Free Yourself is the debut studio album by American singer Fantasia, released by on November 23, 2004. After winning American Idol, Fantasia signed to J Records with 19 Entertainment and began recording her debut album, working with a variety of writers and producers, including Louis Biancaniello, Craig Brockman, Bryan-Michael Cox, Clive Davis, Jermaine Dupri, Missy Elliott, Sean Garrett, Jazze Pha, Darkchild, Harold Lilly, Ric Rude, Soulshock & Karlin, The Underdogs, Sam Watters and Nigel Wright.
The Trouble with Being Myself is the third studio album by American singer and songwriter Macy Gray, released on April 28, 2003, by Epic Records. The album peaked at number 44 on the Billboard 200, and by February 2007, it had sold 134,000 copies in the United States. Despite not being a major commercial success, The Trouble with Being Myself received mostly positive reviews. The album spawned the single "When I See You".
The Hip-Hop Violinist is the third studio album by American–Israeli musician Miri Ben-Ari. It was released on August 23, 2005 via Universal Records, making it her major label debut. Recording sessions took place at Cash Money Studios in Louisiana, Chung King Studios and Sony Music Studios in New York City, Mirimode Studios in New Jersey, Morris Studio in Zagreb, Touch Of Jazz Studios in Philadelphia, TransContinental Studios in Florida and Tree Sound Studios in Georgia. Production was handled by Miri herself together with her brother Ohad, as well as Baby Dooks, Kanye West, Akon, Dash, Kere Brown, Midi Mafia, Nick Fury, P. King and P-Nut. It features guest appearances from Anthony Hamilton, Fatman Scoop, Akon, Algebra, Birdman, Consequence, Doug E. Fresh, Fabolous, J. Ivy, John Legend, Kanye West, Lil' Mo, Lil' Wayne, Musiq Soulchild, Pharoahe Monch, Pitbull, Scarface, Six-Shot, Styles P, Vicious, Zion & Lennox. Its single, "Sunshine to the Rain", peaked at No. 39 on the R&B & hip-hop singles chart and No. 46 on the independent singles chart in the UK music charts.
"Two Words" is a song by American hip-hop artist Kanye West, that features Mos Def, Freeway and The Boys Choir of Harlem, from West's debut studio album The College Dropout (2004). A cinematic version of the song was released as part of The College Dropout Video Anthology. It has been performed by Freeway regularly at his live shows over the years. An orchestral sound is used in the song. The music video was released in March 2005.
Get Crunk, Who U Wit: Da Album is the debut studio album by American Southern hip hop group Lil' Jon & the East Side Boyz. It was released on October 21, 1997, via Mirror Image Entertainment. The recording sessions took place at Entertainment International Studios, Purple Dragon Studios and KALA Studios in Atlanta. The production was handled by Lil' Jon and DJ Toomp, with Kool-Ace and Carlos Glover serving as executive producers. It features guest appearances from Playa Poncho, Disco Rick, DJ Kizzy Rock, Kool-Ace, Darryl E., DJ Pryme, Shorty Pimp, Jazze Pha, Romance and the East Side Girlz, with cameo appearances from Ayuna Burnett, Chris Smith, Nikki Jones, Jermaine Dupri, Emperor Searcy, Greg Street, Robert McDowell, Candice Austin, Stephanie Holder, Dee Dee Hibbler-Murray and Organized Noize's Ray Murray.
Savage Dreams is the debut solo studio album by the American rapper Baby Beesh. It was released on June 19, 2001, via Dope House Records. Recording sessions took place at Dope House Records and Digital Services in Houston. Production was handled by Happy Perez, Mario Ayala, Hotan, B.R. and Jaime "Pain" Ortiz, with Arthur Coy Jr. and South Park Mexican serving as executive producers. It features guest appearances from 713, B.R., Don Cisco, Dum Dum, Frost, Grimm, Jay Tee, Lil' Villain, Lucky Luciano, Merciless, Mr. Kee, Rasheed, Russell Lee, Sneak, SPM, Travieso, T.O. Ikeman and fellow Latino Velvet members.
Standing Together is an album by jazz guitarist George Benson that was released in 1998.
Make It Reign is the only studio album by American rap duo Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz. It was released on June 2, 1998, through Columbia Records. The recording sessions took place at the Hit Factory, at Unique Recordings, at the Cutting Room in New York City, at Ameraycan Studio and at Skip Saylors in Los Angeles. The production was handled by Dave Atkinson, DJ Clark Kent, Floyd Wilcox, Father Time, KNS, Peter Gunz, Ron Lawrence, Ski and Spyda. It features guest appearances from 1 Accord, Big Pun, Cam'ron, Chauncey Black, Fat Joe, Kurupt, Sticky Fingaz, and Will Tracks. The album peaked at No. 38 on the Billboard 200 and No. 8 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States, selling 40,000 copies in its first week.
Wild Gremlinz is the second studio album by American rapper Nature. It was released on May 28, 2002 through Sequence Records. Recording sessions took place at Comfort Zone Studios, Soundtrack Studios and SPK Room Lab in New York, and at Heavy Hitter Studios. Production was handled by Vin The Chin, Blanco, Wild Gremlinz, Darrell "Digga" Branch, Jay "Waxx" Garfield, Megahertz, SPKilla and The Now And Laters. It features guest appearances from Bars, Killz, Young Katz, A-Dog, G.S., Masta and Sabotage. The album peaked at number 150 on the Billboard 200, number 21 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number 9 on the Independent Albums chart in the United States.
Sugarhill Gang is the self-titled debut album by influential rap group the Sugarhill Gang. It is considered to be the first hip hop studio album, leading to more studio albums by other rappers.
The UMC's was an American hip hop duo from the borough of Staten Island in New York City.
What More Can I Say? is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo Audio Two. It was released in 1988 through First Priority Records with distribution by Atlantic Records. Recording sessions took place at I.N.S. Studios, Such-A-Sound Studio and First Priority Lab in New York City. Production was handled by its members Milk Dee and DJ Gizmo with Daddy-O and the King of Chill. The album found only mild success, making it to #185 on the Billboard 200 and #45 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in the United States. What More Can I Say? spawned four singles: "Make It Funky"/"Top Billin'", "Hickeys Around My Neck", "Many Styles"/"The Questions" and "I Don't Care". The song "I Like Cherries" was previously released on Flip-Flop Mini-Album, a 1986 split mini-LP dropped with the Alliance.
Finder of Lost Loves is a studio album by American singer Dionne Warwick. It was released by Arista Records on January 24, 1985 in the United States. Warwick worked with Richard Landis, Barry Manilow, and Stevie Wonder on the majority of the album, though she also reunited with Burt Bacharach for the first time in over a decade. The album includes a cover of the Bee Gees song "Run to Me" performed as a duet with Manilow as well as two duets with Wonder, which had previously been released on Wonder's soundtrack album to The Woman in Red. Finder of Lost Loves peaked at number 106 on the US Billboard 200 chart.
Bad Company: Music from the Motion Picture is the original soundtrack to Joel Schumacher's 2002 action comedy film Bad Company. It was released on June 4, 2002 via Hollywood Records and consisted mainly of hip hop and R&B music. The album found some success, peaking at number 98 on the Billboard 200, number 11 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number 9 on the Top Soundtracks, and featured one charting single "All Out of Love".
Pimpin' on Wax is the debut solo studio album by American rapper JT Money. It was released on May 25, 1999, through Priority Records. Production was handled by Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs, Christoper "Tricky" Stewart, Dallas Austin and JT Money himself. It features guest appearances from Anthony Hamilton, Big Gipp, Evil, Solé, Too Short and Trick Daddy.
Haas G is a Staten Island-based hip hop musician. Haas G was part of the 1990s rap duo the U.M.C.'s, and as Carlos Evans, he is credited as producer of the hit "Magic Stick".
NYOIL is an American emcee from Staten Island, New York City. His name was formerly an acronym for "New York's Original International Lover". He began rapping at the age of twelve, and in 1988 he paired up with fellow Staten Island rapper Haas G to form the hip-hop duo the U.M.C.'s.
Dream On is the fifteenth studio album by American keyboardist and record producer George Duke. It was released in 1982 through Epic Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at Le Gonks West Studio in West Hollywood, California, except for horns on "Positive Energy" and strings, which were recorded at Westlake Recording Studios and A&M Studios respectively. It was mastered by Brian Gardner at Allen Zentz Mastering in Hollywood.
Thief in the Night is the eighteenth studio album by American keyboardist and record producer George Duke. It was released in 1985 through Elektra Records, making it his first release on the label. Recording sessions for the album took place at Le Gonks West in West Hollywood, California. Duke played various keyboard instruments on the album, including Synclavier II, Memorymoog, Fender Rhodes, Sequential Circuits Prophet-5, clavinet, Yamaha P F15 and Minimoog. The album features contributions from Lynn Davis, Paul Jackson Jr, Paulinho da Costa, Robert Brookins and Deniece Williams among others.
Guardian of the Light is the sixteenth studio album by American keyboardist and record producer George Duke. It was released in 1983 through Epic Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in Los Angeles at The Complex, Le Gonks West, and Ocean Way Recording. Duke used a variety of keyboard instruments, such as Rhodes electric piano, Sequential Circuits Prophet-5, Korg Polysix, ARP Odyssey, Clavitar Solo, Minimoog, melodeon, melodica, and also Sennheiser and Roland vocoders, and LinnDrum machine. The album features contributions from various musicians, including vocalists Jeffrey Osborne and Lynn Davis, guitarists Michael Sembello and Charles Fearing, bassists Louis Johnson and Byron Miller, drummers John Robinson and Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, percussionist Paulinho da Costa, trumpeters Gary Grant and Jerry Hey, trombonist Lew McCreary, conductor George Del Barrio with a musical ensemble of string instrument players.
