Black Mafia Life is the second studio album by American hip hop group Above the Law. This album is what would be considered the blueprint of the G-Funk sound similar to Dr Dre's The Chronic. The album was recorded in 1991 into 1992 but was held back due to legal issues with Epic And Dr. Dre's Departure from Ruthless Records. It was released on February 2, 1993, via Ruthless Records. The album peaked at number 6 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number 37 on the US Billboard 200. Rolling Stone gave the album 4.5 stars of 5.
Janet Jackson is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Janet Jackson, released on September 21, 1982 by A&M Records. Janet Jackson is described as a dance and contemporary R&B record. Songwriters Angela Winbush and René Moore contributed to much of the album's lyrics. Moore and Winbush share production credits with Foster Sylvers, Jerry Weaver, and Bobby Watson. On release Janet Jackson charted on the Billboard 200 and in New Zealand. Three singles from the album had little impact on Billboard Hot 100 charts, among them "Young Love", "Come Give Your Love to Me" and "Say You Do", though these singles achieved success on the R&B charts. Jackson performed "Young Love" and "Say You Do" on American TV shows American Bandstand and Soul Train in 1982. The cover artwork of Jackson's body submerged in water was based on a photo of Elizabeth Taylor. Worldwide, the album has sold 300,000 copies.
Snowflakes is the fourth studio album by American singer Toni Braxton, released on October 23, 2001, by Arista Records. Her first Christmas album, it is a follow-up to her 2000 studio album The Heat. Snowflakes consists of 11 tracks, featuring five R&B-led original songs co-penned with her former husband Keri Lewis and longtime collaborator Babyface, as well as several remixes and cover versions of Christmas standards and carols, one of which is a collaboration with Jamaican musician Shaggy. Throughout the creation process, Braxton also collaborated with L.A. Reid, Poke & Tone, Daryl Simmons and her younger sister Tamar Braxton.
My Way is the second studio album by American singer Usher. It was released on September 16, 1997, by LaFace Records in North America. The album features guest appearances from Monica, Jermaine Dupri, and Lil' Kim. The album was supported by three singles, all multi platinum-selling: "Nice & Slow", "My Way", and "You Make Me Wanna...".
D Train was an American duo that had hits on the Billboard magazine Dance and R&B charts during the first half of the 1980s. Three of their singles also reached the top 30 in the UK Singles Chart.
"You Got Me" is a song by American hip hop band the Roots, featuring vocals from Erykah Badu and Eve, then known as Eve of Destruction, who raps the second verse but does not appear in the music video. The track was released as a single from the band's fourth studio album, Things Fall Apart (1999), in January 1999.
Any Love is the sixth studio album by American singer Luther Vandross. It was released by Epic Records on September 20, 1988, in the United States. Produced by Vandross and Marcus Miller, the album features a cover of Major Harris' hit single "Love Won't Let Me Wait" as well as "The Second Time Around," a re-recording of a song featured on Vandross's band Luther's 1976 album of the same name.
All Eyez on Me is the fourth studio album by American rapper 2Pac and the last to be released during his lifetime. Released on February 13, 1996, by Death Row and Interscope Records, the album features guest appearances from Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Redman, Method Man, Nate Dogg, Kurupt, Daz Dillinger, E-40, K-Ci & JoJo, and the Outlawz, among others.
The Comfort Zone is the second studio album by American singer and actress Vanessa Williams, released on August 20, 1991, by Mercury's Wing Records Label.
Power of Love is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Luther Vandross, released in North America by Epic on April 26, 1991, following the critical and commercial success of his sixth album Any Love (1988). Power of Love received critical acclaim from most critics, earning Vandross a number of awards and accolades including two American Music Awards and two Grammy Awards. It reached number seven on the US Billboard 200 album chart, while topping the Top R&B Albums chart for five nonconsecutive weeks. On the latter chart, it was Vandross's last number one for twelve years until Dance with My Father was released. The album was later certified double platinum by the RIAA.
Never Let Me Go is the eighth studio album by American R&B/soul singer-songwriter Luther Vandross, released on May 26, 1993, in the US by Epic. It was his first studio album not to debut at #1 on the R&B Albums chart.
It Must Be Magic is the fourth studio album by Teena Marie, released on May 14, 1981. It was her last album for Motown and the highest-selling of Marie's tenure with Motown. The album peaked at No. 2 on the US Black Albums chart and No. 23 on the Pop Albums chart.
I'm the One is an album by Roberta Flack released in May 1982 which reached #59 on the album chart in Billboard whose R&B album chart afforded the album a #16 peak.
"You're the One For Me" is a song written by James "D. Train" Williams and Hubert Eaves III of D. Train, a New York based post-disco duo, released in 1981 by Prelude Records. "You're the One for Me" first charted on December 19, 1981, at number 53 on the Billboard dance singles chart. It was a number one dance hit for three weeks early in 1982. The single also made it to number thirteen on the soul singles chart. Later in 1982, "You're the One for Me" along with the track, "Keep On", would peak at number 2 on dance charts. "Keep On" peaked at number fifteen on the soul chart.
Sweet Sensation is the fourth album by American R&B and soul singer Stephanie Mills. Released in 1980, produced by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas. The album features her biggest hit, "Never Knew Love Like This Before" which peaked within the top ten of the US Billboard Hot 100 and won two Grammy Awards for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female and Best R&B Song, the former becoming her first career Grammy win. Sweet Sensation received gold status by the Recording Industry Association of America for sells over 500,000 copies.
Imagination is the tenth studio album by American R&B/soul vocal group the Whispers, released on November 30, 1980, by SOLAR Records.
"Keep On" is a post-disco song written by Hubert Eaves III, James Williams of D. Train. It was remixed by François Kevorkian and Eaves. The song reached #2 on Billboard 's Hot Dance Club Play chart and number #15 on R&B chart in 1982.
Home is the twelfth studio album by American R&B recording artist Stephanie Mills. It was released June 26, 1989 on MCA Records and peaked at No. 5 on Billboard Top R&B Albums. The album features the R&B hit singles, the title track "Home" and "Something in the Way "; both were number one hits on Billboard Top R&B Songs chart.
James Nelson Williams, known by the stage name D Train, is an American singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, producer and actor. He rose to fame in the early 1980s with the release of his first album “You're the One for Me”, which spawned his first US Billboard Dance chart number-one hit, "You're the One for Me". His debut album would also chart with the hits "Keep On" and the much covered Burt Bacharach hit "Walk on By". He would go on to work with Eaves producing hits on the follow-up albums Music and Something's on Your Mind before being signed to Columbia Records, producing the albums Miracles of the Heart and In Your Eyes. The two parted ways in 1988 and D Train went on to perform on his own label, releasing the album 701 Franklin Ave.. He is married to makeup artist, wardrobe stylist, producer, and actress Bebé Ellison.
Courtney Shanade Salter, known professionally as Ari Lennox, is an American R&B singer from Washington, D.C. She is the first female artist to be signed to J. Cole's record label, Dreamville Records. She began gaining recognition after the release of her first EP Pho (2016) on the label. That same year, she made an uncredited guest appearance on Cole's song "Change". Lennox's debut studio album Shea Butter Baby followed in 2019.
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