the context. The words seem simple but she actually gets into some serious politically and socially charged issues.