In celebration of Black Music Month, rising R&B star Steven Thad is shining a spotlight on the legends who shaped the sound.
The Washington, D.C.-based artist released a powerful tribute series via Instagram, recreating iconic album covers from some of music’s most influential Black male voices; Usher, Craig David, Bobby Brown, and Ray Charles, while performing self-produced a cappella renditions of their hits.
The visual and vocal homage includes covers of Usher’s “You Don’t Have to Call” from his 8701 album…
Craig David’s “7 Days” from Born to Do It…
Bobby Brown’s smooth classic “Roni” from Don’t Be Cruel…
and Ray Charles’ soulful “Your Love is So Doggone Good” from Love Country Style.
When asked about his inspiration for creating the tributes, Steven Thad said his goal was to celebrate the diversity of Black musical artisty.
“Black artists have consistently played a crucial role in the evolution of music, how it permeates, and how it resonates with various people of all different backgrounds around the world. This month, I wanted to do my part to dissolve this idea that our contributions to the world exist inside of a vacuum.”
He continued,
“We have historically been at the pulse of what keeps music alive and growing, so I wanted to do my part to celebrate a few black artists that have undoubtedly contributed not just to R&B’s evolution, but to music’s evolution as a whole. Their names deserve to be documented in the history books and echoed throughout time, and I hope my tribute was able to aid in highlighting their legacies.”
Thad’s latest single “Smile” is also available now alongside his full discography on all major streaming platforms.
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