Monica Denise Arnold is an American singer,rapper,songwriter,and actress. Born and raised in College Park,Georgia,she began performing as a child and joined a traveling gospel choir by the age of ten. Monica signed with record producer Dallas Austin through his label Rowdy Records in 1993,and gained prominence following the release of her debut studio album,Miss Thang (1995). Her follow-up albums were met with continued success;her second,The Boy Is Mine (1998) remains her best-selling album and spawned three Billboard Hot 100-number one singles:"The Boy Is Mine","The First Night" and "Angel of Mine".
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin is an American record producer,songwriter,rapper,music executive,and entrepreneur. Raised in Atlanta,Georgia,as the son of Columbia Records executive Michael Mauldin,he began his career in music production at the age of nine. He discovered the teen hip hop duo Kris Kross in 1991. Dupri wrote and produced their 1992 single "Jump," which peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100 and was named the 23rd most successful song of that decade. He established his own record label,So So Def Recordings in a joint venture with Columbia the following year.
"My Way" is a song by American singer-songwriter Usher,released by LaFace and Arista Records on June 9,1997 as the third single from his album of the same name (1997). The song was written by Usher alongside its producers,Manuel Seal and Jermaine Dupri,the latter of whom provides an uncredited guest appearance and backing vocals.
After the Storm is the fourth studio album by American singer Monica. It was first released on June 17,2003 through J Records. Created over a period of three years,in which Monica experienced personal struggles and its original version,All Eyez on Me,was delayed numerous times following the moderate success of single "All Eyez on Me" as well as the leak to Internet file-sharing services and heavy bootlegging after its Japan-wide release,Monica decided to scrap most of the album in favor of new material for which she consulted new collaborators such as Missy Elliott,who would receive executive producer credit due to her predominant share of contributions on the album.
"I Think They Like Me" is a song by American hip hop group Dem Franchize Boyz. It was released in August 2005 as a single from their self-titled debut album Dem Franchize Boyz. The song's chorus is sampled from their debut single "White Tee".
"U Should've Known Better" is a song by American recording artist Monica. It was written in collaboration with Harold Lilly and Jermaine Dupri,and produced by the latter along with frequent co-producer Bryan Michael Cox for her original third studio album,All Eyez on Me (2002). When the album was shelved for release outside Japan,the song was one out of five original records that were transferred into its new version,After the Storm (2003). A contemporary R&B slow jam,"U Should've Known Better" contains elements of soul music and rock music. Built on an pulsating backbeat,the song's instrumentation consists of screeching guitars and an understated harp pattern. Lyrically,Monica,as the protagonist,delivers a message of loyalty to her imprisoned love interest and sings about staying down for him despite his doubts.
"The First Night" is a song by American singer Monica for her second studio album,The Boy Is Mine (1998). It was written by Tamara Savage and Jermaine Dupri,featuring production and additional vocals from the latter. Built around a sample of Diana Ross's 1976 recording "Love Hangover",penned by Marilyn McLeod and Pam Sawyer,who share co-writing credits,the song is about the protagonist's battle with sexual temptations on the night of her first date,despite her conflicting emotions and strong sexual desires.
The discography of Nas,an American rapper,consists of seventeen studio albums,one collaborative album,one group album,five compilations,four mixtapes,one extended play,and seventy-nine singles. Nas has sold over 20 million records in the United States alone,and 35 million albums worldwide.
"Everytime tha Beat Drop" is a song by American recording artist Monica from her fifth studio album The Makings of Me (2006). It was written by Johnta Austin,Jermaine Dupri,Robert Hill,Charles Hammond,Deangelo Hunt,James Phillips,and rap group Dem Franchize Boyz,while production was hemled by Dupri,with additional credits by LRoc. Musically,the downbeat uptempo track was greatly influenced by crunk and snap music,incorporating beats of rapper Nelly's 2005 song "Grillz" and containing a vocal sample of Dem Franchize Boyz' "Lean wit It,Rock wit It" (2006).
"Not Tonight" is a song performed by the American rapper Lil' Kim featuring Jermaine Dupri for her debut studio album Hard Core (1996). A remix was released the following year featuring female rappers Da Brat,Missy "Misdeameanor" Elliott,Angie Martinez,and the late singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes for the Nothing to Lose soundtrack. It was released on June 24,1997,by Atlantic Records.
"Pullin' Me Back" is a song by American rapper Chingy,released as the first single from his third album Hoodstar. The song features actor/R&B singer Tyrese singing the chorus with production by Jermaine Dupri. The track employs a synthesized sample of SWV's 1998 single " Rain" The video was retired on 106 &Park after being on the countdown for 65 days. "Pullin' Me Back" peaked at number one on both the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts,giving Chingy his first and third number-one hits respectively. The song also peaked at number nine on the Hot 100,making it his fourth and final top ten single.
"Dem Jeans" is a song by American rapper Chingy. It's the second and final single off his third album Hoodstar (2006). The song is produced by and features rapper Jermaine Dupri. The song peaked at number 59 on the Billboard Hot 100,his first single to not reach the top 40 on that chart. It did better on the Hot Rap Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts respectively. Bun B and David Banner made cameo appearances in the promotional video. "Dem Jeans" was heard on the 100th episode of "CSI:Miami," the fourth episode of the fourth season of "The O.C." and in the 2007 film Norbit.
"I Just Wanna Love U" is a song by American rapper Jay-Z,released as the first single from his 2000 album The Dynasty:Roc La Familia. It was produced by the Neptunes and features a chorus performed by Neptunes member Pharrell and Pennsylvania rapper Omillio Sparks,both of whom remain uncredited. The video for the song,directed by David Meyers,features cameos from rappers Lil' Kim,Lil' Cease,Damon Dash,Beanie Sigel,Memphis Bleek,Jermaine Dupri and actor John Witherspoon.
"Bounce with Me" is the debut single by American rapper Lil' Bow Wow featuring girl group Xscape. Taken from his debut album Beware of Dog,the single samples "Love Serenade " by Barry White. It spent nine weeks at number 1 on the Hot Rap Tracks and number 20 on Billboard Hot 100. The song was featured in the film Big Momma's House and the trailer of Hardball. A radio remix and extended version featuring R.O.C. and Lil' Mo was also released.
American R&B singer Monica has released 8 studio albums,one extended play,and 48 singles. Since the beginning of her career in 1995,she has sold 5.3 million albums in the United States,In 1999,Billboard included her among the top twenty of the Top Pop Artists of the 1990s,and in 2010,the magazine ranked her 24th on its list of the Top 50 R&B and Hip Hop Artists of the past 25 years. With a career lasting over 20 years,Monica became the first artist to top the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in the 1990s,2000s,and 2010s.
"Money Ain't a Thang" is the second single from rapper Jermaine Dupri's 1998 album Life in 1472. It features rapper Jay-Z and appears as a bonus track on his album Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life. It is produced by Dupri,who samples "Weak at the Knees" by Steve Arrington for the track's beat. It can be found on two of Jay-Z's greatest hits compilations:Chapter One:Greatest Hits and Greatest Hits. In addition,it was nominated for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 41st Grammy Awards in 1999.
"Imagination" is a song by Canadian recording artist Tamia,released as the first single from her self-titled debut album (1998). It was written and produced by Jermaine Dupri and his protégéManuel Seal and features additional vocals by the former. "Imagination" is a mid-tempo R&B song that contains an interpolation from The Jackson 5's 1969 song "I Want You Back",written and produced by Motown's The Corporation team consisting of Berry Gordy,Alphonzo Mizell,Freddie Perren,and Deke Richards.
"Keep On,Keepin' On" is a song by American rapper MC Lyte featuring American girl group Xscape. It was produced and co-written by Jermaine Dupri and samples Michael Jackson's 1989 single "Liberian Girl". It was featured on the soundtrack to Sunset Park,starring Rhea Perlman,and later appeared also on MC Lyte's fifth studio album,Bad As I Wanna B (1996). The song became her highest charting single in the US,peaking at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100,and it also became her second single to achieve a gold certification from the RIAA,earning the award on May 31,1996. In November of the same year,Lyte performed the song when she appeared in the second season of the UPN sitcom Moesha alongside Xscape themselves.
"Love All Over Me" is a song by American singer Monica. It was written by Crystal Johnson,Jermaine Dupri,and Bryan-Michael Cox for her sixth studio album Still Standing (2010),while production was helmed by Dupri,with Cox credited as co-producer of the song. Musically,"Love All Over Me" is a down-tempo R&B piece that rounds out Still Standing as another laid back,yet soulful track filled with admiration. The song was sent to rhythmic,urban,and urban adult contemporary airplay as the album's second single in the United States on May 31,2010.
Like Mike:Music From the Motion Picture is the soundtrack to John Schultz's 2002 American sports comedy film Like Mike. It was released on July 2,2002 through So So Def/Columbia/Sony Soundtrax and consists of hip hop and contemporary R&B music. Production was handled by Jermaine Dupri,Chris Stokes,Cutmaster Swiff,Just Blaze,Kerry Brothers Jr.,Platinum Status,Pop-Trax,Rainfall,The Neptunes and Trackmasters,with Alicia Keys and LaMarquis Jefferson serving as co-producers. It features contributions from the film star Lil' Bow Wow,as well as Amerie,B2K,Jagged Edge,Jermaine Dupri,Fabolous,Fundisha,Mario,R.O.C.,Solange Knowles,The Crowd Pleasers,TQ and Young Steff.
