New wave of teen talent energizes R&B scene
Gail Mitchell

LOS ANGELES—Is Chris Brown the next Usher? His Jive Records label certainly hopes so, as it watches the vibrant 16-year-old R&B newcomer scamper up the charts with his debut single, “Run It!” And Jive is not the only label investing in R&B/hip-hop’s future with a new wave of teen talent.
Kicking in this summer were Teairra Mari and Rihanna, both 17. Their Def Jam albums debuted at No. 5 and No. 10, respectively, on the Billboard 200 chart. Coming in 2006 are Jibbs on A&M, Tiffany Evans on Columbia/Sony Urban Music and Jessika Quynn on Virgin. And Mishon’s Dynasty debut was released in August via Southern Music Distribution.
“This industry goes in cycles,” says Carlos Adams, rap/soul product manager for Virgin Megastore in Los Angeles. “And it looks like we’re back on the teen kick.” Contemporary gospel is also getting into the teen spirit. Najiyah is the 12-year-old protegee of former Labelle member Nona Hendryx. Her debut, “It’s Just Me,” will come out October 25 on the Hendryx-co-founded Rhythmbank Entertainment. A&M has signed its own 12-year-old, inspirational singer/songwriter Spensha, whose first album will come out in early 2006.
TEEN DU JOUR?
Back on the R&B/hip-hop front, Brown steps up to the podium as teen of the moment. Considering his singing and dancing ability, looks and personality, it is not hard to see why Brown draws comparisons to Usher. The uptempo “Run It!” comes armed with the requisite infectious beat and catchy hook. It is currently No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Brown is crisscrossing the country in advance of his self-titled album’s November 29 release.
Teen acts are certainly not a new phenomenon in R&B/hip-hop. Ciara, JoJo and boy group B5 are among the most recent entries. They join a long list of predecessors that includes, of course, Michael Jackson, as well as Usher, Bow Wow, Tevin Campbell, Kris Kross, Aaliyah, B2K and Mario. Along the way, though, the path from teen to adult mainstay is littered with many who did not make it past a first single.