Nadine Graham is a freelance music writer based in Atlanta, Georgia. When she isn't blasting hip-hop or talking to rappers she can be found writing about it all for Townsquare Media. Find her at @MadFreshDaily on Twitter, indulging in random conversations.
Nadine Graham
Chaka Khan – Legendary R&B Singers
Chaka Khan started off as the front woman for the funk band Rufus in the 1970s, and she had achieved major recognition as a part of that unit, churning out hits like 'Tell Me Something Good' and 'Sweet Thang.' The Chicago native knew that she could build something as a solo artist while maintaining her role as part of Rufus -- and that's exactly what she did...
Aretha Franklin – Legendary R&B Singers
With a career spanning more than 50 years, no one can deny that Aretha Franklin is legendary in music -- not even the rock-heavy publication Rolling Stone. The magazine gave her the No. 1 spot on their list of Top Singers of All Time.
Talented songstresses of today's music industry, including Mary J...
New Edition – Legendary R&B Singers
Before N' Sync, New Kids on the Block and even Boyz II Men, there was New Edition. In the early 1980s, teenage girls in denim vests covered in N.E. buttons rushed the stage at every show put on by the Boston youngsters. The five -- Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant, Ronnie Devoe, Michael Bivins and Ricky Bell -- were to be the "new edition" of the Jackson 5, hence the name...
Luther Vandross – Legendary R&B Singers
Luther Vandross is the quintessential R&B crooner. His best songs are his love songs and they've stood the test of time since his solo debut in the early 1980s. From his mid-tempo tracks like 'Never Too Much' to his bigger ballads like 'A House is Not a Home,' Vandross always managed to keep his velvety vocals above the sometimes overwhelmingly saccharine lyrics.
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Mariah Carey – Legendary R&B Singers
Mariah Carey has always had a beautiful singing voice but it took a minute for her debut album to catch on with R&B fans. It wasn't until she'd made an appearance at the 33rd Annual Grammy Awards singing her big ballad, 'Vision of Love,' when she saw her sales shoot upwards and stay there.
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The Isley Brothers – Legendary R&B Singers
In the 1960s, when the beginnings of R&B were still rooted in the soul and pop sounds of that era, the pioneers of the genre had to be familiar with several styles of music and willing to blend them all, experimenting until they found their signature. Th...
R. Kelly – Legendary R&B Singers
R. Kelly has been setting precedents since he headed Public Announcement in the early 1990s. The Chicago native can write and produce a soothing love song just as quickly as he pens a melodic jaunt about sexual exploits. Kelly is, of course, responsible for kickstarting the career of the late Aaliyah, the hip-hop generation's beloved 'Baby Girl' with a singing voice as light as air...
10 Legendary Albums of the 1990s
Many have called the 1990s "hip-hop's golden era," but that decade produced a ton of great music from the R&B genre as well. Not only did the '90s yield classic debuts from rappers like Biggie and Snoop Doggy Dogg, but there were also timeless offerings from Mary J. Blige and R. Kelly.
Dr. Dre, ‘The Chronic’ – Legendary Albums of the 1990s
After creating an entirely new platform for rap as part of the groundbreaking group N.W.A., Dr. Dre struck out on his own in 1992, with the intention of creating a whole new sound. When he released his first album, 'The Chronic,' Dre was adamant about introducing Snoop Doggy Dogg to the world...
R. Kelly, ’12 Play’ – Legendary Albums of the 1990s
In 1993, R. Kelly made his solo debut on the scene after playing the role of front man of the group Public Announcement just a year before. When the Chicago native dropped his first album, '12 Play' he debuted an entirely new approach to how R&B crooners had been known to sound, or more importantly, what their lyrics could detail outside of new love and love lost. '1...