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But, as the show progressed, it became obvious that none of those names were in attendance. The most dignified tribute to Jackson came in the form of a ballad — Ne-Yo’s honorable performance of “Lady In My Life.” Aside from the tributes, most of the evening’s best performances featured R&B singers doing what they used to be renowned for — namely, singing. Ne-Yo’s tribute was echoed at the end of the show when he was joined by host Jamie Foxx for a cover of “I’ll Be There”; soul star Maxwell made a spectacular comeback, performing his long-awaited new single, “Pretty Wings.” There was less of the spectacle that MJ made popular — pyrotechnics, backflips and pirouettes — that so many wannabes consistently attempt but fail to duplicate.
Most of the R&B acts showed that the genre may be heading back to a time before music videos, when the idea of walking onstage and lip-synching with a headset on would’ve been sacrilege. And many of them even sported dapper tailor-made suits, even further distancing themselves from the hip-hop artists that performed. After almost 20 years of the two genres being seemingly joined at the hip, it was a reminder of the different traditions the genres have. On a night of tribute to The Gloved One, R&B seemed to experience a resurrection. After spending the majority of the ‘80s intertwined with dance pop, and most of the ‘90s and 2000s closely aligned with hip-hop, maybe the 60-year-old genre rediscovered its own voice. –todd williams
