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“1 Thing” went to the top of the charts in various international markets, including the US, UK and others around the world. It earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (the album “Touch” was also nominated for the “Best Contemporary R&B Album” Grammy ). The album sold an estimated 800,000 copies worldwide and went gold in the US and silver in the UK. Last.fm
Music video by Talib Kweli performing Waitin’ For The DJ. (C) 2002 Rawkus Entertainment LLC
Bio
Talib Kweli Greene (born October 3, 1975 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American MC known as one of the most prominent rappers in underground hip-hop, and is critically acclaimed frequently, despite not being commercially successful. Kweli first gained recognition through Black Star, a collaboration with fellow MC Mos Def. He released his solo debut album Quality in 2002 and has since released 2004’s The Beautiful Struggle, 2005’s mixtape album Right About Now, 2007’s Eardrum and 2011’s Gutter Rainbows. He has also released two albums with Hi-Tek under the name Reflection Eternal and a collaboration album with Madlib in 2007. Last.fm
Music video by Marsha Ambrosius performing Far Away. (C) 2010 J Records, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment
Bio
Already proven as a talented, sought after songwriter and revered platinum-selling artist, Marsha Ambrosius is meeting the next challenge in her already impressive musical career by reinventing herself as a solo artist with her J Records debut disc LATE NIGHTS & EARLY MORNINGS. Last.fm
Music video by India.Arie performing Ready For Love. (C) 2000 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bio
India.Arie, born India Arie Simpson on October 3, 1975, in Denver, Colorado.
She absorbed musical skill early in life, encouraged by both parents: her mother, Joyce, herself a former singer, and now India Arie’s stylist; and her father, former ABA and NBA basketball player Ralph Simpson (not former NBA star player Ralph Sampson, as has been mistakenly reported in some media). She had taken up a succession of musical instruments throughout her schooling in Denver, Colorado, but her interest in the guitar while attending the Savannah College of Art and Design led to a personal revelation about songwriting and performing. “When I started tapping into my own sensitivity, I started to understand people better. It was a direct result of writing songs,” she said at the press release of her debut album, Acoustic Soul. Last.fm
Music video by Mos Def performing Ghetto Rock. (C) 2004 Geffen Records
Bio
Dante Terrell Smith (born December 11, 1973 in Brooklyn, New York, United States), better known by the stage name Mos Def, is a Grammy Award-nominated rapper, and actor. He also goes by the aliases Mighty Mos Def, The Freaky Night Watchman, Boogie Man, Black Dante and Pretty Flaco. He began rapping in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics in 1994, and then formed the duo Black Star with Talib Kweli in 1998. As a solo artist he has released the albums Black on Both Sides in 1999, The New Danger in 2004, True Magic in 2006 and The Ecstatic in 2009. Initially recognized for his musical output, Mos Def’s screen work since the early 2000s has established him as one of only a handful of rappers who have garnered critical approval for their acting work. Last.fm
Music video by Glenn Lewis performing Don’t You Forget It. (C) 2001 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT and The Heineken Foundation, Inc.
Bio:
Glenn Lewis (born Glen Ricketts on March 13, 1975 in Toronto, Canada) is a soul singer and songwriter. Originally planning to pursue a career in animation as a teenager, Lewis instead decided to focus on music. His father was a member of the musical group Crack of Dawn. Lewis has cited Stevie Wonder as his biggest inspiration, and Glenn has often been compared to him because of their similarities in their tones. Glenn singing first garnered attention when he won a high-school talent contest by covering Wonder’s “I Just Called to Say I Love You”. Last.fm
Music video by Erykah Badu performing Window Seat. (C) 2010 Universal Motown Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
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Erykah Badu (born Erica Abi Wright on February 26, 1971 in Dallas, Texas) is an American R&B/neo-soul artist whose work crosses over into jazz.
She is best known for her singles “You Got Me” her collaboration with The Roots, as well as her own songs “Tyrone”, “Love Of My Life”, “On & On”, “
Bag Lady”, “The Healer”, “Honey” and “Soldier”. Her lyrics are highly personal urban philosophy which throw emotional challenges in the face of the listener. She weaves unusual musical influences together creating a rich texture of sound. Last.fm
Music video by Corinne Bailey Rae performing Closer.
Bio:
Corinne Bailey Rae (born Corinne Bailey on 26 February 1979) is an English singer and songwriter who released her eponymous debut album “Corinne Bailey Rae” in February 2006. Rae was named the number-one predicted breakthrough act of 2006 in an annual BBC poll of music critics. Last.com
Bio:
Leela James is a Los Angeles native and soul singer who cites James Brown, Roberta Flack, and Gladys Knight, among others, as influences. Her deep, rich and gritty vocals easily draw comparisons to Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight.
