Why Erykah Badu & D'Angelo Reject Neo Soul Entirely

Why Erykah Badu & D'Angelo Reject Neo Soul Entirely

March 27, 2026 · 21 min

About this episode

AJ and Antonio Hughes discuss the origins of neo-soul, its rejection by key artists, and various music industry updates.

Subscribe to Rhythm FM: 👉 https://tinyurl.com/dr43zvte AJ and Antonio Hughes discuss how Motown executive Kedar Massenburg coined “neo-soul” as a marketing term to distinguish artists like Erykah Badu, D’Angelo, and Lauryn Hill from 1990s R&B, and why artists such as D’Angelo and Raphael Saadiq rejected the label; they also talk about genre boxing and how categorization affects awards and bookings. They recap developments in the Live Nation trial, noting multiple states pushing back against a DOJ settlement and debating likely outcomes. They cover the case of Michael Smith, accused of using AI-generated songs and bots to fraudulently generate royalties, and mention Chance the Rapper winning a suit with minimal payment. They review Mike WiLL Made-It’s album "Reset," highlight DJ Spinall’s instrumental EP, recommend Alex Isley’s "When the City Sleeps," and share song picks.00:00 Podcast Intro and Catch Up00:34 Neo Soul Origins Explained02:25 Genre Labels and Boxing Artists05:47 Live Nation Trial Update08:29 AI Music Streaming Scam13:05 Chance Manager Lawsuit Win13:56 Mike Will Made It Reset Review16:21 DJ Spinall Instrumental Vibes16:55 Alex Isley Album…

People in this episode

Host: AJ

Guest: Antonio Hughes

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Live Nation

Products: Mike WiLL Made-It’s album "Reset", DJ Spinall’s instrumental EP, Alex Isley’s "When the City Sleeps"

More episodes of Rhythm and Rhymes

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Rhythm and Rhymes podcast page.