When it comes to entertainment, we pay lip service to the idea of liking things that are truly groundbreaking. But the truth is, most of us prefer a certain degree of conformity. We like it when there's a formula we recognize. That's why genres (in both music and film) were created in the first place. We dig it when things are separated into neat, easy-to-understand boxes. It saves us from having to work too hard.
When it comes to genres, few are more formulaic than urban music. R&B and hip-hop have a sound all their own, one that hasn't changed much in the past 10 or so years. Urban artists who choose to depart too far from this dusty paradigm pay a price: they don't get spins on urban radio.
Just ask Kanye West. The first single from his brilliant sophomore album, Late Registration, was a thoughtful track called "Diamonds From Sierra Leone." The song looked at the exploitation wrought on Africans by diamond mining, and weighed that against the lust for bling seen in some segments of the African-American community. Built on a stately Shirley Bassey riff, it was deep and ruminative—too deep, it seems, for urban radio, which mostly ignored it. West's next single, "Gold Digger," dealt with a theme heard far more frequently on urban playlists: women who use love for money. DJs jumped all over the single, and "Gold Digger" became an instant hit.
West isn't the only artist pushing the envelope. Fans of early-'90s hip-hop will remember Ladybug Mecca. She was one-third of the group Digable Planets, a rap trio known for its jazzy grooves and boho-beatnik rhymes. On her debut album, Trip The Light Fantastic, Ladybug showcases her skills both as a rapper and a vocalist, leaning heavily on rock and jazz to give us multi-layered, many-textured R&B that swings to its own unique groove. In places, Ladybug's music has a creamy ambience that's pleasingly similar to Sade's. On others, she adds discreet shots of rock to craft a sound that's perhaps most comparable to that of Res, a pop/rock/soul artist who made minor waves a couple of years ago. There's no shortage of love songs on Fantastic, but Ladybug also touches on broader sociopolitical themes that leave listeners with lots to chew on.
Reggae music has historically gotten the cold shoulder from urban radio; you're more likely to hear Bob Marley on a rock station than on an urban playlist. But in recent years, things have changed, with dancehall artists like Sean Paul making an impact on the airwaves. Now comes Rihanna. A native of Barbados, Rihanna was discovered by label head Jay-Z; her debut album, Music Of The Sun, was released on his Rock-A-Fella imprint. Her first single—the lilting, saucy "Pon De Replay"—is an addictive meld of R&B and dancehall. The song created heat on both pop and urban radio, and was a breakout hit. None of Sun's other tracks quite have the sizzle of Rihanna's opening salvo, but there are some strong efforts regardless—such as a winning remake of the Dawn Penn reggae potboiler, "No, No, No." Rihanna's music is all about fun; don't expect the sort of philosophical ruminations that characterized the work of reggae greats like Marley. But the singer definitely knows how to get the party started, and time spent in her company is a good time indeed.
It takes guts to be even a little bit different, but both Ladybug Mecca and Rihanna prove it can be worth the effort. Music sounds a lot fresher when it steps outside the box.
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