Diddy added fuel to the fire in what's been a furious debate about the state of R&B when he went online and proclaimed that R&B is dead last week on Aug 17.

“R&B is muthafuckin’ dead as of right now," he yelled to Timbaland in the heat of the discussion, which continued to dominate music discussions for days afterward. “R&B gotta be judged to a certain thing — it’s the feeling … No, no, no. It’s a feeling. You gotta be able to sing for R&B and then you gotta tell the truth. R&B is not a hustle. This shit is about feeling your vulnerability.

Everyone from vets like Mary J. Blige to new-generation crooners like Brent Faiyaz and Xavier Omar chimed in with their thoughts.

On Saturday (Aug. 20), Diddy smoothed a few feathers he might have ruffled, explaining on Twitter that he wasn't trying to be disrespectful to anyone.

“It’s been 3 days of the debate…This is the clarity of the message…It’s not disrespect to anybody,” he said. He went on to explain he simply wanted to bring more attention to R&B.

“This conversation was out of love and me purposely wanting to bring attention to R&B! It was something that I saw the effect of the Hip hop and R&B balance," Diddy, who helped launched the careers of R&B acts like 112, Faith Evans Total, Carl Thomas when they were signed to Bad Boy Records. "That balance is honesty and realness when it comes together, melodies, vulnerability and most importantly LOVE!!!”

Though Diddy clarified his comments, the debate about the current state of R&B continues to unfold. And the conversation will likely get another boost when Diddy and Jermaine Dupri face off in what they say will be a hit-for-hit battle, though no date for the showdown has been announced as of yet.