As the year winds down to a close, it’s always great to reflect on the past. We here at WBLS have decided to take a trip down memory lane to bring you some of the top R&B moments of 2022.
Omarion Verzuz Mario
What a show! This Verzuz battle may have been a staple in its history. Fans alike all knew that Mario took home the crown that night but we were all left with some unforgettable moments. Ray-J, Pleasure P, Sammie, and Bobby Valentino all joined the two competitors on stage to show us they still got it but Ray-J may have forgotten it at home. He was then dragged on Twitter. His other three companions took over on his behalf and saved the crowd.
Ginuwine Showed Us His Moves All Year
Every chance Ginuwine got, he showed us that he still has his moves. Although he may not deliver them the way he used to when he got on the scene, he still gives it his all. Unfortunately, he did become a meme, with several people re-enacting his dances and some even dressing up as him for Halloween.
The Return Of Rihanna
After waiting for new music since 2016, fans finally got what they had been waiting for. The singer came out of her hiatus to lay down vocals on the Wakanda Forever soundtrack. Her song Lift Me Up was an ode to the late, Chadwick Boseman, who played T’Challa in the film.
Chris Brown’s AMA Performance Cancellation
Chris Brown was scheduled to take the stage at the 2022 American Music Awards this year. However, the producers of the show opted to cancel Brown’s performance. In a post, he said that with short notice, the AMAs “canceled me for reasons unknown.” Many celebrities spoke out in support of Brown, Kelly Rowland even made a comment the night of the awards when the crowd began to boo him when he won the award for Favorite Male R&B Artist. After telling audience members to “chill out” she then thanked the singer. “I want to tell Chris, thank you so much for making great R&B music. And I want to tell him, thank you for being an incredible performer. I’ll take this award, bring it to you. I love you. Congratulations, and congratulations to all the nominees in this category,” she remarked.
Babyface’s Girl’s Night Out Album
All-star producer, Babyface, returned to the scene with a new album that highlighted the next generation of women. The album featured names like Kehlani, Queen Naija, Ella Mai, and Ari Lennox.
Maxwell’s Knees
While everyone was obsessing over Megan’s knees, Maxwell slid into the chat to have a word or two. The singer showed out at his performances this year to give the crowd what they were missing: Maxwell knees.
Diddy’s “Who killed R&B” Question
What’s one way to stir the pot in the R&B community? Insinuate that it no longer exists. Diddy had R&B lovers and artists alike in an uproar after tweeting “Who killed R&B?” He, later on, explained himself in a tweet saying “This conversation was out of love and me purposely wanting to bring attention to R&B! It was something that I saw the effect of the Hip hop and R&B balance. That balance is honesty and realness when it comes together, melodies, vulnerability and most importantly LOVE!!!”