*Music producer The Dream took a big bold leap out on a limb all by himself recently when he told the Guardian over the weekend that Black people can’t make good Soul music anymore.
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As Adele soars off the charts with her smoky ballads, the producer and singer questions whether or not Soul is still a thing only made by Black singers anymore.
“It’s called rhythm and blues; they just took the blues out of it for so long. What’s crazy is that blacks can’t do soul records any more. We love Adele singing it, but Beyoncé singing it? No,” said The Dream.
Wow. So perhaps he’s dismissing all the other singers who are still making soulful records with a darker skin tone.
He says, however, that Black business is in club music now.
“No, the tempo’s too slow, gimme the club hit. Now the blacks in America are responsible for the pop records, and everybody else is singing soulful records,” he said. “It’s weird to me. We’re pigeonholed over there.”
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I agree with the Dream. Soul music has steadily declined over the years. Hey, growing up on Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross, Barry White, Aretha Franklin, Patty Labelle and many more-soul music was plentiful.There is Neo Soul which is cool,but man, you turn on the radio and there is (garbage)=Ok singers and electronic music without any actual instruments being played.
Urban radio gave up soul music. In the ’90′s we were clamoring for more diverse radio playlists. Soul music was cast aside and that was the beginning of the end. But if you want to hear some fresh new soul and blues go to Bob Davis’ http://www.SoulPatrol.com
I agree with you on that point but also, the black audience is at fault, too. The Dream is telling the truth. Black people since the era of Motown, have been programmed to believe that Black music was not as valid as pop or rock music. Just this week, the Beatles are on a prominent magazine cover, though, the group broke up 40 years ago. What does that tell you? Black singers were always accused of ‘limiting’ themselves musically, though, they created jazz, blues, gospel and r&b. Ever since Michael Jackson broke out with Thriller in the early 80s, every black act wanted to go pop. I heard Eddie Levert say in himself that in the 80s, he couldn’t get a recording contract because he sounded ‘too black. Black audiences are too fickle and trendy. We don’t support classic soul music the way we should. Then when singers like Adele or Amy Winehouse come along, singing the same music that was done back when, we complain they are stealing our music. Nobody can’t steal anything that you throw away!
Who the Sam Hill is “The Dream”, I never heard of him. I see Michael E. Dyson and George Nelson on the horizon writing a book on this and teaching a class. Somebody save me from this mess.
Last of the Frozen Chosin and one of the Chosin Few
Well, I think it’s time for Anthony Hamilton, Eric Benet, Jill Scott, Estelle, Kem, Tank, Tyrese, Charlie Wilson, Mary J. Blige, Jaheim, Ledisi, Jennifer Hudson, Cee Lo Green, R. Kelly, Robin Thicke, Melanie Fiona, and too many others who all have hits out right now on R&B radio (not hip-hop or pop radio) to wake up and collectively say, “who-o-o-o-o in the hell is The Dream?”
I totally disagree with “The Dream”….
I disagree with his statement & lame ass rationale.
“The Dream Says Black People Gave Up Soul Music” LOL WTF is he talking about? Especially, when he can’t even sing soul music himself.
To say “Black people can’t make good Soul music anymore”, when The Dream never made any soul music to begin. He’s more of a producer and song writer.
The Dream is really a damn nightmare.
He wished he could sound like Al Green or Anthony Hamilton & several others.
I myself grow up to artists like Whitney, Anita Baker, Janet, Luther, and many others. I must also admit I am big Anita fan and when she did her speech at the Grammy’s back in the 90′s and she said she has read that R & B was dying a slow death and that fact was not true and she was very proud of winning the award. That was then and now I feel that it has really died. I wish I could play that clip for Anita because she has promised us a new cd since 2010 and nothing has ever flourished since. So the question is why R & B artsists are not producing cds anymore? Is it because radio stations are not playing their music? Also, BET use to have their program for grown ups called “Midnight Love”, but those programs are a thing of the past.
I think this is why I listen more to old school.soul music and the likes of Anthony Hamilton, Jill Scott, Kem and others who are not necessarily popular and commercialized.
Hey, for real, who is the dream? I never heard of him.