Mary Jane Blige is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Awards, twelve NAACP Image Awards, and twelve Billboard Music Awards, including the Billboard Icon Award. She has been nominated for three Golden Globe Awards and two Academy Awards, including one for her supporting role in the film Mudbound (2017) and another for its original song "Mighty River", becoming the first person nominated for acting and songwriting in the same year.
Rodney Roy Jerkins, also known by his stage name Darkchild, is an American record producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has collaborated with a broad range of popular artists.
"Touch It" is a song by American rapper Busta Rhymes. Released on December 13, 2005, it was the first single from Rhymes' Aftermath/Interscope debut, The Big Bang. The song reached number one in New Zealand, and number six in the United Kingdom. The song features a minimalistic beat provided by Swizz Beatz, and a sample from the song "Technologic" by electronic duo Daft Punk. "Touch It" in turn was incorporated into Daft Punk's live album, Alive 2007.
"I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" is a duet song by American rapper Method Man, featuring American singer-songwriter Mary J. Blige. The song is a remix of Method Man's "All I Need", which appears on his debut studio album Tical (1994). The song, a hip hop soul record, was released as a single by Def Jam Recordings and PolyGram Records on April 25, 1995.
Rene Francisco Sotomayor, better known by the stage name T-Bone, is a Christian rapper. His father was Nicaraguan and his mother is Salvadoran. His name came from being called 'Bones' as a youngster because he was very skinny. The 'T' was "added to give the name a little slang edge."
Matko Šašek, also known as Koolade is a Croatian hip-hop, electronic, and urban music producer. Born in Zagreb in the late 1970s, he began his music career in the late 1990s. Along with other members of the Blackout family he played a major role in establishing hip-hop genre in the Croatian and regional (Balkans) music scene, rocking charts, record sales and winning a few national music awards in Croatia and Bosnia.
The Truest Shit I Ever Said is the fifth studio album by American rapper C-Murder, released on March 22, 2005, on TRU Records and Koch Records. The album was recorded in prison, during visiting hours using a hand held recorder supplied by his lawyer and released on Tru Records. The intro to the album contains audio from interviews with family and friends about him going to jail.
The ESSENCE Festival of Culture is the largest African-American culture and music event in the US. The annual music festival started in 1995 in New Orleans, Louisiana to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Essence magazine. The festival features artists simultaneously performing on a main stage as well as four standing-room only stages.
"Can't Knock the Hustle" is the third single from American rapper Jay-Z's debut album Reasonable Doubt. The song features a beat produced by Knobody. It is co-produced by Sean C and Dahoud Darien. The chorus is sung by Mary J. Blige.
Funk This is the eleventh studio album by American singer Chaka Khan. It was first released by Burgundy Records on September 25, 2007 in the United States. On October 13, 2007 the album entered at its peak position of number fifteen on the Billboard 200 and number five on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. On December 6, 2007, the album was nominated for Best R&B Album at the 2008 Grammy Awards, while "Disrespectful" was nominated for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. Both nominations resulted in wins for Khan.
Ryeisha Berrain, known by her stage name Rye Rye, is an American rapper, singer, dancer and actress. Signed to N.E.E.T. Recordings, she released her first mixtape RYEot PowRR in 2011 and her anticipated debut album Go! Pop! Bang! on May 15, 2012. In early 2009, MSNBC listed Rye Rye as one of the "5Top: Top of the pops! Up-and coming young singers." In 2011, Rye Rye was named one of Billboard's "21 Under 21". Rye Rye made her acting debut in the 2012 film 21 Jump Street.
"All That I Can Say" is a song by American recording artist Mary J. Blige. It was composed by fellow R&B singer Lauryn Hill, who also sang backing vocals, for Blige's fourth studio album, Mary (1999). Released as the album's lead single in July 1999 by MCA, it became a moderate commercial success in both the United States and United Kingdom, peaking at numbers forty-four and twenty-nine, respectively.
World War III is the third studio album by the American rapper Mac, released on September 28, 1999, on No Limit Records. It was produced by a wide range of producers, including Mac himself, Donald XL Robertson and Carlos Stephens.
"My Love" is a song by American R&B singer Mary J. Blige from her debut album, What's the 411? (1992). The song, released by Uptown and MCA, was co-written by singer-songwriter Kenny Greene and Dave Hall, who served as the song's original producer. It peaked at number 23 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and at number 29 on the UK Singles Chart in 1994, becoming Blige's second single to reach the top 40 in the United Kingdom.
Stronger with Each Tear is the ninth studio album from American R&B and soul singer-songwriter Mary J. Blige. The album was released in the US on December 21, 2009, under Blige's own imprint, Matriarch Records.
"I Am" is a song by American R&B singer Mary J. Blige. It was written by Blige, Johntá Austin, Ester Dean, Magnus Beite, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel Eriksen for her ninth studio album, Stronger with Each Tear (2009), while production was helmed by Hermansen and Eriksen under their production moniker Stargate. Lyrically, the song "I Am" confidently tells one's lover nobody can treat them better than the person they are with at the present time.
"Fancy" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake, from his debut album, Thank Me Later. The song features vocals from American rapper T.I. and producer Swizz Beatz, the latter of whom also co-produced the track alongside Noah "40" Shebib. The song was released to US radio stations on August 3, 2010, as the album's fourth official single, however promotion of the track ended earlier than expected due to Drake's uncertainty towards the song's planned music video and promotion.
"Another Round" is a single by American rapper Fat Joe. It features R&B singer Chris Brown. The hip hop and R&B song, which samples "I Will Always Love You" by Troop, was produced by Cool & Dre and Yung Ladd and co-written by Kenneth Joseph and Jarell Perry. On October 20, 2011, the single was released for digital download on iTunes.
Burton Rashad "Ringo" Smith is an American hip hop and R&B record producer. He was born in England and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, in a Jamaican and Haitian family. Rashad grew up alongside notable hip hop artists such as Mos Def, Busta Rhymes, Q-Tip, among others.
Just Playing (Dreams) is a promotional single by American hip hop artist The Notorious B.I.G. for his 1994 debut album Ready to Die. It was produced by Rashad Smith, and contains a sample of James Brown's "Blues and Pants" from Hot Pants. Complex magazine ranked the song number two on its list of "The 50 Funniest Rap Songs".
