R&B legends Jodeci stepped back into the public eye with the release of their latest album, The Past, Present and Future. In an interview with The Fader, the group talks about their 20-year hiatus, their problem with white soul singers, and why they were too black for the Grammys during their heyday.

With their new album debuting at number two on the R&B charts, Dalvin says the group hasn't lost their touch but did feel that they didn't have a place in music following their three critically acclaimed albums.

"The last thing we released was "Get On Up," he said. "You know, hip-hop became a dominant force in radio. Everything was rap, rap, rap. R&B started fading to the back. We just left it at that. But we stayed relevant because every artist, anybody from Usher to Justin Bieber was saying 'Jodeci this' and 'Jodeci that.' And Drake. Artists that are really relevant kept the name alive."

They also said they were surprised to hear Kanye West sang 'Forever My Lady' to Kim Kardashian upon finding out she was pregnant with North West. K-Ci says the homages were always humbling, but they never felt respected by the higher ups in the music industry. For instance, the group believes their distinct soulful sound might have kept them from getting invited to major awards shows, like the Grammy Awards.

"Not to discredit anybody but that's the ignorance of not knowing," Dalvin said about their 'bad boys of R&B' title. "You see a guy with his pants hanging down, he's got a skully, and you scared cause he's black. People have a lifestyle with culture. Jodeci, as many records as we've sold, we've never been invited to the Grammys. Is it because we're too black or what? We stay true to ourselves. We ain't try to conform or reform ourselves to what was standard of R&B. We stuck by our guns."

K-Ci also talked about being blackballed and the state of R&B today. While he's open to all artists being influenced by soul, he believes little traditional artists are given credit for maintaining the sound.

"I'm not racist but how can you say a white singer is being labeled as the most soulful singer out right now? " he said about UK sensation Sam Smith. "You know who I'm talking about, right? The man who did something with Mary [J. Blige]. When I heard that, I was like, Yeah, it's time [for Jodeci to come back]."

Their fourth album, The Past Present and Future, which features their "Every Moment" single, is available on iTunes now.

Source: The Fader | Photo Credit: Splash News