Usher | Broken Record

Historical Influences

Usher reflects on the historical influences that have shaped R&B, emphasizing the genre's roots in jazz and live music. He describes how R&B shows offer an immersive experience, drawing from jazz's improvisational nature and the unexpected elements of live performances 1. Usher believes that jazz has always been a foundational element, supplying inspiration to other genres like rock and hip hop 2.

Jazz is the creation of all things man, all things musical, rather, is rock, ratherist, ideas of classical things. You think about how R and B was established. It was jazz.

--- Usher

He asserts that the sophistication and emotional storytelling inherent in jazz continue to define R&B, ensuring its lasting influence and relevance.

   

Genre Defiance

Usher explores how R&B has adapted and incorporated new elements, becoming a dominant and defiant genre. He credits producers like Puffy for being ahead of their time, pushing boundaries with mature themes and innovative sounds that set the stage for future R&B artists 3. Usher also highlights the role of sophistication in R&B's evolution, noting how figures like La Reid and Quincy Jones have elevated the genre by nurturing black entrepreneurs and creatives 4.

The sophistication of understanding how to grow black entrepreneurs and black creatives to a place and lift them up is what I think happened with La.

--- Usher

This blend of danger and sophistication has allowed R&B to remain a powerful cultural force.