R&B is a language for lovers, and a good reason for that is how authentic the songs are delivered to us by way of the men and women belting out the ballads. However, music is comprised of metaphors and oftentimes sung by artists that may not always subscribe to the themes in their own lyrics — we doubt Tevin Campbell really wanted to know that girl’s name!
For example, who could forget a few years ago when R&B king Usher decided to blur the lines between reality and fiction with the August 2023 release of his music video for “Boyfriend” starring Keke Palmer. You may remember, the two were at the peak of a viral pseudo-entanglement just a month prior when she attended a show at his My Way: The Las Vegas Residency dressed in a see-through dress that wasn’t too appeasing for her now-ex boyfriend, Darius Daulton / Jackson.
As ol’ boy found out with the rest of the world, Ursh and Keke were for sure cooking up some serious chemistry in the viral visuals. Take a look below for a quick reminder:
RELATED: 20 Greatest Black Duets Over The Past 20 Years
Although the relationship between Palmer and the Confessions crooner proved to be 100% platonic — purely for entertainment, people! — the “Boyfriend” video did remind us of the many examples over the years of singers getting extra sultry on camera. When the vibe is right and the sounds of love are searing through the speakers, there’s no telling what can happen between two passionate souls. Whether they actually ended up together (see: Bobby & Whitney; Womack & Womack) or simply kept our imaginations going on what could’ve been (see: Toni & Babyface; Marvin & Tammi), one thing made clear to the world was the undeniable chemistry that was almost too believable.
Keep scrolling to see 15 of our favorite R&B duets that displayed most believable chemistry. See if you agree, and let us know your favorite singing duos that let love into the studio:
Great Job Keenan Higgins & the Team @ Black America Web for sharing this story.
