Summer Walker isn’t holding back when it comes to her thoughts on the current state of R&B.
Speaking with Complex on the red carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards on September 7, 2025, the singer delivered a blunt assessment that highlighted her preference for the genre’s golden era over its modern direction.
“I don’t like it,” Walker admitted when asked about today’s R&B landscape. “It’s no shade, I’m just an old school girl, so I really love just, like, all the, you know, the SWVs and the Xscape and the Brandy and the… I almost say somebody else I can’t say. But I just love old school R&B.”
Her response, equal parts nostalgic and critical, underscored her devotion to the ‘90s and early 2000s—a period many fans still view as the height of contemporary R&B. By pointing to groups like SWV and Xscape, as well as Brandy’s era-defining voice, Walker highlighted an approach rooted in harmonies, intricate arrangements, and heartfelt storytelling. For her, those qualities defined the genre’s identity, qualities she feels are missing from much of today’s output.
Even as she clarified that her remarks were “no shade,” Walker’s tone made clear that she views modern R&B as overly distant from its soulful foundations. Her hesitation—“I almost say somebody else I can’t say”—added intrigue, suggesting she didn’t want to name another artist and risk sparking unnecessary controversy.
The singer’s perspective taps into a long-running debate about R&B’s evolution. In recent years, artists have blurred the lines between R&B, hip-hop, and electronic music, creating a wave of “alternative R&B” that’s broadened the genre’s sound.
Yet purists argue that innovation has come at the cost of intimacy and emotional depth. Walker herself embodies this tension—her catalog draws from modern production while staying firmly anchored in the confessional, soul-baring tradition she associates with the genre’s past.
By voicing her discontent so plainly on one of music’s biggest stages, Walker not only sparked conversation but also positioned herself as a defender of R&B’s roots. For fans who share her longing for lush harmonies and unfiltered emotion, her comments served as a reminder that the spirit of old school R&B still holds powerful sway.
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