New music is rolling in heavy—from introspective slow jams to winter-ready anthems that wrap you in warmth. This week’s releases capture everything R&B does best: emotion, groove, and genuine connection. From chart favorites to rising voices making noise, this week’s ...
(OVO/Republic)It’s possible that the world’s biggest rapper is using this epic content drop to get out of his record deal, but aside from some bright spots on Iceman, should the public really be subjected to it? It is easy to ...
Eric Bellinger pays tribute to his late mother on his new single “Just Like You.” On the heartfelt track, produced by Troy Oliver and Troy Taylor, Bellinger sings about carrying on her legacy through all he’s learned. “Everything I am ...
Grammy Award-winning R&B icon Mýa has officially released her highly anticipated tenth studio album, Retrospect, available today, May 15, across all major digital platforms. Released independently via her own Planet 9 imprint with distribution through Virgin Music Group, the project ...
Welcome to Chart Brief, Rated R&B’s weekly column tracking the latest movements across R&B charts. Each week, we’ll break down and analyze the R&B artists making waves on the Billboard, radio, and streaming charts. This edition covers the charts dated ...
The 2026 ESSENCE Festival of Culture® presented by Coca-Cola® is headed back to New Orleans July 3–5, 2026 at the Caesars Superdome with an all-star lineup celebrating hip-hop, R&B, soul, and funk across three unforgettable nights. Friday, July 3 kicks ...
Isaia Huron is a supertasker. When he joins our Zoom call, he’s mid-match on Call of Duty, where he’ll remain for the entirety of our conversation. “I’m not a serious gamer or anything like that, but I usually play during ...
Midway through our interview, Khris Riddick-Tynes’ eyes cut to his phone after receiving a notification from FedEx. “The Grammys are getting delivered today,” he grins, with triumph lighting his eyes. The songwriter and producer just so happens to be reflecting ...
To understand the sheer magnitude of Kehlani’s highly anticipated, self-titled fifth studio album, KEHLANI, one must first look backward. Releasing an eponymous album is a time-honored industry tradition, but it is a card an artist can only truly play once. ...
When you dedicate over 16 years to curating, analyzing, and documenting the evolving landscape of R&B, you quickly learn to separate the fleeting trends from the foundational pillars. Eric Roberson undeniably stands as a towering pillar of the genre. Often ...