The 43rd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 21, 2001, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 2000. Several artists earned three awards on the night. Steely Dan's haul included Album of the Year for Two Against Nature. U2 took home the Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "Beautiful Day". Dr. Dre won Producer of the Year, Non-Classical and Best Rap Album for Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP. Eminem himself also received three awards, out of four nominations. Faith Hill took home Best Country Album for the album Breathe, Best Female Country Vocal Performance for the song's title track and Best Country Collaboration with Vocals with Tim McGraw for "Let's Make Love". Madonna opened the show with "Music".
The 41st Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 24, 1999, at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1998. Lauryn Hill received the most nominations with 10, setting a record for the most nominations for female artist in one night. During the ceremony, Hill became the first woman to receive 5 Grammy Awards in a single night, and the first woman rapper to take home Best New Artist. Her album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill became the first hip hop album to win the award for Album of the Year. Hill's Grammys sweep is widely considered as one of the biggest moments in hip hop history.
Edward Theodore Riley is an American record producer, singer, and songwriter credited with the creation of the R&B and hip hop fusion genre new jack swing. He is the founder and lead singer of the musical group Blackstreet, as well as its predecessor, Guy. The genre also gained popularity from acts who have utilized Riley's production and songwriting, such as Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown, Heavy D & the Boyz, Keith Sweat, and Hi-Five among others.
Invincible is the tenth and final studio album by the American singer Michael Jackson, released on October 30, 2001, by Epic Records. It was Jackson's last album before his death in 2009. It features appearances from Carlos Santana, the Notorious B.I.G., and Slash. It incorporates R&B, pop and soul, and similarly to Jackson's previous material, the album explores themes such as love, romance, isolation, media criticism, and social issues. Invincible has sold between 8 to 10 million copies worldwide.
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.
Fred Jerkins III, also known as Uncle Freddie, is an American songwriter and record producer.
"Angel in Disguise" is a song recorded by American singer Brandy for her second studio album Never Say Never (1998). It was written by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, Fred Jerkins III, LaShawn Daniels, Traci Hale, and Tye-V Turman, and was produced by Jerkins along with Brandy. The song was recorded and mixed by audio engineer Dave Way at the Pacifique Recording Studios in North Hollywood, California and features prominent backing vocals by singer Joe.
Blackstreet is the debut studio album from American R&B group Blackstreet, released in 1994 on Interscope Records. The group was formed by Riley with Chauncey Hannibal after the dissolution of Teddy Riley's former group Guy. The other members of Blackstreet - Joseph Stonestreet and Levi Little - were session singers alongside Hannibal on Bobby Brown's third album Bobby, an album that was mostly produced by Riley. They recorded one song for the soundtrack of the Chris Rock film CB4 called "Baby Be Mine". Before they could record the second half of their album, Stonestreet left the group in 1994 due to his creative differences with the rest of the members of the group which led to him being replaced by former Force One Network singer Dave Hollister. When they re-recorded "Baby Be Mine" for their self-titled debut, Hollister's vocals were added on the album version of the song.
"Never Say Never" is a song recorded by American recording artist Brandy Norwood. The song was written by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, LaShawn Daniels, Fred Jerkins III, Japhe Tejeda, Rick Williams, and Norwood for her same-titled second studio album, released in 1998, featuring main production by Jerkins and additional production by Norwood. The song was released along with "U Don't Know Me " as a promotional single in German-speaking Europe only in 2000, where it failed to chart or sell noticeably.
Music From And Inspired By The Motion Picture Steel is the soundtrack to Kenneth Johnson's 1997 superhero film Steel. It was released on July 29, 1997, through Qwest/Warner Bros. Records. Production was handled by Jon-John, Antonina Armato, Andre Betts, Darryl Anthony Hawes, DJ Quik, G-1, Havoc, Hen-Gee, Marc Kinchen, Oliver Leiber, Teddy Riley and Trackmasters. It features contributions from the film star Shaquille O'Neal, Peter Gunz, Az Yet, Blackstreet, B-Real, Gina Breedlove, Ice Cube, Jia, Jon B., KRS-One, Maria Christina, Mobb Deep, S.H.E., Spice 1 and Tevin Campbell. The album reached number 185 on the Billboard 200 and number 26 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts in the United States. Its lead single, a posse cut "Men of Steel", peaked at number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 53 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in the US.
"I Can Love You" is a song by American recording artist Mary J. Blige. It was written by Blige along with her sister LaTonya Blige-DaCosta, Rodney Jerkins, and Lil' Kim for her third album, Share My World (1997), with Jerkins producing the song and Lil Kim having featured vocals. The contains elements of the song "Queen Bitch," a track from Kim's debut album Hard Core (1996), co-written by Carlos Broady and Nashiem Myrick. Due to the inclusion of the sample, they are also credited as songwriters.
Men of Vizion is an American R&B quintet which released their debut album, Personal, featuring the songs "House Keeper" and "Do Thangz," produced by Teddy Riley and "Lil" Chris Smith.
Tony Haynes is an American lyricist, songwriter, poet, music publisher, producer and author. Over the last four decades he has written lyrics to melodies composed by the biggest names in R&B and pop music. He has also authored children's books and produced children's music based on some of the most successful animated characters.
"The One" is a song by American singer Mary J. Blige featuring Canadian rapper Drake. Written alongside Ester Dean and producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, it was released on July 21, 2009 as the lead single from her ninth studio album Stronger with Each Tear. The song marked Blige's 5th entry on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, on which it reached number 32. Blige's sum extended her lead for most charted titles among women in the 1990s and 2000s.
Personal is the debut studio album by the American vocal group Men of Vizion. It was released on June 18, 1996, via Michael Jackson's record label, MJJ Music, after a demo tape was played to him by producer Teddy Riley. The album has been described as a "sumptuous blend" of vocal R&B and "90s production techniques", that alternates between smooth ballads and new jack swing.
Kyle Townsend is an American record producer, songwriter, and composer. He has produced songs for such acclaimed recording artists as 5-time GRAMMY Award winner Celine Dion, 10-time Academy Award-nominated songwriter Diane Warren, as well as Mary J Blige, Lady Gaga, Jessie J, Andra Day, and Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson. He has produced 3 Academy Award nominated songs, and his work has earned an additional 3 Grammy Award Nominations. He scored the Emmy Award nominated Showtime documentary "The One and Only Dick Gregory."
Harmony Olakunle David Samuels, also known as H-Money, is an English record producer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter. He has produced a multitude of hits for artists such as Brandy, Jennifer Lopez, Mary J. Blige, Ariana Grande, Fifth Harmony, Chip, Ciara, Fantasia, Janet Jackson, Chris Brown, Keyshia Cole, Ne-Yo and more.
Rava on the Dance Floor is a live album by Italian jazz trumpeter and composer Enrico Rava with Parco della Musica Jazz Lab, performing songs by Michael Jackson recorded in Italy in 2011 and released on the ECM label.
Lennie De Juan Bennett better known by his stage name Kel Spencer is an American hip hop recording artist, producer, songwriter, actor and film director from Brooklyn, New York City, New York. He is famous for having lyrically contributed to more than 20 songs from Will Smith repertoire, receiving Grammy, Soul Train and MTV Video Music awards nominations and winning an American Music Award for the platinum single "Switch". As a recording artist on his own, Spencer was featured on the hit soundtracks "Wild Wild West" and "American Pie: The Naked Mile" as well as on albums from Will Smith, DJ Jazzy Jeff or Grandmaster Flash.
"Tell Me Why" is a song by British girl group, the Spice Girls, appearing as the second track on their third studio album Forever (2000). The song was written by Victoria Beckham, Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Rodney Jerkins, LaShawn Daniels, Fred Jerkins III and Mischke Butler. Jerkins and Daniels produced the song. It was released as a promotional single in December 2000. Originally planned as the second single from Forever, the release was scrapped.
