Christopher Brian Bridges, known professionally as Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludacris moved to Atlanta, Georgia, at age nine where he first began rapping. Starting out with a brief stint as a DJ, he formed his own record label, Disturbing tha Peace in the late 1990s, and his first album Incognegro (1999). The album was repackaged and re-released for his major label debut Back for the First Time, after he signed with Def Jam Recordings. The singles "Southern Hospitality" and "What's Your Fantasy", became top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Usher Raymond IV is an American singer, songwriter, and dancer. Primarily performing in the R&B genre, he released his self-titled debut album Usher (1994), and rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way (1997). It spawned his first U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one single "Nice & Slow", and the top-two singles "You Make Me Wanna..." and "My Way". His third album, 8701 (2001), produced the number-one singles "U Remind Me" and "U Got It Bad", as well as the top-three single "U Don't Have to Call". It sold eight million copies worldwide and won his first two Grammy Awards as Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 2002 and 2003.
Confessions is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Usher. It was released on March 23, 2004, by Arista Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2003 to 2004, with its production handled by his longtime collaborator Jermaine Dupri, along with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and Lil Jon, among others. Primarily an R&B album, Confessions showcases Usher as a crooner through a mixture of ballads and up-tempos, incorporating musical genres of dance-pop, hip hop and crunk. The album's themes generated controversy about Usher's personal relationships; however, the album's primary producer Jermaine Dupri claimed the album reflects Dupri's own personal story.
"Ain't Too Proud to Beg" is a 1966 song and hit single by The Temptations for Motown Records' Gordy label, produced by Norman Whitfield and written by Whitfield and Edward Holland Jr. The song peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Pop Chart, and was a number-one hit on the Billboard R&B charts for eight non-consecutive weeks. The song's success, in the wake of the relative underperformance of the previous Temptations' single, "Get Ready", resulted in Norman Whitfield replacing Smokey Robinson, producer of "Get Ready", as The Temptations' main producer. In 2004 it finished number 94 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs poll thanks to its inclusion in The Big Chill soundtrack.
Carlton Neron Thomas is an American R&B singer.
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is a song written by Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson in 1966 for the Tamla label, a division of Motown. The composition was first successful as a 1967 hit single recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, and became a hit again in 1970 when recorded by former Supremes frontwoman Diana Ross. The song became Ross's first solo number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
"Caught Up" is a song by American singer Usher. It was written by Ryan Toby, Andre Harris, Vidal Davis and Jason Boyd, and produced by Dre & Vidal for Usher's 2004 album, Confessions. The song was released as the fifth and final single from the album on January 3, 2005. The single peaked at number eight in the United States, the only single released from Confessions without topping the Billboard Hot 100, and number nine on in the United Kingdom. "Caught Up" also reached the top 20 in Australia, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. It received positive reviews from contemporary critics.
Christopher Alan "Tricky" Stewart is an American record producer, record executive, songwriter, and music publisher. In a career spanning over 30 years, Stewart has won 5 Grammys and is responsible for over 50 million records sold. He is noted for producing many hip hop, R&B and pop chart topping singles, often with The-Dream. Some of Stewart's record breaking singles are: Mýa's "Case of the Ex" (2000), Britney Spears' "Me Against the Music" (2003), Rihanna's "Umbrella" (2007), Mary J. Blige's "Just Fine" (2007), Beyoncé's "Single Ladies " (2008), Karina Pasian's "16 @ War" (2008), Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body" (2008) and "Obsessed" (2009), Justin Bieber's "One Time" (2009) and "Baby" (2010), Ciara's "Ride" (2010), and Nicole Scherzinger's "Your Love" (2014).
"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" is a ballad written by Bobby Scott and Bob Russell. Originally recorded by Kelly Gordon in 1969, the song became a worldwide hit for the Hollies later that year and also a hit for Neil Diamond in 1970. It has been recorded by many artists in subsequent years. The Hollies' version was re-released in 1988 and again was a major hit in the UK.
All I Have is the debut studio album by American R&B recording artist Amerie. It was released on July 30, 2002, through Columbia Records, Rise Entertainment and Richcraft Records. Entirely produced by Rich Harrison, the album debuted and peaked at number nine on the US Billboard 200 chart in August 2002, remaining in the top twenty for two weeks only and dropping off the top hundred in its fourteenth week. It also received generally mixed reviews from the music critics. Nevertheless, the album was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over 500,000 copies on October 3, 2003, and won Amerie a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist in 2003. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the album has sold over 661,000 copies in the United States as of July 2009. All I Have produced two singles: "Why Don't We Fall in Love" and a minor hit "Talkin' to Me".
"If I Ain't Got You" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her second studio album The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003). Inspired by the 2001 death of singer Aaliyah, the September 11 attacks, and other events in the world and in Keys' life, the song is about "how material things don't feed the soul". It was released as the second single from The Diary of Alicia Keys on February 17, 2004, by J Records. The single cover depicts Keys similarly to the subject of Man Ray's 1924 photograph Le Violon d'Ingres.
"Crazy Man, Crazy" was the title of an early rock and roll song written by, and first recorded by Bill Haley & His Comets in April 1953. It is notable as the first recognized rock and roll recording to appear on the national American musical charts, peaking at #12 on the Billboard Juke Box chart for the week ending June 20, 1953, and #11 for two weeks on the Cash Box chart beginning for the week of June 13.
Like Father, Like Son is a collaborative studio album by American rappers Birdman and Lil Wayne. The album was released on October 31, 2006, through Cash Money Records and Universal Motown Records. Guest appearances include Fat Joe, T-Pain, Rick Ross, Tha Dogg Pound and All Star Cashville Prince. Producers included Swizz Beatz and Scott Storch.
"My Boo" is a duet between American R&B singers Usher and Alicia Keys, written by Usher, Keys, Jermaine Dupri, Adonis Shropshire, and Manuel Seal. It was included on the re-release of Usher's fourth studio album, Confessions (2004). The song was released as the album's fourth single in 2004. Set over a hip hop-style track, it was produced by Dupri and No I.D.
Word Power is the debut album by American rapper and producer Divine Styler. It was released on October 23, 1989 on Ice-T's Rhyme $yndicate Records under Epic Records. The album peaked at No. 62 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The Scheme Team, a hip hop collective of Divine Styler, made their introduction on the record.
"Love in This Club" is a song by American R&B singer Usher. Featuring rapper Young Jeezy, it was released on February 22, 2008, as the lead single from Usher's fifth studio album, Here I Stand. The song was written by Usher, Polow da Don, Jeezy, Darnell Dalton, Ryon Lovett, Lamar Taylor and Keith Thomas, and produced by da Don, with a Las Vegas-inspired synth-driven beat. Its lyrics refer to seducing someone in a nightclub. The song was originally leaked by da Don prior to its release.
"Reverse Cowgirl" is a song recorded by American R&B artist T-Pain. It originally served as the second promotional single off T-Pain's fourth studio album RevolveЯ, but never made it on the track list. Originally featuring a verse from Young Jeezy, this was later cut and replaced with a bridge sung by T-Pain, and backgrounds sung by Jon A. Gordon, Michael A. Gordon, and Courtney Vantrease, Robert Brent.
"Don't Start Me Talkin'" is a blues song written and performed by Sonny Boy Williamson II. It was Williamson's first single recorded for Checker Records, and reached number three in the US Billboard R&B chart in 1955.
"Best Love Song" is a single by American recording artist T-Pain. The song features Chris Brown and was released as the first official single from his fourth studio album, RevolveЯ, on March 22, 2011. The song was featured in the pilot of The CW TV series Hart of Dixie.
"Classic Man" is a song by Nigerian-American rapper Jidenna, released on February 3, 2015, as his commercial debut single by Epic Records. The song, which features vocals from fellow American singer Roman GianArthur, was included on Janelle Monáe's Wondaland Records collective EP, The Eephus, as the lead single. In December 2015, it was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Performance. The song was produced by Jidenna, alongside Nana Kwabena and Nate "Rocket" Wonder.
