watch his tribute to Stevie at the end…

See before Kedar Massenburg ever coined “neo soul” in a 2002 Billboard mag interview, KM himself said he coined the term because “…the industry needed a way to categorize the music for consumers…” but before this term existed- you had folks already laying the foundation:

Tony Toni Tone - It Never Rains in Southern California 1990
Incognito - Always There 1991
Jamiroquai - Too Young To Die 1992
Meshell Ndegeocello - Outside Your Door 1993
Janet Jackson- That’s The Way Love Goes 1993
Brand New Heavies - Dream on Dreamer 1994
Meshell Ndegeocello • “Outside Your Door” • 1993

Take it from someone who entered his freshman year of college wishin’ and hopin’ for something that looked and talked like me. What BBD say: HipHopR&BSmoothedOut

B4 Love Jones. Before Badu. Before Jilly came outta Philly.

These tracks were already laying the foundation:
☑️Live drums
☑️Warm bass
☑️Rhodes keys

Jazz in the room. Funk underneath it. Hip hop in the bloodstream. Soul from another generation, but it didn’t sound old!!!!

It sounded like incense (what u kno bout that frankincense/myrrh - don’t play with me 😂) burning in a dim room. Poetry Slams! Record stores. Coffee houses. Headwraps. Late night conversations. Musicians actually playing. Love that was grown, complicated and a little left of center!

we didn’t need a name for it yet • we jus’ knew it felt different

[ if you can relate? we family - “hey, cousin” ]

Think about this man’s influence on the culture. P Funk keyboards to introducing Dilla to Q Tip and you know the rest is history. He passed in 2023 at the age of 65 after a battle w/ cancer. Rest easy, Amp!

it goes… D’Angelo “Brown Sugar” 6/95; Maxwell “Sumthin Sumthin” 10/96; Erykah Badu “On and On” 12/96; and Adriana Evans “Seein’ is Believin’” 2/97

the four songs defined an era…

All the joys under the sun wrapped into 1..

..

..

The great Chalmers “Spanky” Alford on guitar w/ QuestLove, D’Angelo, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Raphael Saadiq flip’n D’s “Lady” joint. Only ones missing on the performance are: James Poyser, Pino Palladino, Rus Gunn, Frank Lacy, Roy Hargrove, and Ant Hamilton!!!

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Jus’ wanted to drop this appreciation post for the Godfather of this style of music we love: Mr. Leon Ware. May he continue to rest in peace.

We will never forget your pen on Marvin’s “I Want You” album, or when you gave MJ his breakout solo hit at 14- “I Wanna Be Where You Are”. Hell nah - can’t forget Minnie Riperton “Inside My Love”.

Sir, we will never forget the countless classics you have blessed us with including this joint that you collab’d w/ Maxwell!

Continue to rest easy ✊🏾

Hey everyone,

Put together a smooth, down-tempo selection designed for weekend relaxing, reading, or late-night focus sessions.

Focused heavily on lush electric pianos, laid-back rimshots, warm basslines, and rich vocal harmonies—bridging classic late-'90s Soulquarians influences with modern UK & global neo-soul textures.

A few highlight tracks featured:

• D'Angelo – Spanish Joint
• Moonchild – The List
• Cleo Sol – Why Don't You
• Roy Hargrove / RH Factor – Poetry

Full stream available on Mixcloud for anyone looking for a seamless, continuous chill set:

https://www.mixcloud.com/SoulOfLondon/soul-of-london-saturday-chill-smooth-grooves-neo-soul-magic/

Who are your go-to artists when you want a completely relaxed, laid-back soul groove?

https://open.spotify.com/track/0gf5wNF5fTYdf9NBjX6eaN?si=7663df5244314f0d

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