Curtis Lee Mayfield was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Dubbed the "Gentle Genius", he is considered one of the most influential musicians behind soul and socially conscious African-American music. Mayfield first achieved success and recognition with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted group the Impressions during the civil rights movement of the late 1950s and the 1960s, and later worked as a solo artist.
The Impressions were an American music group originally formed in 1958. Their repertoire includes gospel, R&B, doo-wop, and soul.
Get Lifted is the debut studio album by American singer John Legend. It was released by GOOD Music, Sony Urban Music, and Columbia Records on December 28, 2004 in the United States. The production on the album was handled by Legend's then-manager, Kanye West, who also served as the album's executive producer, as well as Dave Tozer, will.i.am, and Devo Springsteen. The album also features guest appearances by West, Snoop Dogg and Miri Ben-Ari.
Contemporary R&B is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop, and electronic music.
There's No Place Like America Today is the seventh studio album by Curtis Mayfield, released in 1975 on Curtom Records. It peaked at number 120 on the Billboard 200 chart, as well as number 13 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
"People Get Ready" is a 1965 single by the Impressions, and the title track from the People Get Ready album. The single is the group's best-known hit, reaching number three on the Billboard R&B chart and number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. The gospel-influenced track was a Curtis Mayfield composition that displayed the growing sense of social and political awareness in his writing.
14 Shots to the Dome is the fifth studio album by American hip hop recording artist LL Cool J. It was released on March 30, 1993, via Def Jam Recordings. The recording sessions took place at Marley's House of Hits, at Cove City Sound Studios, and at Unique Recording Studios, in New York, and at QDIII Soundlab in Los Angeles, at Bobcat's House in Palmdale, and at Encore Studio, in Burbank. The album was produced by Marley Marl, DJ Bobcat, Quincy Jones III, Andrew Zenable, and Chris Forte. It features guest appearances from Lords of the Underground and Lieutenant Stitchie.
Vocally Pimpin' is the debut extended play by American hip hop group Above the Law. It was released on July 16, 1991 via Ruthless Records. The first five songs on this nine track record are newly recorded material, while the rest four are remixes or edited versions of their previously released material. The album peaked at number 120 on the US Billboard 200 and number 37 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.
The Makings of Me is the fifth studio album by American singer Monica. It was released by J Records on October 3, 2006, in the United States. Built upon the hip hop, gospel and modern quiet storm styles of its predecessor, After the Storm (2003), Monica envisioned her follow-up project to sound as close knit and intimate as her previous project. Consequently, she enlisted frequent collaborators Missy Elliott, Bryan Michael Cox, and Jermaine Dupri to work with her on the album, with the latter serving as its executive producer, as well as new partners such as The Underdogs, Tank, The Runners, LRoc, Swizz Beatz, and Sean Garrett.
Back to the World is the fourth studio album by Curtis Mayfield, released in 1973 under Curtom Records. It peaked at number 16 on the Billboard 200 chart, as well as number 1 on the Top R&B Albums chart.
Got to Find a Way is the sixth studio album by Curtis Mayfield, released in 1974 under Curtom Records. It peaked at number 76 on the Billboard 200 chart, as well as number 17 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Sweet Exorcist is the fifth studio album by Curtis Mayfield, released in May 1974. It peaked at number 39 on the Billboard 200 chart, as well as number 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
New World Order is R&B/soul singer-songwriter Curtis Mayfield’s final studio album. The album reached No. 24 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and No. 44 on the UK Albums chart.
"Something He Can Feel" is a song composed by Curtis Mayfield for the 1976 motion picture Sparkle. The song, a love ballad in a Chicago-/Philly-soul style, became a number-one hit on the Billboard's R&B singles chart in the United States twice with two separate recordings: a 1976 version by Aretha Franklin from the film's soundtrack, and a 1992 cover by girl group En Vogue.
Keep On Pushing is a studio album by the Impressions, released on ABC-Paramount in 1964. This was the group's biggest hit album ever, reaching number 8 on the Billboard 200 chart, the band's highest position on the chart, and number 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The title track, "Keep On Pushing," reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Never Too Much is the debut solo studio album by American singer Luther Vandross, released on August 12, 1981, by Epic Records. Mostly composed by Vandross himself, the album reached number 19 on the US Billboard 200 and number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Never Too Much earned Vandross two Grammy Award nominations in 1982, including Best New Artist and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male.
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Luminate. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated January 30, 1965, in an effort by the magazine to further expand into the field of rhythm and blues music. It then went through several name changes, being known as Soul LPs in the 1970s and Top Black Albums in the 1980s, before returning to the R&B identification in 1990 and affixing a hip hop designation in 1999 to reflect the latter's growing sales and relationship to R&B during the decade.
The Kiss is the third studio album by American gospel group Trin-i-tee 5:7. It was released on June 25, 2002 through GospoCentric in the United States. Featuring production by PAJAM, "Uncle Freddie" Jerkins and Myron Butler, "musically, The Kiss is urban contemporary/neo-soul with hip-hop elements, but lyrically", the album "is gospel". Described as "promoting Christianity" in a non-"divisive" manner, the album features lyrical input from the group themselves.
"It's All Right" is a 1963 song recorded by The Impressions and written by the group's lead singer, Curtis Mayfield. The single was the most successful chart entry of the group's career. "It's All Right" was one of two top-ten singles for the group on the Billboard Hot 100, and the first of six number ones on the Billboard R&B chart. It also reached No.1 on the Cash Box R&B chart.
A Tribute to Curtis Mayfield is a compilation album of various artists, celebrating the music of Curtis Mayfield. While many tribute albums are recorded after an artist has passed, this album was completed five years before Mayfield's death.
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