What is the difference between hip hop and freestyle? Also, why do they call this new stuff that sounds like hip hop (or pop, even) R&B? Is that not Rhythm and Blues? Isn't blues way different than, say, Brian McKnight or whatever? Does all this change mean Destiny's Child is considered 'Motown' and not pop, or are they R&B?

This may sound like simple stuff to you, but I'm seriously curious.

Hip hop is anywhere from 69 BPM (beats per minute) to 110 BPM and is more rap oriented. Freestyle is usually faster between 111 BPM to 130+ BPM (today known as House and techno)and is more singing oriented although both mix rap and singing.

R&B is now a generic term, just as Rock N Roll is. Basically anything done by a black artist with a beat created by drum machines is R&B nowadays. It still has the rhythm however the blues is now more associated with rock artists. Rock N Roll started as a blues term meaning sex but has come to mean something totally different now. Rock N Roll really had nothing to do with loud crunching guitars, instead it was more associated (In the early Rock N Roll era 1955-1960) with do-wop records and was coined by Cleveland DJ Alan Freed.

Motown was a record lable as opposed to a style of music. Motown is any R&B artist on Motown records. Destiny's child, although compared to the Supremes is no more Motown than Aretha Franklin (she was on Atlantic records, the only lable to even compare to Motown for 60's soul). Brian McKnight I believe is on Motown making him "Motown".

As for pop music, that is a term for any record making the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Therefore, making Destiny's Child R&B and pop. Pop is just short for popular. There is a fine line between all types of music in today's society. Many artists were and are influenced by many different styles.

I think I just BS'ed my way through that answer but boy it sure sounded good didn't it? Seriously that is the difference in my somewhat educated estimation.

Well, it sounded good to me! ;) The bad thing is, dj, it all sounds like pop nowadays. Why don't they just call it all pop??? But thanx for taking the time to answer! :)

Sounded good to me! I often wondered the same. :)

That is good to know.
The majority of the music i like now is.. Hip Hop. I can dance to that. R&B is more smooth.. I listen to that when i just want to chill.