The problem with that is the R&B Industry is kind of overly segmented right now in that the core demographic radio listeners are split between younger and older (the grown & sexy, more orthodox and 'retiring' crowd vs. the younger dance/rap/pop acknowledging crowd) and that's not acknowledging the younger soundcloud-type R&B Crowd who are pushed by a more internet clued audience. So one artist might be a big thing for one demographic, but is entirely written off elsewhere.
Syd is someone who's going to do fine in internet world without ever being acknowledged by R&B Radio, so even if she did anything musically interesting (HA) it'd only matter to a select audience, so you don't get that Timbaland type influence because he was so dominant in R&B at a time that the audience was still essentially homogenous. Sure you had your fringier elements as far as sub-genre (gospel crossover, earliest Neo-Soul) but he thrived in a time where the audience was still there; also he benefitted from coming around in a time where pop/rap was inherently tied to the R&B industry whereas now Pop Rap in its peak works more alongside EDM.
The closest to an auteur figure in R&B from an R&B background in modern times would be probably Ty Dolla Sign but even then his reach and reception is so limited.