The expression 'slept-on' is used freely in hip hop and R&B circles to denote that which is, well, ignored.
Ironically, R&B itself has at times been slept-on within the wider music industry. Speaking to The Guardian in 2017, Kelela criticised Pitchfork for its belatedly opportunistic discovery of avant 'n' B. And, certainly in the '90s, triple j didn't program R&B – nor did Australian commercial radio. Instead, the music – its core demographic migrant and working-class listeners – found a home on community stations. Nonetheless, latterly, triple j has added Beyonce and The Weeknd.
Today R&B also has its slept-on stars – none more so than Toronto's Daniel Caesar. Despite the huge interest in the Canadian scene engendered by Drake and The Weeknd, Caesar is relatively unknown. In 2017, on the back of earlier EPs, he debuted with the independently-issued Freudian. Traversing gospel, pop balladry, '90s R&B, indie-rock and electronic experimentation, Freudian slips somewhere between Shai, Frank Ocean and Moses Sumney. Caesar spotlights female talent with guests like the Colombian-American divette Kali Uchis (the single Get You), California's mysterious HER, and The Internet's Syd. The album has proven popular on streaming platforms – and Caesar received two Grammy nominations in R&B categories, losing to Bruno Mars. Remarkably, he's sold out this month's Australian headline tour with minimal media.
There are established acts who deserve more props, too. Florida's T-Pain pioneered the use of Auto-Tune in urban music, his 2005 debut playfully entitled Rappa Ternt Sanga. Yet it's only now that the I'm 'n Luv (Wit A Stripper) star is being recognised for his impact. In 2011, T-Pain aired rEVOLVEr – tapping Lily Allen for the cruisy 5 O'Clock – but he then took a semi-hiatus. He did contribute to Bruno Mars' 24K Magic. Last summer, T-Pain embarked on an extensive Australian DJ tour – a novelty for R&B heads. In November, he made a comeback bid with OBLiViON. But he's gained more attention for a tweet about his missus and cat gifs.Once proclaimed "the future of R&B" by Vibe, Chris Brown has been a polarising figure in popdom ever since he assaulted Rihanna. But he continues to record prolifically – and cameo. Meanwhile, the industry is sleeping on Brown's contemporary, Trey Songz. The Virginian delivered his masterpiece in 2012's fifth album Chapter V – Heart Attack a sublime ballad. Next, he switched to the on-trend trap soul for the mono Trigga. His 2017 Tremaine The Album offered bolder variation (the festive 1x1 borrowing from Crystal Waters' '90s house Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)), but garnered little attention outside the US market.
The pop biz still sleeps on any black female R&B vocalist who isn't Beyonce or Rihanna – though, auspiciously, that is changing with the unique Solange, SZA and Kehlani breaking out. Solange's Australian fans have been scrambling for balloted tickets to June's Vivid LIVE season at the Sydney Opera House. Yet the Cranes In The Sky vocalist was long slept-on – even as, following Aaliyah, she advanced auteur R&B. In the '90s, Solange was cast as Destiny's Child understudy – and routinely compared to her sister Bey.
In 2002, the then teen presented a peppily pop debut, Solo Star, containing the forgotten classic Crush with Pharrell Williams (and earning impressive writing credits). Solange discerned that being under-estimated allowed her creative freedom. For 2008's trailblazing Sol-Angel And The Hadley St Dreams, she journeyed through Motown, disco, boho-soul and ambi-psych. In late 2009, Solange spent time in Melbourne, collaborating with Midnight Juggernauts – accompanying them on stage at Falls Festival (and DJing at the dance fest Summadayze). The now "Indie Knowles" subsequently unveiled Losing You (cut with Dev Hynes) via Chris "Grizzly Bear" Taylor's Terrible Records – and blew up. Her 2016 opus A Seat At The Tablewould be acclaimed for its exploration of racial identity – the Q-Tip-featuring Borderline (An Ode To Self Care) symbolically sampling Aaliyah.
Tinashe was poised to experience superstardom to rival Janet Jackson when, in 2014, she premiered with Aquarius – foreshadowing the avant-trap age of pop. However, the 2 Onsinger lost momentum as she circulated successive generic urban-pop tunes. Sony bumped Tinashe's sophomore, Joyride, amid speculation of discord over her artistic direction. The star enjoyed a hit guesting on Snakehips' All My Friends alongside Chance The Rapper – and raised eyebrows as she lent her cred to Britney Spears' Slumber Party. Lately, Tinashe has spoken about encountering misogynoir in entertainment – controversially discussing colourism within the black community in The Guardian. Joyride will ostensibly surface next month – and, of Tinashe's latest singles, the StarGate-helmed Faded Love (with Future) is at least close to Aquarius-level.
The Swedish soulstress Snoh Aalegra generated buzz on aligning herself with Chicago producer No ID's ARTium Recordings – joining Jhene Aiko, Common and Vince Staples. But, after 2014's Common-blessed Bad Things, it went quiet for Aalegra – until Drake sampled her song Time on his More Life. In fact, Aalegra forfeited a Sony deal to go indie. Alas, even R&B buffs may not know that in October she dropped an album, FEELS, of Sade-esque quiet storm, neo-soul and trip-hop (cue: Nothing Burns Like The Cold, with Staples). Curiously, Aalegra opened for Caesar on a North American tour.
The most slept-on R&B artists could be two of the more out-there in Willow and Jaden Smith – the offspring of Hollywood couple Will and Jada Pinkett Smith. Both Jaden (a rapper) and Willow (a singer) have had their projects overlooked by reviewers – Willow especially. Signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation, Willow spawned her first hit as a tween with Whip My Hair. In a Solange manoeuvre, she finally unleashed the transgressive ARDIPITHECUS in 2015. Willow conceived an album of soul, breakbeat and industrial that woulda been exalted coming from Bjork. Just 17, she recently followed with the no less uncompromising The 1st – like a grungy, Afro-futurist counterpoint to Lorde's Melodrama. Don't sleep.
