Alex Vaughn, Durand Bernarr, Muni Long, Tasha Cobbs Leonard Honor Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ At 2022 ‘Soul Cypher’

The 2022 Soul Cypher presented by BET and Walmart at this year’s Soul Train Awards was beautiful in every way. Alex Vaughn, Muni Long, Durand Bernarr, and Tasha Cobbs Leonard joined D-Nice with their distinct freestyles over Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature,” to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Thriller.

During the behind-the-scenes vignette (below), the participants each defined what R&B means for them. Vaughn stated, “R&B music is love. It’s therapy. R&B music is far from dead.” The “Hrs & Hrs” songbird chimed in, saying, “R&B music is alive, baby.” Bernarr later added, “R&B music is so good and this is the party of the year.”

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The actual cypher was held on a stunning rooftop with a familiar skyline peaking in the background. Long was first to bat as she flexed her wins over the past year singing, “2022, baby girl went crazy. Name a better song [you ain’t] heard one lately. Name Muni Long, so it’s eff you, pay me. Don’t affect my checks, so I don’t care if you hate me.” She gave a quick nod to her single, “Time Machine,” before passing the mic to “your favorite cousin on your daddy’s side.”

Bernarr also sang about his return to the BET stage after performing with Erykah Badu years prior. The Wanderlust crooner effortlessly flaunted his vocal range and handed centerstage over to Vaughn. The Hurtbook singer took a more personal approach to the freestyle as she sang of life’s woes and empowering self while Cobbs Leonard honored God, stating he’s better than “sugar in coffee” and “money in [her] pockets.”

However, it was the harmonies at the end of the cypher that truly stole the show. The range is evident.

Like the cypher’s deejay D-Nice declared in an earlier interview, “You know it’s good music when you can feel it in your soul. Good vibes, good people, good vocals; that’s what R&B is about.”

We couldn’t agree more.

Watch the full Soul Cypher below.

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