Beyond the ordinary

Reggie King Sears is a Contemporary R&B vocalist, producer, and songwriter whose work centers on voice, authorship, and modern Southern Black storytelling. A singer-producer at his core, Sears builds records from the ground up with a studio-driven approach that prioritizes vocal performance, emotional realism, and rhythmic authority. His sound exists at the intersection of Contemporary R&B, Neo-Soul, Dirty South Hip Hop, Gospel-rooted vocal tradition, Pop songwriting mechanics, and modern Southern Soul culture — a Southern ecosystem he formalized and named Ghetto Soul.

 

As a vocalist-producer, Sears constructs songs around phrasing, pocket, and intimacy, shaping records through programming, sequencing, vocal arrangement, and songwriting rather than retro live-band aesthetics. He writes and co-writes his material — sometimes independently, sometimes collaboratively — approaching each track as a fully authored work. His catalog consistently balances raw, unfiltered lyrical honesty with polished, studio-driven precision, where structure, harmony, and sonic control sharpen emotional impact. He frequently begins songs at the keyboard and piano, developing harmony and melody before anchoring tracks with programmed drums and hip-hop-informed groove. In addition to vocals and keys, Sears is a multi-instrumentalist, incorporating guitar and other instruments as compositional tools that support the voice and rhythm rather than lead them.

 

Born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida — specifically the Boulevard Gardens neighborhood known locally as Tatertown — Sears grew up in a historically Black ghetto shaped by the aftermath of the crack era, chronic poverty, street survival, and church life. That environment forms the emotional backbone of his writing: modern Southern Soul themes rooted in lived experience rather than nostalgia or romanticization. Faith, struggle, humor, temptation, secrecy, consequence, and reconciliation coexist naturally in his work, reflecting the world that raised him.

 

Vocally, Sears operates as a tenor with a controlled, emotionally authoritative delivery. Vocally, Sears draws influence from Gerald Levert, Bobby Womack, and Marvin Sease in terms of emotional authority, phrasing, and narrative delivery, rather than sonic imitation or stylistic throwback. Those influences inform performance choices within a contemporary R&B framework and do not define the sound itself. His modern R&B lane aligns most closely with artists such as Trey Songz, Tank, August Alsina, Calvin Richardson, Luke James, and early-era Chris Brown — balancing intimacy, sexual tension, and Pop-level hook discipline with Southern emotional realism and Gospel phrasing. Neo-Soul artists such as Raheem DeVaughn, Eric Roberson, and Dwele inform his sense of phrasing, restraint, and producer-led vocal architecture, with D’Angelo serving as a reference point for studio authorship and vocal intentionality rather than aesthetic direction. Reflecting the relevance of his voice in the modern era, Angie Stone remarked, “Excited to hear a singer with a voice like this in the 21st century.”

 

Sears’ vocal ability has drawn praise across generations. Seven-time Grammy winner Sky Keetonhas described him as “a musical genius — a once-in-a-lifetime talent,” emphasizing that his voice is “soul defined.” Soul legend Timmy Thomas echoed that assessment, calling Sears “everything missing in music today,” and praising the emotional honesty and commitment he brings to every performance.

 

Hip Hop is not an accessory in Sears’ music — it is structural. Dirty South cadence, bounce, and realism inform how he places vocals, builds rhythm, and approaches subject matter. His writing reflects the adult Southern lineage of UGK, Scarface, JT Money, T.I., and Boosie Badazz, alongside the independent Southern blueprint associated with Master P. Sears also draws inspiration from modern hip-hop aesthetics, citing Playboi Carti not for vocal delivery but for mood, repetition, energy, and emotional minimalism — elements he translates into Contemporary R&B form rather than rap performance.

 

Sears’ career began unusually early. As a child and teenager, he performed professionally before high school, singing as well as playing instruments from the outset, while receiving rare, direct, in-person mentorship. Among the mentors who worked directly with him were Solomon Burke, Marvin Sease, Denise LaSalle, Hubert Sumlin, and W.C. Clark. Burke famously crowned him “King” after hearing him sing, stating: “Reggie Sears is the future. When I heard him sing, I knew he was touched by God. You don’t teach what’s in his voice — it’s a blessing. That’s why I crown him King.” The name was not branding, but recognition of voice, presence, and emotional authority.

 

Sears’ impact has extended beyond his own catalog. As younger artists emerged across blues, soul, and Southern R&B, his longevity, musicianship, and vocal authorship became reference points. Christone “Kingfish” Ingram has publicly referred to Sears as “a Florida legend” and “the real deal,”noting that Sears had been active and visible long before his own rise, while Harrell Davenport has cited Sears as an early point of reference in his own development. Other emerging artists have similarly pointed to Sears’ work and presence as formative without formal alignment or promotion.

 

As a teenager, Sears shared the stage with legends such as The Temptations, B.B. King, and Buddy Guy, and became the youngest touring member of James Brown’s Soul Generals, working extensively with the band during his formative years. His dues-paying years included touring, opening, and band work with artists such as The Love Doctor, Betty Padgett, and David Hudson, sharpening his stage command, stamina, and connection to real audiences.

 

From 2007 through the early 2010s, Sears emerged as a modern Southern Soul artist blending Contemporary R&B, Neo-Soul, Dirty South Hip Hop, Gospel-rooted vocal phrasing, and Pop-driven hooks — work that directly led to the creation and naming of Ghetto Soul. During this period, he collaborated with Black Zack on one of the earliest Southern Soul rap albums, helping open a lane that fused soul’s emotional core with street-rooted realism and hip-hop structure. He scored consistent Southern Soul and Urban radio play with records such as “Drawers Off,” “Dirty Dancer,” and the award-winning slow jam “You Betrayed Me,” which earned Best Male Vocal Performance from Soul-Patrol in 2011.

 

A pivotal phase of Sears’ artistic evolution was forged inside his studio alongside longtime collaborator Xose. That studio period also gave rise to Mixed Royalty — both a sound and a creative collective created and centered around Sears and Xose. Mixed Royalty represents a self-defined phase focused on authorship, vocal layering, rhythmic control, and hybrid Southern identity, serving as the direct foundation for what would later be formalized and named Ghetto Soul. Mixed Royalty remains active as part of Sears’ creative ecosystem today.

 

His current album, Crowned & Dangerous, arriving later this year, represents the clearest expression of Sears’ Ghetto Soul identity to date. Built as a singer- and producer-led statement, the project balances Pop-level hooks with desire, temptation, accountability, and emotional honesty. Long a live-show persona and staple before being recorded, “Luv Gangsta” anchors the album’s tone. The project features JT Money and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, among other guests, with additional production from Patrick “Guitarboy” Hayes (Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, Ty Dolla $ign).

 

Across a career spanning nearly 25 years, Reggie King Sears has remained rooted in voice, authorship, and lived Southern experience — operating squarely in the modern Contemporary R&B lane while honoring the culture that shaped him.

Ghetto Soul is not nostalgia. It is present-day Southern music, written, produced, and lived from the inside.