JABARI: on Building an R&B Empire, Business, and the Future of the Culture

In this episode of Can We Talk R&B, host Ian sits down with Jabari Johnson, founder and CEO of RNBOnly, the touring brand that has sold over 750,000 tickets without a traditional recording artist. Jabari walks through his journey from Bronx hip-hop kid to label executive, party promoter, and ultimately the architect of one of the biggest R&B experiences in the world.Ian and Jabari break down how RNBOnly was born from late-night R&B sets at hip-hop parties, what it means to build a “Non-Artist Touring Entity,” why R&B is spiritual and rooted in Black love, how the “Anniversary (A Cappella)” collaboration came together, and where the genre is headed next.If you care about culture, entrepreneurship, and the future of R&B, this conversation is for you. 🧧 Support the Show: https://www.patreon.com/canwetalkrnb 📱Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & iHeart Now!!!! ✅Don’t forget to stream & rate us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeart - CLICK LINKS BELOW! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4zfIA072HwTapLg019UDcM iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-can-we-talk-rb-119355435/ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/can-we-talk-rnb-podcast/id1703170636 📲Stay connected with Us! #CanWeTalkRnB #CWTRB Hosted & Created by: Ian Von | www.instagram.com/IanVonMusic Produced by: Launch Pod Studio | www.instagram.com/LaunchPodStudio Edited By: Lazy Pickle Studio | www.instagram.com/LazyPickleStudios Chapters: 0:00 Intro 2:01 Ian’s First R&B Only Experience 3:41 What Is R&B Only? Scale & Category 5:56 750K+ Tickets Sold & “Build It and They Will Come” 7:11 Jabari’s Musical DNA: Hip-Hop Roots, R&B Household 9:28 College Hustle: Managing & Interviewing Early Stars 11:12 Post-Grad Reality Check & Landing at Capitol Records 12:32 Label Days: Learning from Big Records 14:05 Leaving the Label, Documentaries & Funding Life with Parties 16:01 The Birth of R&B Only: From “Cool-Down Set” to Main Event 17:29 Why R&B Feels Different & The Energy Shift 19:20 Where the Business Mindset Came From 21:15 Building Alone, Tenacity & Independence vs. Label Dependency 23:01 Learning on the Fly, Now Supercharged by AI 25:03 Favorite R&B Song (Right Now) & Upcoming BET Weekend Show 29:08 Set-Up for the “Anniversary” Project Conversation 30:06 Creating the “Anniversary” A Cappella: Inspiration & Casting 33:05 Building the Vocal Ensemble 35:02 Recording During LA Fires & Turning a Promo Into a Record 38:01 Live Integration & Smart Rollout 39:04 Respecting Classics & Getting the Tony! Toni! Toné! Co-Sign 40:21 Standards, Purists, and the Current Crop of Artists 43:01 Cleo Sol & Quiet Dominance 44:03 Technology, Floodgates & The Need for a Standard 47:06 R&B as Black Love & Why Labels Don’t Get It 47:47 The Full Spectrum of R&B Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices