That Was Then, This Is Now: SWV Wants To Know… “”Where Did That Real R&B Music Go?”

Whenever you hear the name SWV, the next thing you hear is “real music”. We all know the bubble gum music that plays today can’t even hang with the classic R&B from the 90s. The ladies of SWV hooked up with Derek Blanks to bring you a new look, even though their music was rockin’, those clothes they use to rock… SMH!!!

Flip the Lid for the Flicks and SWV asks “Where Did the Real R&B Go???”…

When you think of the 90’s music era you can’t help but to notice it gave birth to some of the hottest platinum artists in the game (SWV, Jade, Jodeci, Faith Evans, etc). Artists who are struggling to get the attention of the listening public now, were heavy spinners on radio, some selling 20,000 plus records a week in the stores. But what the hell happened? Where did that real R&B music go? In my opinion, and I’m sure millions will agree with me, is that the best thing that could have happened with music was the freedom to be able to pick and chose what genre of music you want to listen to. Radio now is fluttered with what I consider “Kindergarten snacks”, where the artist just gives you a lollipop and some bubble gum, but the real music fans are still left waiting for a real meal. Now don’t get me wrong, there are some new school artists that I can appreciate, but it’s for the moment, they are not artists that I would wanna hear years from now. Something is really wrong with that picture. I refuse to believe that real music is dead and there is no solid place for those “real” artists, songwriters and producers. We as the listening and buying public are responsible for what we want to hear, and the artists we want to see. It’s important that we keep the 90’s music alive and support our local underground artists who are getting lost in the shuffle. We are not going to the stores buying real music, but rather sit our asses in the hair salons and barber shops waiting for the bootleg copy. Come on guys lets request, “Weak”, “Forever my Lady” and all of those great 90’s songs that “YOU” made number one.

Love Always,
Lelee

Images via Derek Blanks
Source

  • JSUDIVA95

    Will always love SWV..wish they would come back like En Vogue..tired of the these songs with no substance….

  • Angel

    1st

  • ReALiSt aka ReALeSt(Da MoDeRaToR)

    MY FAVORITE GROUP OF ALL TIME!!

    ***SWV – ‘BE RIGHT THERE’ PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND!!!!!!!!!!

  • Angel

    :( I wish they would come back.

  • d

    First!!!

  • PrettyInPink

    That’s what I wanna know too…music these days is senseless

  • d

    I miss the real music!!! I was big fans of Jodeci and SWV they brought it.

  • smittyt

    What real music, they don,t know nothing about real music that was before they,re time,real music i Earth Wind and Fire ,Kool &the Gang.Rose Royce,and the Crusaders,now thats real music not SWV.

  • pickel

    Oh please, their songs aren’t that great either, in fact some of them are down right cheesy and lame!

  • mz.cee

    I used to love SWV!

  • tg

    Me, too. We have a few good R&B singers, but that is it.

  • http://www.myspace.com/touchofbeautie ms louisiana stand up

    i miss real r@b.

  • http://americasunemployed.wordpress.com americasunemployed

    Your generation of music is gone.. but if you like neo-soul music check us out at neo-soulovers.blogspot.com

    or if you have been laid off americasunemployed.blogspot.com

  • fuuuck ooff!!

    fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck thiiiiiiiiiiissssssss raciiiiiiiiiiiist weeeeeeeeeeeeeebsite! wooooooooooooont pooooooost myyyyyyyy commmmmmmmmmmments!

  • DreTruth

    Mario can sing Love him.
    Can’t stand Ne-yo but he’s a great writer.
    I don’t know what to say about trey songz.
    Yall mad at R. Kelly cause some young girl let him n ut t on her belly. But he’s still the man love is on the way.
    Usher wants a minaj.
    Beyonce is a yawn – she is so tired “telephone” showed that.
    I erkah but she be a little off sometimes.
    I miss deangelo
    I miss tevin campbell
    I miss tony thompson
    I miss toni tony tone
    I miss michelle
    I miss jade
    I miss Htown
    I miss jodeci
    I miss luther vandross
    I miss phyllis hyman
    but I thank GOD for Jesus that I was able to listen to real music and know what it really is.

  • Caramel Cat™

    I was just talking about how 90′s r&b was the best on another thread…

  • smittyt

    Fuuuck Off,damn you sound like some crazed white boy who,s got something racist to get off his chest and because you cant get your point heard you have lost it on you computer,chill relax it ain,t that seriousand get over it.

  • IMO (breaking the monotony)

    I just think it’s like when we were young and our parents would be like “that crap???” “that isn’t real music”!….I mean it’s the kids who support the stuff on the radio….it’s a different time and this next generation like what we call “crap”

  • http://aol ebonieladi

    @Dre Truth

    You said a mouthful. So many good singers left by the side of the road in favor of these “kindergarten snacks”. I see some of our favorite singers are starting to come back and I welcome them with open arms. The majority of the music I listen to is on my mp3 from my music collection. Only listen to talk shows on the radio since the music is definitely not happening.

  • http://aol ebonieladi

    Even some of the music I wasn’t too crazy about in the 90′s sounds d.a.m.n good compared
    too what’s out there now. I think the record producers and record companies tastes are all in their mouth now while they are steadily lining their pockets off of this weak crap.

  • Micaroni715

    Jade?!? They had maybe one hit. Why not mention En Vogue or BoyzIIMen. Good grief. Tony Braxton, Babyface, Brian McKnight, Maxwell, D’Angelo.

  • http://aol ebonieladi

    The record companies are lining their pockets off of this weak crap while disposing of the artists on a regular basis and replacing them with new crap.

  • Beauty-fulTxn

    I agree the r&b we hear now(not all but the majority) is nothing compared to the 90′s. I miss all those old groups SWV, Changing Faces, Subway, Monifah, Total, and the list could go on, and on.

  • Well then…

    maybe it’s time for you ladies (SWV)to come back and bless our souls with this music! You, SWV sang. I mean, really, nothing like these frauds, nowadays. You all sang! Come back, and announce a tour, and I will be right there! :D

  • Somali Ninga

    Real R&B went down the toilet since quality R&B isnt getting quality spins on the radio.
    BRING BACK REMY SHAND!!!!

    R.I.P. BLACK MUSIC
    INFILTRATED BY JEWS

  • Chelly

    I miss the 90′s too!! SWV come back with new music I will surely support ya!! Real music is real singing and that all ended at the end of the 90′s!!!

  • SIN

    Sadly real R&B doesn’t exist anymore.

  • MzTrina95fo

    I would like to know the same thang. But I can tell ya . I went to people like Beyonce, ciara, the dream, to ruin it. It basically went to hell. they said “hip-hop” is dead. nawh. Rhythmn and blues is FINISHED.

  • It’s Me

    I use to be crazy of the light skinned one. I wanted to drink her bath water.

  • Sun

    Yes finally someone asked… I love SWV, going to play some now…

  • that damn sh#$ disturber

    no clue but i hope they can bring it back and not have to use cheesy songs like everyone else!

  • SHHH

    NOW WE NEED FAITH EVANS TO COME BACK…THANK GOD FOR MONICA FANTAISA ALICIA KEYS

  • I’m Just Me…Keeping It Real Since: 1983. 17 Days. Bossip is like a big accident…I just can’t look away!!!

    BROWNSTONE WAS THE ISH!!

    CHANGING FACES TOO!!

  • glok9makesmydiksohard

    I guess Lele isn’t homeless anymore. Too bad Coko only does gospel these days. I would love to hear another CD from them. Also from Xscape but that will never happen.

  • kim

    They look great, even the one who looks like her husband. Wish they would come back.

  • STFU

    The problem is…you have so many artist on urban radio trying to be pop artist…just like SWV said…there was a time when you can choose your genre of music…now everything is pop music, no more R&B really. In a minute hip hop will be hip pop music.

  • chocalatetunda

    Yes i dont even listen to music on the radio. Remember staying up late night listening to the radio and waiting for the slow jams that came on at midnight or falling to sleep to the radio. Now days all u here is screaming and ish nobody wanna hear that crap. I love some oldies but goodies. Lets not forget the 90′s artist like Brandy, Monica (also the new Monica cd is popping she’s back yall), Toni, the old Mary J )i’m talking when she was doing drugs she made some of the best hits), Jodic, Faith Evans,i even liked TLC etc….. I dont know what happened to music. I have alot of the old music on my phone that i listen to.

  • always knew

    this is GOOD music..

    might be old, but BETTER music

    than is put out today….

    Miss the ladies…

  • chocalatetunda

    @ IJM
    oh yeah changing faces love them. “Cant Be that Other Woman” is my ish

  • bahamas/chicago/cayman girl

    They look amazing!

    I am a lover of R & B, the 90′s was the best for R & B by far:

    SWV
    Shai
    Jodeci
    Envogue
    Lauren Hill
    New Edition
    Bobby Brown
    Az Yet
    Tevin Campbell
    Carl Thomas
    Jon B
    DeAngelo (I hear he is coming back)

    We do have some singers still out there though:

    Maxwell
    Joe
    Brian McKnight
    Musiq
    Mary J
    Tyrese
    Monica
    Jagged Edge
    Tamia
    Debra Cox
    Kelly Price

    Hey and when I get sad I go back and listen to the songs I love:

    Luther Vandross-So Amazing
    Freddie Jackson-Rock Me Tonight
    Keith Washington-Kissing You
    Roni-Bobby Brown
    Soon As I Get Home-Babyface
    Tamia-So Into You
    Quincy Jones-Secret Garden

  • Buttercupp

    I wanna know the answer to that question my self!!

    Jodeci, Troop, Total, ya’ll mentioned Changing Faces, Guy…
    Groove Theory was my twist…if you blink…you missed them.

    “Tell me if you want me to, give you all my time I wanna make it good for you….”

    *bout to turn it on RIGHT now, lol*

  • bahamas/chicago/cayman girl

    Cosign Anita Baker, Patti LaBelle,Brownstone, Boys II Men, Keith Sweat, Johnny Gill, Gerald Levert(LSG)Ginuwine (Pony & Them Jeans

  • bahamas/chicago/cayman girl

    @ Buttercupp

    I love Groove Theory, but what about Christopher Williams & Al B. Sure?!!

  • realtalk

    what DOES EVERY ONE MEAN THEY WISH THEY COULD COME BACK!!! ALL IT TAKE IS A GREAT RECORD AND THE RECORD LABEL (A&R AND MARKETING DEPT TO BE SPECIFIC) TO STOP TRYING TO FIND THE EASIEST CRAP TO PUT OUT THERE. LET THESE NEW MUSIC PRODUCERS WHO HAVE BEEN WAITING A TURN FOR 15 FREAKING YEARS TO PRODUCE SOME MATERIAL FOR OLD AND NEW ARTIST AND ALLOW ARTISTS TO BE THEMSELVES AND MOST IMPORTANTLY DEVELOPE THESE ARTISTS SO THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO TALK IN AN INTERVIEW, SO THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO PERFORM ON AND OFF STAGE. I MEAN COME ON PEOPLE GET REAL WE ARE MAKING THIS HARDER THAN IT REALLY IS. THE CRAP THAT IS OUT THERE NOW IS MUSIC THAT THESE PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY CHOOSE TO PUT OUT AND EXPECT US TO JUST SAY OKAY WHAT EVER YOU PUT OUT I WILL BUY….NOT HAPPENING. IT IS TIME FOR THE PEOPLE TO STAND UP AND NOT ALLOW THEM SELVES TO BE DUMB DOWNED ANY MORE … WE NEED A REVOLUTION WHEN YOUR READY GET AT ME !!!!

  • krakatoa

    Vocally SWV were garbage. The only one who could hold a note was the short chunky one. They couldn’t hold a candle to En Vogue or Brownstone, let alone The Emotions or Labelle.

  • shockadelica 81

    Please come back SWV !! I love this group ! And bring Jodeci back too!!

  • lovemoney

    okay beyonce is R&b all the way listen to Dangrously In Love R&B , broken hearted girl, all of her songs are not all r&b but she is r&B and we do have some good r&B
    MONICA
    BRANDY
    USHER
    JAZMIN

  • http://nautysgirl@yahoo.com bklynlady

    krakatoa
    3/30/10, 14:16:pm

    Vocally SWV were garbage. The only one who could hold a note was the short chunky one. They couldn’t hold a candle to En Vogue or Brownstone, let alone The Emotions or Labelle.

    ______________________________________________

    Brownstone was the truth! If you love me, say it! If you trust me, do it! If you want me, show it! If you need me, prove it! But Koko or Coco not sure of the spelling could blow! Vocally her voice was and still is the business!

  • I’m Just Me…Keeping It Real Since: 1983. 17 Days. Bossip is like a big accident…I just can’t look away!!!

    @ KEEP IT REAL

    You hit the nail on the daggone head! Someone figured out a way to make music on the cheap and make Ring Tone Crap and it took off.

    I was listening to Sade (new) the other day and you could head the instrumentation in the background! It was so refreshing i had to make sure I wasn’t listening to an old song. Regardrless of how expensive, it was really better.

    Now a day it is truly about quantity and not quality.

  • Kitty

    Oh and I do NOT consider Beyonce R&B Heck No!!!!! If you think otherwise thats fine but dont knock me or anyone else for having their own opinion! She doesn’t have enough soul in her pinky toe to be considered R&B. You can’t be trained to be a soulful singer. Either you have it or you don’t! Beyonce and Rihanna are popular and pretty but that’s not and should not be considered a talent. The music industry feeds us bull and we’ve been forced into some young shallow minded music with no substance whatsoever! They put a pretty face in front of it and thats suppose to make it cool. Like I said if the radio and tv will only give us bs then I’ll continue doing what I have been to make sure my ears dont get polluted with the dumb ish! I need music I can feel and appreciate!

  • DATPHILYGIRL

    well i just downloaded

    Frederick…Gentle…..Im in a dazy im so confused since u have stop runnin ill take my time ill wait for you cuz i know u be cummm….ill be gentle baby im gonna be gentle when im lovin you…when im lovin you….ahhhhh

  • http://aol ebonieladi

    @Keep It Real

    Just like they’re producing it on the cheap, the music also sounds cheap. You are right, they need to bring back instruments. Just the sound of a horn, a sax, a guitar, a piano could make you feel soooo good.

  • top ramen shotta

    folks used to say the same thing when swv was popping. endless cycle . . .

  • B3 Fearless

    @Hell Yeah

    Where do you live. i hear it all the time in the Bmore/DC area. It gets played on the hip hop stations as well as the so-called “oldies/neo-soul stations.”

  • B3 Fearless

    The problem for me is there used to be a balance. I was born in the 80s and yes you had similar songs to what is out now as far as sexual lyrics cuz I remember the “Freak Me Baby” song when I was in elementary school, but you still had ppl putting out some real love songs.

    The same applied to hip hop. Growing up I could hear Hammer, Ice Cube and Nas all on the same station. The full spectrum of a genre. Now on that same station all you hear are rappers who basically dress the same, rapping about nothing at all with elementary lyrics.

  • cj

    @smittyt…Right On!!!!! Before mixing came along!!!!!

  • soulwoman

    LOL @ Beyonce being rnb. Um, no. All those bubble gum songs she make…she is the definition of urban pop.

  • shawn barnes

    R.kelly, joe, ginuwine, even musiq, avant, and jagged edge, the only ones that’s keeping it alive, and that’s only the males. There are no more groups like back then and only a few females out there, that’s why the only music i listen to is r&b from the 90′s as well as hip-hop, because that ain’t nothing nomore neither! smdh

  • Theorius Stylez

    Would You Mind, by Earth,Wind & Fire. Whew…..thats music. These young men today dont know how to love a woman, and these young women today dont require a young man to respect her because of the filth that they call music today. Oh well, just makes it easier for us old playas. ;)

  • LOVELYY.

    yess i love swv .ime xcited to hear thier new material. they better brinq it

  • http://Bossip.com I AM NOT THE ONE, YA HEARD ME!!!

    I am sooo waiting for their long overdue return. I see the old skool heads are ready and waiting to listen to MUSIC again. Just by reading the comments, I can tell the differece old skool and new skool people. The old skools can’t wait for a lot of these R&B singers. Many have listed who they miss. And the new skool generation is doing all the comparing. Who is better than who bullcrap. Which shows they don’t know much about music. We old skools appreciated what each artist would bring to the table. It gave us variety and the ability to respect each artist w/o having to or wanting to compare them. This generation always comparing artist. Instead of appreciating them. It’s really sad when all praises go to Beyonce’, when an artist like Jasmine Sullivan, Jill Scott and others have talent but these young people are so brainwashed that they dismiss the artist because of something so narrow minded such as looks, skin complexion, who has the most money, Who wears the best outfit…etc…It’s sad. But you all know that I am not lying.

  • Soldiergirl #1 )now a Civilian 20 & a Day!!

    Yeah…..Those were the days…………!! Kashif, Myles Jaye, D-Train, Marvin, Tony Rich, Glenn Jones, Eugene Wilde, men WOO-ED & WOW-ED us. Stylz u got that right, Sadly they dont & we as Women we MISS that.

  • candygirl

    they got left behind in the looks

  • http://aol ebonieladi

    @I AM NOT THE ONE, YA HEARD ME!!!

    You are DEFINITELY not lying!!!!

  • http://aol ebonieladi

    Back in the day if you heard a song you knew immediately who was singing it. Nowadays you have to guess or wait for it to be announced because mostly all the females sound alike and the guys too. The music has no where to go but up.

  • Interlude

    I don’t know, ladies. Shoot, it left when ya’ll left. Come back, please.

  • Onyx_Star

    Someone really needs to find Remy Shand and put him back on. That dude has talent.

    SWV, please come back! Have Ne-yo or Maxwell write the single!

    Real fans will be waiting……..

  • http://www.omeganovels.com courtneyomega

    team EN VOGUE/TLC why do you have to make it a competition? welcome all good music back for good!

  • jesusissupreme

    Um I don’t buy bootleg cds I go to the store and purchase music of artists I like. Though I love the music of the 90s and brought almost all the above artists cds or tapes I really can’t say they are people that I would pay to go see perform now or than. The only above artists I paid to go see was Jodeci.

  • heeeey

    yayahhh thats what im talkin bout!!!!!!! i wouldnt download theyre music i’d actually go buy it!!!

  • Prince

    The real music is gone.

  • Michael

    Lelee, everything you just said is so true. I dont even listen to the radio anymore. I just play old cd’s like Jodeci, H-town, SWV, Guy, N.E. or whatever. By the way, I always loved how fly you look on yall’s first cd insert. DAMN!

  • http://www.znrmusicreport.ning.com ZNR Music Report

    SWV was a great R&B female group! Their songs became popular over night and created some serous memories for me! Just love them!

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