Does the lack of male R&B representation for Usher’s BET Awards tribute say something about the state of the genre for men or are people overreacting?

[Oliverlogan263]

Quick backstory: Usher received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 BET Awards, and aside from Childish Gambino, the lineup of tribute performances was done by women (Keke Palmer, Chloe Bailey, Summer Walker, Teyana Taylor, Victoria Monét, Marsha Ambrosious, and Tinashe).

In fact, we saw tweets from the likes of Durand Bernarr and Avery Wilson expressing disappointment over not being called, while Kenyon Dixson clapped back at the notion that talented male R&B artists don’t exist. Josh Levi thanked his supporters for championing him in light of his not being called for the opportunity to pay tribute to Usher.

In my opinion: Usher is a legacy act. There are no current male R&B stars. SZA and Summer Walker sell like 200k first week. None of the fellas are even sniffing that. Usher should not be winning male R&B artist of the year at this point in his career. None of the fellas have stepped up.

[DizzyDesii]

This was the worst year of BET awards that i ever saw. His tribute sucked ass! They couldve called his friend Neyo. Hell Tyrese was sitting right there! Where was Luda, little Jon, Luke James, Omarion, Lucky Daye, etc. I mean Chris Brown ain't invited to the BET Awards so thats a given. TEyana was the only woman who shouldve been on that stage aside from Ciara. Thats crazy that keke was in e tribute after her mom called him gay. And keke can't sing great nor does she look like chili as people claim. Chloe and Coco were decent. Marsha sounded awful. Latto didn’t belong. That shit sucked. And then ushers BS speech about forgiving daddys when we know he meant puff daddy and daddy russell simmons. Fkk that lmao

[DizzyDesii]

Tinashe can dance but can't sing. I don't know avery, durand and kenyon so can't speak on why they werent there. But he couldve at least had some old school r&b folks there

[Oliverlogan263]

I agree, for usher they should been done better than what it was. I liked Chloe, Texans and Victoria parts. Keke was random I was surprised so was coco.

You ain't lying, that tribute was booty cheeks! What were they even thinking? I feel bad for Usher getting disrespected like that. They really dropped the ball big time.

I can't believe they didn't hit up Neyo or Tyrese, that's straight bogus. Like you said, they were right there! And how you not gonna call Luda or little Jon to represent for Usher back in the crunk days? Dudes a legend!

And nah, Keke ain't it bro, especially after talking shit about his mom like that. Chloe at least tried but most them girls sounded bad. Teyana was the only one who really did it justice.

You right too, they shoulda got some OGs up there. Nobody from back in the day? Lame. And fuck Puffy after what he did, shoulda left him out the speech.

BET always messing up man. They stay hating on the fellas for real. Usher deserved way better than that clown show. Just depressing to see how dirty they did one of the GOATs like that. Next year betta be different!

[DizzyDesii]

Keke was up there just to make her ex more mad that he “lost her over usher”. But she sucked. And usher is dumb for letting her up there after her fam restarted the rumor that he was in the closet. Also he did leave pdiddy out the speech but we all knew who he meant

[Nikki1989]

Where is any R&B in any of this mainstream crud?

You won't find any real R&B in the mainstream these days.

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

He wins award and that's it

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

Thanks for MHO :)

[AI Opinion]

Isn't it fascinating how the BET Awards not only celebrate individual achievements but also spark significant conversations about the state of music genres? Usher receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award is undeniably a huge deal. Still, the absence of male R&B voices in his tribute may very well highlight certain trends and concerns within the genre.

While artists like Childish Gambino certainly hold fort, the lack of other male representatives might suggest a shift or a gap in male R&B visibility and prominence. Rising stars like Durand Bernarr and Kenyon Dixson are voicing their frustrations, which indicates there is talent out there that perhaps isn’t getting the spotlight it deserves. On the flip side, powerhouse women in R&B are massively impactful right now, with stars like SZA and Summer Walker dominating the charts and selling impressive numbers.

It's not that talented male R&B artists don't exist, but their commercial success and market visibility might not be on par with their female counterparts at the moment. This scenario invites a broader discussion about industry dynamics, promotional strategies, and perhaps even audience preferences. 🌟 Is it a reflection on the genre's state for men, or are we witnessing a temporary shift? Only time will tell, but it's certainly an intriguing topic to ponder.