It shouldn’t come as a surprise that R&B is in a state of disarray, or at least that is what one now disgraced gatekeeper has tirelessly campaigned. However, the 2024 BET Awards’ Lifetime Achievement tribute performance to Usher demonstrated that R&B is alive and well. The genre has simply evolved for current-day listeners. But if you’re a stickler for the good ole contemporary concoctions, staple sounds, or vintage voices, Kenyon Dixon is here just for you.
On July 25, during the Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and sought-after producer’s The R&B You Love Tour stop at Racket NYC, Dixon laced up his boots, tied his cape extra tight, and dusted off his golden microphone to crusade for the musical culture he exalts. Dixon’s tour and its namesake album share a singular mission—to carry the torch sparked by generations of musicians long before his arrival. The R&B You Love Tour solidified Kenyon Dixon as the independently established advocate that traditional R&B desperately needs, but the public doesn’t deserve (yeah, I said it).
As noble as the cause is, this isn’t Dixon’s only mission, despite being the crux of The R&B You Love Tour. He’s an avid champion for artists, educating his peers on the business side of things. He’s also a proud protector of his hometown, Los Angeles–the real L.A. The R&B You Love Tour is a culmination of each of these things. Better yet, it’s a community-building seminar set to music, where a PhD in deep admiration of R&B music is the price of admission. For just under two hours, Dixon took a nearly sold-out crowd, made up of supporters from across the five boroughs and New Jersey, to school.
Class starts as soon as your ticket is purchased, where fans are invited to sign up for a pre-show karaoke. Upon entry into the venue, an overhead sound system shuffled a highlight reel of each decade’s most influential records, from contemporary and neo-soul to alt-R&B. With palates already warmed up, the show started with the crowd bravely attacking classic tunes, solidifying the family environment. The evening’s featured guest, Jack Freeman, a product of Texas, was committed to Dixon’s cause. A showman in his own right, Freeman spread his voice around the room, where he tapped multiple crowd members as muses to loosen up the sexual tension in the air. Whilst this marked Freeman’s last stop along the tour, it won’t be his final time on the mind of each attendee, thanks to his nostalgic setlist’s production, partially crafted by Bryan-Michael Cox.
Despite being a long way from home, Kenyon Dixon found a way to bring it with him, as a pre-recorded message from his daughter welcomed him to the stage where his band (keyboardists Frank Rose and TreyNemo as well as drummer Rocko) warmed up the eager audience. Everything after that wasn’t suitable for kids but ideal for baby-making. To open with “In Your Head” was certainly a choice, and based on the crowd’s reaction the right one. Dixon’s microphone was one and his pristine voice exhibited the church’s ministry of music influence remains present in R&B. His setlist of a whopping 28 songs, which included fan favorites, cult classics, and covers of holy grain R&B records such as “Say Yes,” “Whip Appeal,” and “Untitled (How Does It Feel),” showed that he means business. Between dance breaks and spiritual sermons, Dixon laid claim to one of the hardest-working independent acts title.
“So, I’ve been on this journey to show that in today’s modern music space, there is a way that R&B you love, and modern music can still co-exist,” he told the audience. “We can still tap into that feeling when you care about the art that you are making. The greats and the legends…there are feelings in their songs that hear and just know that it is classic R&B.”
After Dixon’s The R&B You Love Tour set at Racket NYC, he indisputably accomplished that goal. The only glaring issue with an otherwise perfect show was the venue’s production elements. Kenyon Dixon’s tour engineer, Bryson Camper, seemed to do everything he could to salvage different elements in the show, but Racket NYC’s team couldn’t get it right. Although Jack Freeman tried to laugh it off, over on the board, the team missed several audio cues. Microphone issues nearly bled into Dixon’s set, but an awkward extended sound check fixed that. Sadly, the house monitors were off as well, which multiple ticket holders brought to the staff’s attention. Also, Dixon’s meticulous onstage presence was muddied with flat lighting. Lighting is always a challenge for smaller stages. Fortunately, that isn’t a problem Ratchet NYC struggles with. The venue has the technological capabilities, but for whatever reason, they decided to stick with one-dimensional hues of purple and blue. At one point, Freeman had to demand red lighting to set the mood. While for a short while, Dixon was given a proper halo spotlight.
Still, Kenyon Dixon’s R&B You Love Tour managed to forge a community space for tried-and-true R&B lovers for the sole purpose of elevating the genre. If you asked me, the preservation of the next generation of R&B is in more than capable hands.
Do you want more of Kenyon Dixon? Connect with him on your favorite social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
Kenyon Dixon’s latest album, The R&B You Love, is available for purchase here or streaming on your favorite music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal.
Setlist:
- “In Your Head”
- “Shine”
- “Getting Late”
- “Marvin Gaye”
- “Say Yes” cover
- “Love On Replay”
- “Whip Appeal” cover/medley
- “Good Love”
- “Closer”
- “Superstar” cover
- “Hard Way”
- “Tithes”
- “Toxic”
- “Love & Happiness”
- “ISLY”
- “Still”
- “WYTD”
- “Wait”
- “Suit & Tie” cover/medley
Musical Break:
- “If This World Was Mine” by Cheryl Lynn & Luther Vandross
- “Angel” by Anita Baker
Setlist Continued:
- “Can I Have This Groove”
- “On My Mind”
- “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” cover
- “Lucky”
- “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power” cover
- “Get High, Get By”
- “2000s R&B”
- “Be Thankful for What You Got” cover
Encore
- “Again”