Why won't Renee Rapp make an R&B album? Singer's opinion about taking the spotlight away from Black artists spurs mixed reactions 

Renee Rapp, during a recent event, said she won't make another R&B album because she doesn't want to disrespect Black artists or take R&B's spotlight away from Black culture.

While answering a question about her next R&B album, Rapp said,

"Any non-Black person that makes anything that can be deemed remotely soulful or R&B…historically will always be praised and uplifted much more than people who are actually Black and make R&B music"

She then went on to add,

"Every single of my most important inspirations are Black men and women who are in R&B or in Rock music...So there will always be influences of those artists and of that music genre in my music."

Renee's statement drew mixed reactions on social media. While many appreciated Rapp for wanting to be respectful towards Black artists, other users called her ignorant.

A user (@CuppetGuy) called Renee's statement "bold."

"Translation: I want the sound without the history. Bold."

Another user (@jakillt) showed appreciation towards Renee for her understanding,

"Am I the only one took it as her saying she don’t wanna do it because she would get praised more and there’s other artist who’ve worked long and harder and it Would be a disservice to them. She get 10s from me tbh"

Another user (@champ_alexa) appreciated Renee Rapp for taking accountability,

"This is what accountability looks like with a mic in hand"

Another user (@taraliyah) called Renee's opinions "white savior syndrome,"

"This reads like white savior syndrome. “I won’t make an R&B album bc it’s gonna outshine all the black people and the genre’s too important for me to do that” lol ok gimme a break pls"

Another user (@TvDilettante) noted that while Renee Rapp might not do R&B, her voice is well-suited to it.

"ok love it but at the same time her voice is meant for a lil r&b tho. like im not listening to what she put out now"

"R&B is just tied to something more culturally significant than me," says Renee Rapp

While announcing that she won't be releasing an R&B album in respect of Black artists and black culture, she also noted that R&B is just beyond music and also taps into culture.

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"I would never consider an album of mine at any point to be R&B because in my opinion, R&B is just tied to something more culturally significant than me."

R&B emerged in the 1940s and 1950s as a blend of blues, gospel, and jazz, all deeply rooted in African American communities. The music gained recognition at the time as a form of self-expression amid racial segregation and struggle.

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