The Storytelling of August Alsina: A Modernized Approach to the 'B' in 'R&B' by Enyjé Sandoz

It is the Summer of 2014. Just newly a teen, I was unknowingly in a phase of exploration, mainly musical interests. Before then, as I often state, my taste in music was shaped by my older sisters, as I primarily listened to whatever they were playing around the house. For whatever reason, when I turned thirteen, I had an unconscious shift and began inadvertently venturing out. For those who remember, there was no Apple Music in 2014, and I was completely oblivious about Spotify; YouTube did not seem like a reliable source, so I relied on the Pandora app. Per usual, I scoured the R&B stations, looking for music I was accustomed to, but Pandora had other plans. 

Don’t Forget About Me by August Alsina began playing through my earbuds, and suddenly I was no longer frustrated or concerned with Pandora’s algorithm. Instantaneously swept away by the lyrics, I was battling with the sadness they evoked, and trying to figure out whose song this was. It was nothing like I had ever heard, and before I could even process everything, Pandora switched to a new song. If anyone remembers Pandora, there was no way of going back and replaying a song, at least for free, which left me with no choice but to rely heavily on my memory of the lyrics and Google. 

That one Google search opened me to the world of August Alsina, a new version of R&B, and the free trial of Spotify Premium. 

The genre of R&B is often denoted for its rich storytelling rooted in themes of romance, pining, sexual desires, sensuality, and heartbreak from a romantic relationship. These beloved themes are often the generalized idea of the genre, but they only tell one side of the story. 

As an R&B singer, August Alsina’s lyrical content extensively touched on gun violence, hustling, and the woes of street life, which differed from the genre’s usual premise. This deviation in topics, his soulful voice, and New Orleans charm captivated me. Most of all, his music made me feel. Where there is love, there is pain. Where there is happiness, there is sorrow, and he poured his heart into his music. 

August Alsina’s Downtown: Life Under the Gun and Testimony defined the Summer of 2014 for me. Tracks such as Let Me Hit That featuring Curren$y, Downtown featuring Kidd Kidd, Hell On Earth, Make It Home featuring Jeezy, Numb featuring B.o.B. and Yo Gotti, I Luv This Shit (Remix) featuring Trey Songz and Chris Brown, Ghetto featuring Yo Gotti were consistently on repeat; honestly — I can insert the entire Testimony album. I was so deep into the August Alsina universe that I discovered his remix to Justin Timberlake’s ‘Suit & Tie', titled Shoot Or Die. 

August’s debut era was insane, and his contemporary and deeply personal approach to R&B accentuated the meaning of ‘blues’ in ‘rhythm and blues’.