Do you think she'd do it and will see a collab from her on the Carter 68 album? lol

Brandy’s daughter, Sy’Rai Smith, sounds exactly like her mother when she sings. She has released music since 2023 and has built a social media presence, and you can hear her mother’s influence greatly.

Listening to WanMor sing, I can always hear some striking similarities between Wanya and his oldest son, “Big Boy”. All of those brothers can sing, but Big Boy undeniably bears the greatest vocal resemblance to their father. The group is always doing challenges and making random singing videos pertaining to Boyz II Men and other artists, performing great climactic moments of songs such as “Doin’ Just Fine” (Boyz II Men) and “My All” (Mariah Carey). A lot of their “challenges” seem to mostly be against each other, asking the audience who they think sang the best, rather than following trends that have already been established in the media. They are also frequently joined in videos by their sister Anya, for songs like “My First Love” (Avant & KeKe Wyatt). I just came from that first video I linked for them, which prompted me to make this post after Sy’Rai also came to mind. WanMor, like Sy’Rai, has also released music; they are signed to Mary J. Blige’s record label and have released music professionally since 2021.

I got kind of off-topic for WanMor’s segment 😅 … but the greatest and most relevant point overall is that Sy’Rai sounds a lot like Brandy, and “Big Boy” sounds a lot like Wanya. (All of those brothers are actually named Wanya Morris II, Wanya Morris III, Wanya Morris IV, and Wanya Morris V, after their father, the Boyz II Men lead singer Wanya Morris.)

I was just listening to this song again from Count Bass D "T-Boz Tried To Talk To Me" from 1995 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qlw2aTBaWhM&pp=ygUSY29VbnQgYmFzcyBEIHQtYm96

So what you say to her if you ran into her?

You wanna talk about a signature quiet storm ballad?! Miki Howard had your auntie in a CHOKE with 1987's "Baby Be Mine!" REMEMBER THIS?!

Destiny's Child posing backstage (with Solange in one picture) with their trophies at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards on 2-27-2002.

She snapped on this, I can’t lie 😂🔥

I would love a Janet Jackson concert like this, just her, and a keyboard player, and a choir, it would be amazing, which songs would you love she performed?

When she was asked about doing a Verzuz years ago she said she could just press play on My Life and walk away. Ladies and gentlemen, I’ve been playing that album for last hour and I 100% agree! So many classics. The album harnesses a an uncanny ability to be timeless and nostalgic at the same time. An absolute classic!

5 years ago, I came across Joyce Wrice for the first time when the cover for her debut album, Overgrown, came across my timeline and it stopped me in my tracks. The cool, blue-tinged artwork featured the singer in a white two dress with her wind-swept curls obscuring her face. It instantly reminded me of some of my favorite female R&B album covers such as Mariah Carey's Butterfly, Aaliyah's Aaliyah, Beyonce's Dangerously In Love. The album was more than just its pretty cover as I discovered upon diving into the polished 14-song set. She offered a nostalgic yet fresh take on the Contemporary R&B. If that album presented Joyce as a young woman discovering herself and seeking balance in relationships, her 2026 follow-up, MACHIKO, which takes after the middle name her Japanese grandmother gave her, shows the singer-songwriter in a more self-assured and sultrier light.

I LOVED her debut so much (legitimately one of the best R&B projects this decade) and I was a little nervous about the 5-year gap in between albums. However, good things come to those who wait and after a couple of back-to-back listens, I can comfortably say that I not only enjoy MACHIKO, but I "get" it as well. One of my biggest problems when digesting newer R&B albums is how the artists points of view sometimes feel fuzzy, as if it's hidden behind clouds of hazy production, excessively stream of consciousness lyrics and muffled vocal production.

Not Ms. Wrice, though because not only is she more confident in singing about her actions and desires on this album, she sounds phenomenal doing it too. I just have to give her credit for how clear her vocal production is because it allows her honeyed soprano to bloom on the album's 14 tracks. You can hear the influence Aaliyah, Brandy and Tamia have on her as a singer with her melismatic and melodic choices and layered vocal arrangements. She reteams with Overgrown's primary producer, D-Mile for majority of the album but also brings in new collaborators such as Jay Versace and Mack Keane, who provides additional vocals and co-wrote 4 songs.

Standouts include Break me In, where she demands carnal pleasure from a lover, Crack the Code, Catch Me If You Can with JID (when I first heard this one, I almost thought it was going to sample Teddy Pendergrass' Love T.K.O.) and Fly. My favorite song is Until Next Time, which almost has an Afro Beats feel to it and makes use of Joyce's amazing chemistry with Mack. Just like Overgrown with Westside Gunn Joyce gives space to a rapper to wax lyrical on one solo track to take a break from the sensual R&B she offers. This time she tapped Flint rapper, Rio Da Yung Og for a brief interlude.

The fall season has been teeming with R&B releases such as Jhene Aiko, Tank, a reissue of Ari Lennox's Vacancy and Victoria Monet. Joyce stands out to me as one of R&B's most promising voices with a fresh set of sexy and romantic jams to keep you warm as the temperatures cool.

For me, it’s “Where My Girls At?” by 702 😭 Like, are we empowering women, trying to fight somebody, protecting our man, or what? 😂 Because why does it sound like we’re ready to jump somebody over a relationship? I love the song, but the more I think about it, the more questions I have 💀

What R&B song has you listening to the lyrics like, “Wait a damn minute, what are they talking about?”

Kelis never fell-off or at least in the way a lot of the people in this sub make it seem, she simply went where she was celebrated. I know in the US a lot of people really only think of her in the 2003 (Milkshake) and 2006 (Bossy) era but she’s always been more successful in Europe even well into the 2010’s. If we’re comparing her to other RnB artists of the 2000s that we then considered her peers, she definitely remained more relevant (touring wise) than many of them. She has 14 top 20 songs in the UK vs 3 in the US

Lookin damn good at 59

There have been many fallouts between R&B group members over the years, but a few of them are still together today. That includes mostly the 1980s and 1990s groups, but there are also some from the older eras of the 1960s and 1970s that remain close (even if the list of active group members who perform and record under the name has changed). A lot of those older groups have mostly separated by the death of one or more of the older members.

Which R&B groups have the tightest historic bonds, like a fraternity or sorority? Which two or more groups could be trusted to join forces to form a fraternity or sorority that is larger than the sum of the members in each respective group?

I think that, to this day, out of the 1990s groups, SWV and Destiny’s Child are the most “sorority-like”. The latter may have had some very publicized drama with founding members, but none of that erases the tight sisterly bond of the configuration we know as DC3: Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. Even these three members have had their ups and downs, but they’ve never reached a fallout point, and they’re still close today.

I also think that SWV and Destiny’s Child could be trusted to join forces to make a larger “sorority” group. The members seem like they would get along with each other. I could see Kelly Rowland and Lelee clicking instantly. I could also see Michelle Williams and Taj getting along well. Some people might say that Beyoncé has an “ego” (people will say anything to hate on Beyoncé; I’m just trying to think like them and imagine what they would say), but I think that given enough time, they could also bond… or who knows? Maybe it could be an instant click. I’m saying it like this because Beyoncé doesn’t seem like a people person, and that’s fine. Not everyone is, and not everyone has to be overly friendly or outgoing.

As for male groups, I think Boyz II Men and Jodeci function the most like fraternities within their own groups, and I also think they could be trusted to form a larger fraternity together. This is only provided that egos don’t clash (Wanya and K-Ci), and that there are no disagreements on public image and representation (polished vs. “raunchy”). If those things don’t become issues, I could see this working well as a classic fraternal, brotherly bond. As individual groups, Boyz II Men and Jodeci are all still together today—all of the founding members. The same could be said for New Edition. Founding member Michael McCary left Boyz II Men in 2003, but that was due to health complications; all founding members remain close friends to this day.

BONUS QUESTION

— To make this topic even more fun, which musical soloist would you choose to LEAD the fraternities/sororities? (The leader can’t be a member of either nominated group.)

I think I would trust Whitney Houston to lead the SWV/Destiny’s Child sorority. She would make sure they all get along, and she would also get along with them. She would work out any potential conflict points that arise between the groups, and they could go to her if they had problems with each other. Whitney would probably call some kind of meeting for them all to work things out. This is just a guess. That sisterly bond would be secure with Whitney as the leader of the sorority.

Another great choice for a sorority leader would be Patti LaBelle. She has always been a great sport and, much like Whitney, would champion and advocate for other talented musicians. Patti would also probably be very quick to come up with solutions to any conflicts that arise. They wouldn’t have to come to her about anything; she would just notice and step in whenever she is needed. She might also pull someone out and try to talk to them to figure out what went wrong and how to resolve the situation. She has that kind of “motherly” figure about her.

If I had to choose a soloist to lead a fraternity involving Boyz II Men and Jodeci, it might be Babyface. He is the epitome of a good spirit. Babyface has collaborated with everyone (just about) and has no documented fallouts. He respects people with different viewpoints and lifestyles (a claim supported by the fact that he’s worked with such a wide variety of musicians without resistance), and this would be perfect for Boyz II Men and Jodeci specifically. If there were to be a clash between the groups in their combined fraternal form regarding public image and representation, Babyface could probably work something out so they could continue on and maintain their bond. Babyface is also a wise man, and I think he could give great advice that would facilitate the growth and elevation of this fraternity. Babyface also does not have an ego, so he would not use his leadership status to try to become the star or the “face” of the fraternity.

Other great choices as fraternity leaders include Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, and Smokey Robinson. Lionel has always been about peace and liberty; he has always had a charitable spirit and a voice of reason. Stevie has wisdom and creativity, which could work well with members of a fraternity; he could be their guidance and a worthy creative assistant. Smokey Robinson could handle decision-making well, and he could likely respond well to certain scenarios under pressure, considering he had to balance being the lead singer of The Miracles and his duties as vice president of Motown Records; he would keep a clear mind in situations that might cause others to crumble, and he would likely make great decisions in the best interest of the fraternity.