Joanna Noëlle Levesque, known professionally as JoJo, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She began performing in singing competitions and local talent shows as a child. In 2003, record producer Vincent Herbert noticed her after she competed on the television show America's Most Talented Kids and asked her to audition for his record label Blackground Records. After signing with the label, JoJo released her eponymous debut studio album in 2004. It peaked at number four on the US Billboard 200 and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), selling over four million copies worldwide to date.
One in a Million is the second studio album by American singer Aaliyah. It was released on August 13, 1996, by Blackground Records and Atlantic Records.
Blackground Records 2.0 is an American record label founded and owned by Jomo and Barry Hankerson. Initially named Blackground Enterprises, the label switched its name to Blackground Entertainment then later Blackground Records in 2000. In 2021, the label rebranded as Blackground Records 2.0, reviving its company and catalogue onto streaming services, with a partnership with Empire Distribution. It co-operated with a publishing company founded by Hankerson, named Black Fountain Music.
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.
I Care 4 U is a posthumous compilation album by American singer Aaliyah. It was released on December 10, 2002, by Blackground Records and Universal Records. Following Aaliyah's death on August 25, 2001, Blackground decided to release a posthumous record in collaboration with Universal Music Group. The album compiles eight of Aaliyah's previously released songs alongside six previously unreleased recordings which were discarded from sessions for her eponymous third and final studio album (2001).
"Leave (Get Out)" is the debut single of American singer JoJo from her self-titled debut studio album (2004). It was released as the album's lead single on February 24, 2004. Produced by Danish production duo Soulshock & Karlin, the song became a commercial success, reaching number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number two in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and on the European Hot 100 Singles. It also reached the top five in Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. The single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on October 25, 2004. When the single reached number one on Billboard's Pop Songs chart, JoJo became, at age 13, the youngest female solo artist to have a number-one single in the United States.
Libra is the sixth studio album by American singer Toni Braxton, released on September 27, 2005, by Blackground Records. It marked Braxton's debut on the label, following her split with longtime record company Arista Records in 2003 after the release of her album More Than a Woman (2002), which was commercially less successful than its predecessors. The album's title is a reference to Braxton's astrological sign, Libra.
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.
"Please" is a song by American recording artist Toni Braxton. It was written by Scott Storch, Makeba Riddick, Vincent Herbert, and Kameron Houff for her fifth studio album, Libra (2005), while production was chiefly helmed by Storch. One out of several songs on the album to feature a more hard-edged production, "Please" is a spare, mid-tempo R&B and hip hop song with a heavy bottom and zippy strings. Lyrically, it talks about how to handle a temptation in a relationship.
"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 High Road is the second studio album by American singer JoJo, released on October 17, 2006, by Da Family Entertainment, Blackground Records, and Universal Records.
"Too Little Too Late" is a song by American singer JoJo from her second studio album, The High Road (2006). It was written by Billy Steinberg, Josh Alexander and Ruth-Anne Cunningham, and produced by the former two with Da Family Records founder Vincent Herbert. The song was released as the album's lead single on July 24, 2006. A power ballad, "Too Little Too Late" is a pop and R&B breakup song about a girl who struggles about dealing with her first love as she refuses to reconcile with her ex-boyfriend despite his efforts to convince her. Its theme about an unsuccessful relationship drew comparisons to JoJo's 2004 debut single, "Leave ".
"Before You Walk Out of My Life" is a song by American R&B singer Monica. It was written by Andrea Martin, Carsten Schack, and Kenneth Karlin, with production helmed by Schack and Karlin under their production moniker Soulshock & Karlin. Initially helmed for fellow R&B singer Toni Braxton's Secrets (1996) album, it was left unused and later re-recorded by Monica for her debut album Miss Thang (1995). Built around drum machine-backed rhythms and a saxophone-laced beat, the mid-tempo R&B ballad was released as the album's second single on August 3, 1995, with "Like This and Like That" serving as its other half on a double A-side stateside. It is considered to be one of her signature songs.
"Miss You" is a song recorded by American singer Aaliyah. Written by Johntá Austin, Ginuwine and Teddy Bishop in 1998, the song was initially recorded in 1999 for Aaliyah's eponymous third studio album (2001). However, it did not make the final cut for Aaliyah and remained unreleased until after Aaliyah's death in 2001. It was then included on the posthumous compilation album I Care 4 U (2002) and was released as its lead single on October 28, 2002, by Blackground Records and Universal Records.
"Do for Love" was the second and final posthumously released single by Tupac Shakur from his second posthumous album R U Still Down? . The vocal sample is from "What You Won't Do for Love" by Bobby Caldwell. The song was produced by Soulshock & Karlin. It charted at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, and #12 in the UK.
"Anything" is a song by American singer JoJo from her second studio album, The High Road (2006). It was released as the album's third and final single on March 20, 2007. Written by Beau Dozier, Mischke, and Justin Trugman, the track contains a sample from Toto's 1982 song "Africa", written by David Paich and Jeff Porcaro.
American singer-songwriter JoJo has released five studio albums, three mixtapes, two extended plays (EP), two re-recordings, twenty singles, fifteen promotional singles and 34 music videos. After JoJo competed on the television show America's Most Talented Kids she signed a seven-album record deal with Blackground Records in 2003 and released her eponymous debut album the following year at the age of 13.
"Brokenhearted" is a song by American recording artist Brandy Norwood. It was written and produced by Kipper Jones and Keith Crouch for her self-titled debut studio album, Brandy (1994). Requested by then Atlantic Records head Sylvia Rhone, the song was developed late into the production of the album. Pressured to meet Rhone's deadline for Brandy, Kipper suffered from a case of writer's block during the early writing process but eventually came up with the idea for a sweet, morose R&B ballad that deals with the aches of a teenager's first heartbreak.
Unexpected is the third solo studio album by American singer Michelle Williams. It was released by Columbia Records and Music World Entertainment on October 7, 2008 in North America. Her first solo project following the disbandment of her group Destiny's Child in 2006, it marked Williams' first full-length dance-influenced commercial pop album, moving away from the gospel style of her previous efforts Heart to Yours (2002) and Do You Know (2004). Unexpected fuses dance-pop, R&B and electronic music to form a wide selection of up-tempo, beat-driven, club-oriented songs which gradually calm into slower material more R&B in sound and style.
