Earlier this week, the magazine released yet another list, this time ranking the greatest R&B artists. Forbes writer Jacqueline Schneider listed 25 artists who “exist across the genre and across generations” and “pioneered the genre.”
The genre of R&B has produced countless legends — or, you could say it was the other way around — including Sam Cooke, Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles. Unsurprisingly (to us, at least), Badu was ranked by Forbes at No. 1 as the greatest R&B artist of all time.
The list also included Mariah Carey, Anita Baker and Al Green.
Schneider credited Badu with changing the trajectory of mainstream music in 1997. That year, Badu opened for D’Angelo and released her debut album, Baduizm, which Snyder dubbed “an iconic blend of R&B, soul and hip hop” that eventually won a Grammy for Best R&B album and went triple platinum.
“The Dallas native’s cultural impact touches music in a way other artists can’t compete with, and she’s known as the ‘queen of neo soul’ by music critics and fans,” Schneider wrote. “Uniquely able to express her identity, Badu encapsulates the ultimate in artistry, style and storytelling.”
The queen herself decided to share the news on her Instagram, where she posted a video with screenshots of the article, as well as a regal glamour shot of her own.
“Good stuff,” Badu captioned the post, which was appropriately set to her own song, “The Healer.”
Badu is widely considered as a groundbreaking pioneer. Just a few years ago, when Joseph Gordon Levitt was asked by Chance the Rapper during a game segment on Jimmy Fallon to name the greatest artist of all time, the actor replied "Erykah Badu." (The "correct" answer was "Beyoncé.") Now, that's not a Forbes ranking, but a good sample representation of what Dallas has long known to be true about our favorite hometown hero.
While nothing beats Badu, she wasn’t the only Dallas-born artist to make the Forbes list cut. Usher also made the top 10, landing at no. 8. Schneider recognized the Super Bowl LVIII performer’s triple-threat status as a singer, songwriter and performer.
“Usher’s tunes are etched into the memory and cultural toolboxes of generations of people that grew up in the late 1990s and early 2000s,” Schneider wrote. “On stage, Usher’s dance moves impress with an innate sense of rhythm and the ability to sing, dance and entertain in unison.”
