Robert Barisford Brown Sr. is an American singer and rapper. Brown, alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, is noted as one of the pioneers of new jack swing: a fusion of hip hop and R&B. Brown started his career in the R&B and pop group New Edition, from its inception in 1978 until his exit from the group in December 1985.
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.
New Edition is an American R&B/pop group from the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1978 by singer/rapper Bobby Brown with Ralph Tresvant serving as the group's lead singer for over 40 years. Their name is taken to mean a new edition of the Jackson 5. The group reached its height of popularity in the 1980s and is considered the blueprint for what would become the modern boy band. The lineup originally consisted of Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Ronnie DeVoe, Bobby Brown, and Ralph Tresvant, the lead singer. Brown left the group in late 1985 to begin a successful solo career, and they continued as a quartet for one album, before adding Johnny Gill to the lineup in 1987. Early hits included "Candy Girl", "Cool It Now", and "Mr. Telephone Man". Tresvant was the lead singer on most of the songs. In 1990, both Gill and Tresvant released their own solo albums, while the remaining three members formed the trio Bell Biv DeVoe; the group ceased to work together for the first half of the 1990s.
Thomas John Dowd was an American recording engineer and producer for Atlantic Records. He was credited with innovating the multitrack recording method. Dowd worked on a veritable "who's who" of recordings that encompassed blues, jazz, pop, rock, and soul records.
R U Still Down? is the sixth studio album and second double album by American rapper, 2Pac, released on November 25, 1997. It is his second posthumous release and the first to be released without his creative input and contains previously unreleased material from the time period of his albums Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., Thug Life: Volume 1 and Me Against the World. Throughout the album, 2Pac airs his views on life from a time before he became involved in the controversial East Coast–West Coast rivalry. His lyrics foreshadow his death in songs like "Open Fire", "Thug Style" and "Only Fear of Death." The album spawned two hits, "Do for Love" and "I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto", of which "Do for Love" was certified Gold by the RIAA. R U Still Down? sold 549,000 copies in its first week, and topped the R&B charts in the United States for three weeks.
Don't Be Cruel is the second studio album by American singer Bobby Brown. It was released in the United States on June 20, 1988, by MCA Records. MCA changed producers for this album and had Brown work with hit-making songwriting and production duo Babyface and L.A. Reid. Brown dedicated the album to his deceased best friend James "Jimbo" Flint who was stabbed to death when Brown was aged 11. Don't Be Cruel incorporates new jack swing, R&B, funk, dance and soul.
Philadelphia Freeway is the debut studio album from Philadelphia rapper Freeway. It was released under Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings. The most successful single was "Flipside", which featured Peedi Crakk. The single debuted at #95 on The Billboard Hot 100 music chart. It can also be found in the soundtrack to Bad Boys II. The lead single that was released was "What We Do", which featured Beanie Sigel & Jay Z. The single debuted at #97 on The Billboard 100 music charts. Most of the songs were produced by Just Blaze while some were produced by Bink! & Kanye West.
Anghellic is the national debut studio album by American rapper Tech N9ne from Kansas City, Missouri. It was released on August 28, 2001 via Universal Music Group imprint JCOR Entertainment, and was re-released as Anghellic: Reparation in 2003 via Strange Music after conflicts with JCOR Entertainment during its original release. The album peaked at number 59 on the Billboard 200.
Thug Matrimony: Married to the Streets is the sixth studio album by American rapper Trick Daddy. It was released on October 26, 2004 via Slip-N-Slide/Atlantic Records. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 with 145,000 copies sold in the first week released. It was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on December 1, 2004.
"Heaven" is a song by American singer John Legend. It was written by Legend along with label boss Kanye West, Jessyca Wilson and his brother Vaughn Stevens for his second studio album Once Again (2006). Production was helmed by West, with Legend credited as co-producer. The song samples excerpts from "Heaven Only Knows" (1972) as performed by Monk Higgins. Due to the inclusion of the sample, Milton Bland and Alexandra Louise Brown are also credited as songwriters. The song was released as the album's second single in fall 2006.
All for Love is the third studio album by American R&B quintet New Edition, released by MCA Records on November 8, 1985. The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Also, this would be the final studio album to feature original group member Bobby Brown, who would shortly depart for a solo career until he would later return for their 1996 comeback album with the group, Home Again.
Home Again is the sixth studio album by American R&B/pop group New Edition. Released on September 10, 1996, it is the only album to date to feature all six members of New Edition—Bobby Brown, who had left the group in 1985, rejoined the lineup—and was their final recording for MCA Records. Highly anticipated, and being their first album since, Heart Break (1988), the album debuted on the US Billboard 200 at number one, becoming the group's first album to open at number one, selling 227,000 in its first week sales. It also topped the Irish Albums Chart, and the US Billboard R&B Albums Chart as the group's first album in twelve years to do so since their self titled album in 1984. The album's success spawned four singles that collectively received moderate Billboard chart success. It was certified double platinum by the RIAA, for sales and shipments of over two million copies on February 4, 1997.
Gerald E. "The Gov" Brown is a recording engineer, mixer and music producer based in Los Angeles, best known for his work with artists including Whitney Houston, John Legend, Earth, Wind & Fire, Madonna, Sting, Prince, Phil Collins, Marcus Miller, Wayne Shorter and Victor Wooten. He is credited on multiple RIAA Gold and Platinum certified albums.
The Tunnel is a collaborative album by American DJs Funkmaster Flex and Big Kap. It was released on December 7, 1999, via Def Jam Recordings.
Psycadelik Thoughtz is the twelfth mixtape by American rapper B.o.B. The album was released on August 14, 2015, by Grand Hustle Records, Atlantic Records and Rebel Rock Entertainment. The song "Back and Forth" was released online a day before the album release.
Black Market is the eighth studio album by American rapper Rick Ross. The album was released on December 4, 2015, by Maybach Music Group and Def Jam Recordings. The album features guest appearances from John Legend, CeeLo Green, Nas, DJ Premier, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Chris Brown, Future and The-Dream.
Bad Habits is the second studio album by Canadian rapper Nav. It was released through XO Records and Republic Records on March 22, 2019. The album features guest appearances from The Weeknd, Meek Mill, Young Thug, Gunna, and Lil Durk. The deluxe edition was released four days later on March 26, 2019. It features additional guest appearances from Future and then-XO labelmate duo 88Glam. It follows his previous album, Reckless (2018), as well as his unofficial Brown Boy EP, released a week and a day before Bad Habits. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart as well as the US Billboard 200, becoming Nav's first chart-topper on both.
Indigo is the ninth studio album by American singer Chris Brown, released on June 28, 2019, by RCA Records. The album is his second double album as well as a follow-up to his eighth album Heartbreak on a Full Moon (2017). Brown enlisted and worked with several producers, including Smash David, Soundz, Hitmaka, Boi-1da, Scott Storch, OG Parker and many others. The album also features several guest appearances, including Nicki Minaj, G-Eazy, Tory Lanez, Tyga, Justin Bieber, Juicy J, Juvenile, H.E.R, Tank, Davido, Rich the Kid, Yella Beezy, Sage the Gemini, DaniLeigh, Lil Jon, Lil Wayne, Joyner Lucas, Ink, Gunna, Trey Songz and Drake.
Good Intentions is the third studio album by Canadian rapper Nav. It was released on May 8, 2020, by XO Records and Republic Records. It follows his second studio album, Bad Habits, which was released in 2019. The album features guest appearances from Young Thug, Future, Gunna, Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert, Pop Smoke, Don Toliver, and Lil Durk. The re-release of the album, titled Brown Boy 2, the deluxe edition and a sequel to his 2019 unofficial Brown Boy EP, was released three days later, on May 11, 2020. It features additional guest appearances from Quavo and Lil Duke.
Slime & B is a collaborative commercial mixtape by American singer Chris Brown and American rapper Young Thug. It was released on May 5, 2020, by Chris Brown Entertainment, LLC, under exclusive license to RCA. The mixtape includes guest appearances from Gunna, Future, Too $hort, E-40, among others. "Go Crazy" was released as the mixtape's lead single, and became one of the most successful songs for both artists, peaking at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spending more than one full year on the chart.
