# Why Erykah Badu & D'Angelo Reject Neo Soul Entirely

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Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/rhythm-and-rhymes-6393755/why-erykah-badu-d-angelo-reject-neo-soul-entirely.md
Podcast: [Rhythm and Rhymes](https://stenobird.com/podcast/rhythm-and-rhymes-6393755)
Published: 2026-03-27T23:00:22+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realrandr/episodes/Why-Erykah-Badu--DAngelo-Reject-Neo-Soul-Entirely-e3h2s0j
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/e1138224/podcast/play/117583315/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-2-27%2F98d32f56-062b-578a-df42-be5c85449e19.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/rhythm-and-rhymes-6393755/episodes/why-erykah-badu-d-angelo-reject-neo-soul-entirely
Duration seconds: 1271

## Resource

Subscribe to Rhythm FM: 👉 https://tinyurl.com/dr43zvte AJ and Antonio Hughes discuss how Motown executive Kedar Massenburg coined “neo-soul” as a marketing term to distinguish artists like Erykah Badu, D’Angelo, and Lauryn Hill from 1990s R&B, and why artists such as D’Angelo and Raphael Saadiq rejected the label; they also talk about genre boxing and how categorization affects awards and bookings. They recap developments in the Live Nation trial, noting multiple states pushing back against a DOJ settlement and debating likely outcomes. They cover the case of Michael Smith, accused of using AI-generated songs and bots to fraudulently generate royalties, and mention Chance the Rapper winning a suit with minimal payment. They review Mike WiLL Made-It’s album "Reset," highlight DJ Spinall’s instrumental EP, recommend Alex Isley’s "When the City Sleeps," and share song picks.00:00 Podcast Intro and Catch Up00:34 Neo Soul Origins Explained02:25 Genre Labels and Boxing Artists05:47 Live Nation Trial Update08:29 AI Music Streaming Scam13:05 Chance Manager Lawsuit Win13:56 Mike Will Made It Reset Review16:21 DJ Spinall Instrumental Vibes16:55 Alex Isley Album Spotlight17:51 Weekly Song Picks and Wrap Up

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## Transcript

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