20 R&B and hip-hop artists that should release a live album

Jazmine Sullivan has the type of voice that sounds like no other. It’s no wonder that her concerts sell out so quickly. When fans attend a Sullivan show, not only does the songstress sound exactly like her records, but she elevates them to another power. If Sullivan ever does a live album, an orchestra backing her on songs like "Bust Your Windows" and "Masterpiece (Mona Lisa)" would be be a perfect pairing.

Usher already has a live album in his discography, but it was released back in 1999, which was years before his biggest-selling album Confessions. Well, now that more than two decades have passed, it's long overdue for Usher to give fans another live album. This time, he could include performances of songs like "U Remind Me," "Caught Up," and "There Goes My Baby." Fans looking for a memorable live Usher recording are in luck, however, since he performed a Tiny Desk concert for NPR in 2022.

Over the past few years, Lucky Daye has emerged as a rising star in the R&B world. With two albums under his belt, a Grammy Award, and features alongside legends and fellow newcomers—he’s definitely one to watch. For anyone that has ever seen Daye in concert, fans are very pleased with his smooth tone sounding identical to his records. At several of his shows, he’s also paid homage to Michael Jackson by mashing up "Human Nature" with his song "Paint It"—a perfect blend that leaves fans in awe.

Since Kendrick Lamar’s albums all sound different from each other, fans are always curious how he's going to perform his catalogue on stage. Lamar would benefit tremendously from having either a live band or orchestra backing him on songs like "Not Like Us," "Alright," and "Crown." 

Mario was a teenage heartthrob back in the early 2000s, and he’s still winning the hearts of Millennials two decades later. The singer went up against Omarion in a 2022 Verzuz battle and it was evident that Mario’s vocals are still pristine as ever. Not only would fans love to hear a live album from him that includes songs like "Let Me Love You" and "How Could You," but also covers of songs from artists that inspired him. 

H.E.R. is a multitalented musician who continues to stand out amongst her peers. Not only does she command a stage, but she leaves the audience in awe of her talent on the piano, drums, and guitar. Some songs that standout during her live performances are "Something Keeps Pulling Me Back," "Fight For You," and "Damage." 

Big Sean has been releasing music since his mixtape days back in 2007. Now that he has five studio albums in his discography, a live album would be perfect with the number of songs he could choose from. Some standout tracks that seem to fair well with his audience is "Clique," "Blessing," and "Marvin & Chardonnay." 

It’s hard to believe that Miguel’s last album was released five years ago. As fans anticipate some new music from him, they wouldn't mind hearing him perform some of his classics. If Miguel decides to gift his fans with a live album, he should consider performing tracks like “How Many Drinks," "Adorn," and “Sure Thing.”

For fans who have never heard of “TrapHouseJazz," meet Masego. He uses the term to describe his music since he's an R&B artist that adds jazz elements. Part of that is thanks to his smooth saxophone playing on songs like "Tadow," "Lady Lady," and "Girls That Dance."

Snoop Dogg has over three decades worth of hits and it's surprising that he hasn't done a live album in his career yet. Since Doggystyle is such a classic, Snoop could easily record a live performance of that album's entirety to celebrate the milestone. 

Whether Brandy is in the studio or performing at an award show, she can make riffs and runs with her voice that draws listeners in like no other. It's no wonder why she's been deemed the "Vocal Bible." Since she can do acrobatics with her voice, fans would be curious about new music arrangements she would use in a live performance on songs like "Full Moon," "Angel in Disguise," and "Talk About Our Love." 

When Tyler, The Creator is on stage, he brings a little bit of comedy and wit to his performances. He always brings his authentic self and knows how to keep an audience engaged. Tyler could benefit tremendously with a live band as he performs songs like "Smuckers," "Glitter," and "Earfquake."

Dreamville’s leading lady Ari Lennox has a voice reminiscent of the ‘70s soul era. Along with her storytelling prowess on songs like "Whipped Cream" and "Cold Outside," and a tone that can grab any listener's attention, she knows how to draw listeners into her emotions. At some of her recent festival appearances, Ari has performed a cover of Beyoncé's song "Kitty Kat." If she plans to drop a live album, fans would love to hear other covers, as well as her own original tracks.

If there's one word to describe Anderson .Paak, it's multitalented. He sings, raps, plays drums, and showcases his comedic skills from time to time. Typically during his live shows, .Paak is backed by the band Free Nationals. A live album from him could consist of his own songs, in addition to his collaborations with Knxwledge and his Silk Sonic bandmate Bruno Mars.

Wale is a master at bringing his album cuts and mixtape gems to life when he’s on stage. As a Washington, D.C. native, Wale has advocated and incorporated go-go music into his catalog. Just imagine how Wale's live performances could elevate him even more with a go-go band backing him on songs like "Bait," "Jump In," and "Pretty Girls."

Ne-Yo has been in the industry over the past 15 years. Besides his own catalog, his pen game has always been on display, writing hit songs for artists like Beyoncé, Rihanna, Mario, and Janet Jackson. While a live album could feature songs of his like "So Sick" and "Miss Independent," a cover medley of hit songs he wrote for other artists would be a nice bonus. 

Early in his career, Big K.R.I.T. was known to produce all of his own music. It wasn't until 2014, when he released his second studio album Cadillactica, in which fans saw him working with other producers like Terrace Martin, Raphael Saadiq, and DJ Dahi, that helped him grow as an artist. His southern soul, along with his Mississippi accent and storytelling abilities shine on tracks like "Money On the Floor," "King With A Crown," and "Get Up 2 Come Down." 

Monica comes from a class of '90s R&B artists that debuted at such a young age, and continue to share their astronomical talent decades later. She recently performed on NPR's Tiny Desk with an acoustic set of her songs like "Angel of Mine," "Love All Over Me," and "So Gone." The guitar-driven version of these songs showcase how Monica can switch up song arrangements while displaying her alto tone.  

There’s no doubt that Drake has been one of the biggest hip-hop stars over the past decade. Since the Six God has such a plethora of hit songs he could use on a live album, he should consider performing one of his classic albums in its entirety. 

When T-Pain performed on NPR's Tiny Desk back in 2014, he was inspired to headline an acoustic set tour. Since T-Pain gained popularity of using autotune in his music, performing stripped down versions of his songs easily help showcase his vocal range. An acoustic band would blend perfectly with T-Pain's slightly raspy tone, especially on songs like "I'm Sprung" and "Buy U a Drank."