Shut 'Em Down is the third album by American hip hop group Onyx, released on June 2, 1998, by JMJ Records and Def Jam. The album was produced by Keith Horne and Self, with help from DJ Scratch of EPMD, Bud'da and Latief. The album features guest appearances from Onyx's affiliate X1, DMX, a then-unknown 50 Cent, Still Livin from Gang Green, All City, Mr. Cheeks, Wu-Tang Clan, N.O.R.E., Big Pun and others.
Taalib Johnson, better known by the stage name Musiq Soulchild or simply Musiq is an American singer and songwriter whose style blends R&B, funk, blues, jazz, and gospel influences fused with hip hop. Soulchild has released several successful studio albums that went platinum in the United States.
Tamia Marilyn Washington Hill is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, Tamia performed in various singing and dancing competitions as a child. In 1994, after signing a development deal with Warner Bros. Records, she was asked by veteran producer Quincy Jones to appear on his album Q's Jook Joint (1995), earning her Grammy Award nominations for their collaboration on "You Put a Move on My Heart" and "Slow Jams". Her self-titled debut album was released in 1998 and followed by a series of successful albums with Elektra Records, including A Nu Day (2000) and More (2004). Several songs from these albums became hit singles on the pop and R&B record charts, including "So Into You", "Stranger in My House", and "Imagination", as well as her collaborations "Into You", "Missing You", and "Spend My Life with You".
Angela Laverne Brown known professionally as Angie Stone, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. She rose to fame in the late 1970s as member of the hip hop trio The Sequence. In the early 1990s, she became a member of the R&B trio Vertical Hold. Stone would later release her solo debut Black Diamond (1999) on Arista Records, which was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America and spawned the single "No More Rain ".
"Thong Song" is a song recorded by American R&B singer Sisqó. It was released on February 15, 2000, as the second single from his solo debut studio album, Unleash the Dragon (1999). "Thong Song" garnered four Grammy nominations and numerous other awards. The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Rhythmic top 40 chart and number three on the Billboard Hot 100, Sisqó's second highest-peaking hit behind "Incomplete". It was a major success worldwide as well, reaching the top ten throughout European charts and reaching number three in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Denmark. The song also topped the charts in New Zealand.
Kelly Cherelle Price is an American R&B and gospel singer. Beginning her career in 1992, Price originally performed backing vocals for Mariah Carey on multiple songs, including her Billboard Hot 100-number one singles "All I Want for Christmas Is You" and "Fantasy." She rose to wider prominence in 1997 following her uncredited performances on the number-one single "Mo Money Mo Problems" by the Notorious B.I.G. and the top-five single "Feel So Good" by Mase, prompting her to record as a lead artist. Her debut studio album, Soul of a Woman (1998) received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA); its lead single, "Friend of Mine" peaked within the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100.
Disturbing Tha Peace Records is an American record label founded by Jeff Dixon, Chaka Zulu, and Ludacris.
Karyn Layvonne White is an American singer who was popular during the late 1980s and early 1990s. She is known for several hit singles including "Superwoman" (1988), "Secret Rendezvous" (1989), "The Way You Love Me" (1988), and the US Hot 100 No. 1 single "Romantic" (1991).
112 is an American R&B group from Atlanta, Georgia. Discovered by record production duo Tim & Bob, the group signed with Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Records, an imprint of Arista Records to release their eponymous debut studio album (1996). The following year, they guest performed alongside labelmate Faith Evans on Puff Daddy's 1997 single "I'll Be Missing You," which won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group and became the first hip hop song to debut atop the Billboard Hot 100. The group then released their second and third albums Room 112 (1998) and Part III (2001); the latter peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. The group's fourth album, Hot & Wet (2003) served as their final release with Bad Boy until signing with Def Soul to release their fifth album Pleasure & Pain (2005), which saw continued commercial success. The albums spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top 20 singles including their debut, "Only You" as well as "Cupid," "Anywhere", "Love Me", "It's Over Now," and the Grammy Award-nominated "Peaches & Cream."
Def Soul Records was an R&B-based division of American multinational record label Def Jam Recordings. It was formed in 1996 by Russell Simmons and Kevin Liles to expand R&B and soul music through Def Jam's said genre-related roster following the successes of Montell Jordan and Case.
Johntá Moore Austin is an American singer, songwriter, arranger, record producer, and rapper from Atlanta. He is best known for his production and songwriting work with hometown native Jermaine Dupri and his label, So So Def Recordings. He signed with the label as a recording artist in 2005 and guest appeared on Dupri's single "Gotta Getcha" that same year, which entered the Billboard Hot 100. The following year, his guest performances on labelmate Bow Wow's 2006 singles "Shortie Like Mine" and "Outta My System" both peaked within the top 40 of the chart. As a lead artist, Austin released a number of singles—including "Turn It Up" that same year—in promotion for his debut studio album Ocean Drive, which was never released.
Pain Is Love is the third studio album by American rapper Ja Rule, released on October 2, 2001 via The Island Def Jam Music Group, Def Jam Recordings, and Irv Gotti's Murder Inc. Records. Although, the album received a mixed reception from critics, Pain Is Love debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and was supported by four singles: "Livin' It Up", "I'm Real ", "Always on Time" and "Down Ass Bitch". It was certified triple-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over 3,000,000 copies. Pain is Love received numerous awards and nominations including a nomination for Best Rap Album at the 44th Grammy Awards. The album's first two singles "Livin' It Up" featuring Case and "Always on Time" featuring Ashanti collected nominations for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in 2002 and 2003.
"Hey Lover" is a song by American rapper LL Cool J, released as the first single from his sixth album, Mr. Smith (1995). The song features vocals from American R&B group Boyz II Men. It was released on October 31, 1995, for Def Jam Recordings and was produced by The Trackmasters and LL Cool J. The song samples Michael Jackson's "The Lady in My Life" from his 1982 hit album Thriller; thus Rod Temperton, the writer of that song, was given credit as a writer of this song. On the B-side is the "I Shot Ya" remix.
Case is the debut album by American singer Case. It was released by Def Jam Recordings on August 13, 1996. The album peaked at number seven on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and reached number 42 on the US Billboard 200. Case was supported by four singles, including "More to Love" and "Touch Me, Tease Me" featuring Foxy Brown and Mary J. Blige which became the album's most successful single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 14. In a 2020 interview with BET, Case remarked that he disliked recording the album and admitted he did not have a lot of creative freedom within the album.
The discography of Yasiin Bey / Mos Def, an American rapper, consists of four solo albums, two compilation albums, and several singles. Mos Def began his hip hop career in 1994 in the underground rap group UTD alongside his sibling group members DCQ and Ces, after which he pursued a solo career. In 1998, he made his mainstream debut on Rawkus Records in the duo Black Star with rapper Talib Kweli. "Definition", the lead single from Black Star's self-titled debut album, reached No. 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on the Hot Rap Singles chart.
"Ain't No Nigga" is the second single from American rapper Jay-Z's first studio album, Reasonable Doubt, and is featured on the soundtrack to the 1996 film The Nutty Professor. It was released on March 19, 1996. The track features Foxy Brown, and uncredited vocals by Jaz-O.
Nutty Professor II: The Klumps is the soundtrack album to Peter Segal's 2000 comedy film Nutty Professor II: The Klumps. It was released on July 11, 2000, through Def Jam Recordings, as a sequel to 1996 The Nutty Professor Soundtrack, and mainly composed of R&B and hip hop music.
The Nutty Professor Soundtrack is the soundtrack to Tom Shadyac's 1996 comedy film The Nutty Professor. It was released in June 1996 via Def Jam Recordings, and contained hip hop and R&B music.
"Livin' It Up" is a song by American rapper Ja Rule featuring singer Case, released in July 2001 through Def Jam Recordings and Irv Gotti's Murder Inc. Records, as the lead single from Ja Rule's third studio album, Pain Is Love (2001). The song, produced by Lil Rob and Irv Gotti, samples Stevie Wonder's 1982 song "Do I Do". In the United States, "Livin' It Up" peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100. It received a re-issue in the United Kingdom in 2002 and peaked at number five on the UK Singles Chart. Retired NBA All-Star Baron Davis and former pornographic actress Sunny Leone make appearances in the video.
"Touch Me, Tease Me" is a 1996 song by American R&B singer and songwriter Case. It serves as the second single from his self-titled debut album (1996). It features vocals from R&B singer Mary J. Blige and rapper Foxy Brown, with backing vocals by Vernell Foster and contains a sample of the 1985 song "P.S.K. " by Schoolly D.
