"California Love" is a song by American rapper 2Pac featuring fellow American rapper-producer Dr. Dre and American singer Roger Troutman. The song was released as 2Pac's comeback single after his release from prison in 1995 and was his first single as the newest artist of Death Row Records. The remix is featured on the UK version of his fourth album, All Eyez on Me (1996), and is one of 2Pac's most widely known and most successful singles. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks and also topped the charts of Italy, New Zealand, and Sweden. The song was posthumously nominated Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1997.
The Braxtons are an American musical quintet consisting of singer Toni Braxton and her younger sisters, Traci Braxton, Towanda Braxton, Trina Braxton, and Tamar Braxton. Despite being commercially unsuccessful, the group's first single, "Good Life", led to oldest sister Toni's solo career. All five members reunited in 2011 to star in the WE tv reality television series Braxton Family Values alongside their mother, Evelyn Braxton.
"Lighters Up" is a single written and recorded by rapper Lil' Kim appearing as the first single off her fourth album, The Naked Truth. It was produced by her ex-boyfriend, record producer Scott Storch. The song has a similar tone to Damian Marley's Welcome to Jamrock. It was released on July 10, 2005. The album was originally due to be released September 13, but was delayed until September 27 because Queen Bee Entertainment felt that sales would not hold with the single "Lighters Up". The single debuted at number 100 on the Billboard Hot 100, then quickly climbed up to number 31. The single had a moderate chart performance in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 12 on the UK Singles Chart.
"The Jump Off" is a song by American rapper Lil' Kim, released as the first single on February 10 in 2003 from her third studio album La Bella Mafia. It was produced by Timbaland & Kanye West and features Mr. Cheeks. The single debuted at number 95 and climbed into the Top 20 at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"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 Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes for the Nothing to Lose soundtrack. It was released on June 24, 1997, by Atlantic Records.
"I Belong to You" is a song by American singer Toni Braxton. It was written by Vassal Benford and Ronald Spearman for her eponymous debut studio album (1993), while production was helmed by the former. The song was released as the album's fifth and final single on June 10, 1994 by LaFace and Arista Records, a double A side along with "How Many Ways." While there was no accompanying music video for "I Belong to You", the song garnered Braxton a nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 1996 Grammy Awards. It peaked at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 on January 21, 1995.
"Christmas in Jamaica" is a song recorded by American R&B singer Toni Braxton. It was written by Braxton along with her former husband Keri Lewis, Donnie Scantz, Craig Love, Dave Kelly and Shaggy, for her first Christmas album, Snowflakes (2001), with Braxton, Lewis and Scantz producing the song and Shaggy co-producing and having featured vocals. The song was released as the album's second and final single on December 8, 2001, by Arista Records. Following the previous single "Snowflakes of Love", the island-flavored Christmas song charted at number three on the US Billboard Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart, but failed to chart elsewhere. The song was issued without a music video.
So Many Ways is the debut album by American R&B vocal group The Braxtons. Released on August 6, 1996, the album produced four singles; "So Many Ways", "Only Love", "The Boss" – which peaked at number-one in the Billboard Dance Charts – and "Slow Flow". "So Many Ways" peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts and No. 3 on the Heatseekers Albums chart.
"Hovi Baby" is a song by Jay-Z from his album The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse. It was released on November 12, 2002. It was released as the second single from the album. The song is produced by Just Blaze and contains a sample of the live version of "Diggin' on You" by TLC. It peaked at number 76 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Trina Evette Braxton-Scales is an American singer and reality television personality. She is the younger sister of R&B singing icon Toni Braxton. Trina had her first big break in music in 1992 as a founding member of the R&B group The Braxtons, formed with her sisters. After losing two members, The Braxtons released their only album, So Many Ways, as a trio in 1996 along with four singles: "So Many Ways", "Only Love", "The Boss", and "Slow Flow".
"Thank You" is a new jack swing song by American R&B/soul group Boyz II Men, released as the third single from their second studio album, II (1994). The song was co-produced by Dallas Austin and Boyz II Men. It did not perform as well as its predecessor and reached a peak position of #21 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot Singles Sales on March 18, 1995, and March 25, 1995, respectively, and also reached #17 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs. "Thank You" performed moderately well in the UK eventually peaking at #26 on the UK Singles Chart. The song also peaked at #17 on the New Zealand RIANZ singles chart, #27 on the French singles chart and #33 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart. The album version of the song is a cappella, consisting only of sounds created by the human voice, bringing to mind one of their first hit songs, "Motownphilly".
"I'll Be" is a song recorded by American rapper Foxy Brown for her debut studio album, Ill Na Na (1996), featuring Brooklyn-based rapper Jay-Z. It was released as the second single from the album on March 4, 1997, by Violator and Def Jam Recordings. The song was written by Shawn Carter, Jean-Claude Olivier, Samuel Barnes, Angela Winbush, René Moore, Bobby Watson and Bruce Swedien with production by Trackmasters, and samples René & Angela's 1985 song "I'll Be Good". It was recorded at Chung King Studios in New York City, while the mixing of the track was finished at The Hit Factory. "I'll Be" is a hip hop and R&B song with explicit lyrics that revolve around sex and money.
"Love Me" is the lead single from American R&B group 112 from their second studio album, Room 112 and features vocals from rapper Mase. Q and Mike share lead vocals on the song, with Slim providing adlibs. It peaked at number 17 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and reached number eight on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. A music video directed by Frosty for the song was made, featuring the group and Mase performing in a white background. The song contains a sample of the 1981 record, "Don't You Know That?" by recording artist Luther Vandross from his debut album, Never Too Much. In the song, Mase takes a supposed shot at rapper Jay-Z on this song with the line "What we hear is platinum that, platinum this/Platinum whips, nobody got no platinum hits".
"Get on Up" is a song by American R&B group Jodeci recorded for their third album, The Show, the After Party, the Hotel (1995). The song was released as the third and final single for the album in 1996. "Get on Up" contains the sample of the 1981 song from Quincy Jones featuring Toots Thielemans' "Velas". Produced by Mr. Dalvin, it is the only Jodeci single to date that was not produced or written by group leader DeVante Swing. It was also the last Jodeci single released in 18 years before the group returned in 2014 with the single "Nobody Wins". The group performed the song when they guest starred in a season one episode of the UPN sitcom Moesha.
"Movin' On" is a song by American musician CeCe Peniston, released on July 23, 1996, as the lead single from her third studio album, I'm Movin' On (1996). The track is produced by Dave Hall and charted at number twenty-nine on the US Billboard R&B chart. It also reached number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100. A remixed version of the song peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart and entered the top 30 in Japan.
"Crazy Love" is a song by American musician CeCe Peniston, released on her debut album, Finally on A&M Records. The title was first issued in the UK as the fourth single from the album, peaking at number forty-four, while in the US, it reached number thirty-one on the R&B chart in February 1993 after its peak at number ninety-seven on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Steelo" is the debut single by American R&B group 702 recorded for the group's debut album No Doubt (1996). The song, which features hip hop artist Missy Elliott, was released as the first single for the album on August 27, 1996.
"Get None" is the debut single by American R&B singer Tamar Braxton. It is the opening track on her eponymous debut studio album and was issued as the album's first single. The song features raps from American hip hop musicians Jermaine Dupri and Amil and uncredited background vocals performed by Mýa. Mýa originally recorded her own version for her album Fear of Flying, but it didn't make it onto the album. It peaked at #59 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1999.
"So Many Ways" is a song by American vocal group the Braxtons, released on July 23, 1996 as the lead single from their debut album, So Many Ways (1996). The song was written by Carl-So-Lowe, Jermaine Dupri and produced by Dupri. It was also featured on the High School High soundtrack (1996). The song charted at 83 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and 22 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. It also reached the top 40 in the UK, charting at 32 and in New Zealand, the song charted at 17.
"Slow Flow" is the fourth and final single by The Braxtons taken from their debut album So Many Ways. The song was written by Sean "Sep" Hall, London Jones, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, and produced by Allen "Allstar" Gordon.
