Who Is The King Of R&B? Stars Weigh In
John Legend, Bobby Valentino plus more shared their thoughts on the matter after singer Jacques declared himself king of the genre
DISCUSSION: John Legend and Usher
WHO IS the King of R&B? That is the question on everybody’s lips after American singer Jacquees proclaimed himself the king of the genre, prompting backlash and discussion surrounding who the true king is.
The Cash Money artist took to social media over the weekend, where he said:"I just want to let everybody know that I'm the king of R&B right now, for this generation. I understand who done came and who done did that and that, but now it's my turn. Jacquees, the king." he said.
While many laughed off his claims, some of R&B’s biggest heavyweights aired their thoughts on the title, including John Legend, Chris Brown, and in particular - Tyrese.
"Ima keep it stack with you," the Transformers star posted. "The young kings of this generation that's been running sh*t since day one are Chris Brown and Trey Songz."
The singer and actor also accused Jacquees of using rapper Tekashi 6ix 9ine ‘trolling’ tactics. "You got this out of the Tekashi 6ix9ine playbook. Stop trolling, my ni**a. Get back in the booth."
Tank also added his two pence to the discussion, and refuted Jacquees’ "king" claim. "First, R.Kelly is the king of R&B. The accusations don't disqualify what he's accomplished. Second, if you can't go in the studio by yourself and make a hit record, you're not my king. If you can't sing it better live, you're not my king. I appreciate all the talent out there, but we are using the word "king" too loosely."
John Legend took to Twitter, where he questioned the parameters of the genre and whether the biggest artists fit into them anymore. “Honestly I don’t think there is a king of r&b right now. Anyone consistently dominating the charts, selling out arenas, etc, a la Usher at his prime. Not a comment on quality. I think the throne is open right now,” he wrote. “Part of me is talking myself into saying Bruno or the Weeknd but I’m not sure they neatly fit into the genre.”
See more reactions to the King of R&B debate below:
