Fantasia’s “Free Yourself” was the fourth single from her first 2004 debut album of the same name. Missy Elliott, Craig Brockman, and Nissan Stewart co-wrote the song that embodied the essence of R&B in its soulful simplicity. Elliott and Brockman also produced “Free Yourself,” and Jazmine Sullivan sang background. Barrino’s rasp expressed heartbreak with volumes of feelings that owned the song and sounded like her personal romantic journal. The rawness of “Free Yourself” solidified Barrino’s status as a new torchbearer of the genre’s greatest strides. Industry-wise, “Free Yourself” went to number one on the US Adult R&B Adult Airplay chart, number three on the Hot R&B /Hip-Hop Songs chart, received two Grammy nominations, and won an ASCAP Rhythm and Soul Award for Most Performed Song in 2006.  The album achieved platinum status by 2005 and is now a classic because of the way the songs are still respected and loved in 2024.

Barrino released her seventh studio album, Sketchbook, in 2017. In 2023, she won an NAACP Image Award for her performance in The Color Purple. The singer performed a tribute to Bob Seger with Jellyroll and Melissa Etheridge at the Michigan Central Station Concert in Detroit, Michigan, in June 2024. Her performance had overtones of Tina Turner and was a good case for her to explore her potential as a rock and roll singer. 

The 2019 Grammy Awards surprised many hip-hop fans when Cardi B became the first woman to win the Best Rap Album award. The unexpectedness continued with the award for Best Rap Song was a tie and went to anderson.paak and to Kendrick Lamar, Future and Jay Rock. Drake appeared to upset the event’s producers after he gave his acceptance speech for Best Rap Song and explained how Grammy awards are not the ultimate validator of one’s career and then his microphone cut off and a commercial was aired. It was reported before the ceremony that Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Childish Gambino had declined to perform at the show because of their ongoing lack of recognition for hip-hop artists. The Grammys have historically only presented hip-hop awards outside of the television broadcast but have still wanted the artists to bring ratings to the show as performers. Several online commentators complained about Jennifer Lopez’s Latin-inspired Motown tribute which was defended by Smokey Robinson who explained that Motown’s music was for everyone. Fans were happy with Yolanda Adams, Fantasia and Andra Day’s Aretha Franklin dedication with a performance of “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” but they believed Franklin, who passed last year, was deserving of more than one song.

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Janelle Monáe received nominations for Album Of The Year for Dirty Computer and Best Music Video for “PYNK.” Her performance of “Make Me Feel” was one of the night’s highlights.

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Diana Ross celebrated her 75th birthday at The Grammys and performed “Best Years Of My Life” and “Reach Out And Touch (Somebody’s Hand).” Ross received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. Her actual birthday is March 26th and on that day 700 theaters will play Diana Ross Live In Central Park, a film of her 1983 two-night concert in Central Park. 

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H.E.R performed “Hard Place” and took home the award for best R&B Album and reminded everyone that she actually released an EP. 

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Cardi B’s performance of “Money” and her acceptance speech was considered one of the most entertaining segments of the evening. 

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[youtube id=”fL_mb8jtirM”] [youtube id=”s4Ho8BBSkFk”]Queen Latifah hosted BET’s annual Black Girls Rock! awards this year in her hometown of Newark, New Jersey. Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Judith Jamison, Lena Waithe, Tarana Burke, M.A.D.Girls and Dr. Mareena Robinson Snowden were all recipients of the night’s honors. The musical highlight of the evening was a tribute to Aretha Franklin with performances from Jasmine Sullivan, Ledisi, Cynthia Ervio, Stephanie Mills, Yolanda Adams and Fantasia. 

[youtube id=”90d7r3cvZJc”] Chaka Khan “Going Up Yonder”  [youtube id=”w0_eqZ7gzZ0″] Stevie Wonder “The Lord’s Prayer” “As” [youtube id=”SZpsUQLhiCI”]  Jennifer Hudson “Amazing Grace”  [youtube id=”qO8F40SHMa8″] Fantasia “Precious Lord Take My Hand” “You’ve Got A Friend”   [youtube id=”tvZtnDGQxy0″]  Jennifer Holliday “Climbing Higher Mountains”

Aretha Franklin’s funeral took place today at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit and it was an eight-hour celebration with speeches and performances from her family, some of the most celebrated artists, former presidents and politicians. Cicely Tyson, Tyler Perry, Michael Eric Dyson, Bill Clinton, Smokey Robinson, Clive Davis and Judge Greg Mathis were among those who spoke at the podium. Whoopi Goldberg, Valerie Simpson, Gladys Knight, Omarosa Manigault-Newman Big Sean and Angie Stone were in attendance. The music performances lived up to the expectations for a homegoing service for one of the most important singers ever. The four-day celebration, Swanson Funeral Home’s changing of Franklin’s outfits, the gold coffin, the streaming of the service around the world and the 100 pink Cadillacs within the procession were all appropriate for the Queen Of Soul. Fans camped outside the church to watch the service on a big screen while others waited patiently across the street from Woodlawn Cemetery to watch Franklin’s hearse be transported to her final resting place. Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, Fantasia, Jennifer Hudson and Jennifer Holliday paid tribute to Franklin with performances that brought the church to their feet.