The United States' multi-ethnic population is reflected through a diverse array of styles of music. It is a mixture of music influenced by the music of Europe, Indigenous peoples, West Africa, Latin America, Middle East, North Africa, amongst many other places. The country's most internationally renowned genres are jazz, blues, country, bluegrass, rock, rock and roll, R&B, pop, hip-hop/rap, soul, funk, religious, disco, house, techno, ragtime, doo-wop, folk, americana, boogaloo, tejano, surf, and salsa, amongst many others. American music is heard around the world. Since the beginning of the 20th century, some forms of American popular music have gained a near global audience.
Keith Douglas Sweat is an American singer and songwriter. An early figure in the new jack swing musical movement, he is known for his collection of hits including "I Want Her," "Make It Last Forever," "I'll Give All My Love to You," "Make You Sweat," "Get Up on It," "Twisted," and "Nobody." He has released 13 solo albums and discovered the groups Silk and Kut Klose. Sweat's sound reportedly was influenced by Slave front man Steve Arrington and go-go music.
New jack swing, new jack, or swingbeat is a fusion genre of the rhythms and production techniques of hip hop and dance-pop, and the urban contemporary sound of R&B. Spearheaded by producers Teddy Riley, Bernard Belle, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, new jack swing was most popular from the late 1980s to early 1990s.
Guy is an American hip hop, R&B and soul group founded in 1987 by Teddy Riley, Aaron Hall, and Timmy Gatling. Hall's younger brother Damion Hall replaced Gatling after the recording of the group's self-titled debut album. The group released their debut album, which went on to sell over a million copies and was certified double platinum. Following their success, the group released their second album The Future in 1990, which also charted with successful singles and received platinum as well. Following their nearly decade long split, the group returned with their third album before the 2000s millennium, which charted with their hit single "Dancin'".
Edward Theodore Riley is an American singer, songwriter, and producer credited with the creation of the R&B and hip hop fusion genre, new jack swing. He is the founder and lead vocalist of the musical group Blackstreet, as well as its predecessor Guy. The genre gained popularity from artists who utilized Riley's production and songwriting, namely Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown, Heavy D & the Boyz, Keith Sweat, Hi-Five, and the Jackson 5, among others.
Wreckx-n-Effect is an American new jack swing group from Harlem, New York City. They are perhaps best known for their 1992 single "Rump Shaker", which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.
Mohandas Dewese, better known by his stage name Kool Moe Dee, is an American rapper, songwriter and actor. Considered one of the forerunners of the new jack swing sound in hip hop, he gained fame in the 1980s as a member of one of the pioneering groups in hip hop music, the Treacherous Three, and for his later solo career. During his career he released a total of seven studio albums, with 1994's Interlude being the last to date.
Uptown Records is an American record label, based in New York City, founded in 1986 by old school rapper ‘Dr Jekyll’ - Andre Harrell. From the late 1980s into the early 1990s, it was a leader in New Jack Swing, R&B, hip hop., and Hip Hop-Soul
Hip hop soul is a subgenre of contemporary R&B music, most popular during the early and mid 1990s, which fuses R&B or soul singing with hip hop musical production. The subgenre had evolved from a previous R&B subgenre, new jack swing, which had incorporated hip-hop influences into R&B music. By contrast, hip hop soul is, as described in The Encyclopedia of African American Music, "quite literally soul singing over hip hop grooves".
The Good Girls are a female R&B trio from Los Angeles, California, that emerged in the late 1980s, originally composed of Shireen Crutchfield, Joyce Tolbert, and DeMonica Santiago.
Vickie Winans is an American gospel singer.
Bobby is the third studio album by American singer Bobby Brown, released in 1992 by MCA Records. The album continued the R&B/new jack swing sound of its predecessor, Don't Be Cruel. Babyface, L.A. Reid, and Daryl Simmons returned as producers and songwriters, however, Brown also worked with other producers, most notably Teddy Riley, who was considered a pioneer of the new jack swing genre. Riley also co-wrote and produced the majority of the album. Brown had more creative input and control of the album, becoming an executive producer and co-writing seven of the album's thirteen songs. The album received mixed reviews from music critics.
Guy is the 1988 debut studio album by American R&B band Guy. Released on June 14, 1988, by Uptown Records. It was produced by group member Teddy Riley and manager Gene Griffin. The album peaked at number 27 on the Billboard 200 chart. In July 1994, it was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, for shipments of two million copies in the United States. In 2007, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the album, Geffen Records reissued the recording complete with a remastered version of the original album and a second CD of remixes.
Marvin Lawrence Winans is an American pastor and gospel singer, and a member of the musical Winans family. He is also known for his recurring role in the hit show Tyler Perry's House of Payne.
Wrecks-n-Effect is the debut album released by Wrecks-n-Effect. It was released on September 12, 1989, by Motown Records and featured production from Markell Riley and Redhead Kingpin. The album cover bears a winged symbol like Guy, as it bears the genre's anthem. It was released after the departure of Keith KC.
The Revival is the second studio album by American R&B band Tony! Toni! Toné!, released on May 8, 1990, by Wing Records. It was produced and arranged primarily by the band, although they were assisted on a few songs by the production duo Foster & McElroy, who had produced their first album, Who? (1988). The band recorded at several studios in California with the assistance of the Synclavier, an early music workstation.
Sons of Soul is the third album by American R&B band Tony! Toni! Toné!, released on June 22, 1993, by Wing Records and Mercury Records. It follows the success of their 1990 album The Revival, which had extended their popularity beyond R&B audiences and into the mainstream.
Dangerous is the eighth studio album by American singer Michael Jackson. It was released by Epic Records on November 26, 1991, more than four years after Jackson's previous album, Bad (1987). Co-produced by Jackson, Bill Bottrell, Teddy Riley, and Bruce Swedien, the album was Jackson's first since Forever, Michael (1975) without longtime collaborator Quincy Jones. Guest appearances include Heavy D, Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, Slash and Wreckx-n-Effect. The album incorporates R&B, pop and new jack swing, a popular genre at the time. Elements of industrial, funk, hip hop, electronic, gospel, classical and rock are also present. Jackson wrote or co-wrote 12 of the album's 14 songs, discussing topics like racism, poverty, romance, self-improvement, multiculturalism and the welfare of children and the world.
The Future is the second studio album by American R&B group Guy, released in November 13, 1990, on Uptown Records. It was their last album before their reunion a decade later.
