Mary J. Blige is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Awards, twelve NAACP Image Awards, and twelve Billboard Music Awards, including the Billboard Icon Award. She has been nominated for three Golden Globe Awards and two Academy Awards, including one for her supporting role in the film Mudbound (2017) and another for its original song "Mighty River", becoming the first person nominated for acting and songwriting in the same year.
Angela Lisa Winbush is an American R&B/soul singer-songwriter, musician and record producer who rose to fame first in the 1980s R&B duo René & Angela, also scoring hits as a solo artist. To date, Winbush has sold over 10 million albums and singles worldwide.
Janet Jackson is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Janet Jackson, released on September 21, 1982 by A&M Records. Janet Jackson is described as a dance and contemporary R&B record. Songwriters Angela Winbush and René Moore contributed to much of the album's lyrics. Moore and Winbush share production credits with Foster Sylvers, Jerry Weaver, and Bobby Watson. On release Janet Jackson charted on the Billboard 200 and in New Zealand. Three singles from the album had little impact on Billboard Hot 100 charts, among them "Young Love", "Come Give Your Love to Me" and "Say You Do", though these singles achieved success on the R&B charts. Jackson performed "Young Love" and "Say You Do" on American TV shows American Bandstand and Soul Train in 1982. The cover artwork of Jackson's body submerged in water was based on a photo of Elizabeth Taylor. Worldwide, the album has sold 300,000 copies.
Gerald Maxwell Rivera, known mononymously as Maxwell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to prominence following the release of his debut studio album Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite (1996), which received widespread acclaim, and spawned the singles "Ascension " and "Sumthin' Sumthin'". The album has since been cited by music critics for helping form the "neo soul" movement that gained popularity during the late 1990s.
"Young Love" is a song by American recording artist Janet Jackson from her self-titled debut album (1982). It was written and produced by René Moore, Angela Winbush, with additional production by Bobby Watson. It was released as Jackson's debut single on July 7, 1982, by A&M Records. Prior to her rise to fame, the singer had no interest in pursuing a musical career. Despite this, she was motivated to pursue a career in entertainment, and considered the idea after recording herself in the studio. After acting in the variety show The Jacksons, she began starring in several TV series and commenced recording her debut album.
"Nobody's Supposed to Be Here" is the lead single released by Canadian recording artist Deborah Cox from her second studio album One Wish (1998). The song was released on the same day as the album on September 15, 1998 by Arista Records. It is written by Montell Jordan and its producer Anthony "Shep" Crawford. It is Cox's most successful song, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks, and spending a then-record 14 weeks at number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. In 2017, Billboard ranked the song at number five on its "Greatest of All Time Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs" chart.
"Angel" is the debut solo single by American R&B singer Angela Winbush. The track was released in 1987 as the first single from her debut album, Sharp on Polygram Records. As half of the duo of René & Angela, Winbush had two number-one R&B hits with "Save Your Love " and "Your Smile." After a decade, René Moore and Winbush went their separate ways. "Angel", her solo-debut, spent two weeks at the top of the US Billboard R&B chart. It was also named by Billboard the number nine most successful R&B single of 1987. Despite the success, "Angel" did not make the Billboard Hot 100.
"It's the Real Thing" is a 1989 song by American R&B singer Angela Winbush. It is the lead single from her second studio album, The Real Thing. The track was an R&B hit which peaked to number two on the R&B Singles chart. Actor Don Cheadle appears in the music video for the song.
Angela Winbush is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Angela Winbush, released on March 15, 1994 on Elektra Records. The album features two versions of the Marvin Gaye classic "Inner City Blues"; the album version and a radio edit.
"Love Shoulda Brought You Home" is the debut solo single by American singer Toni Braxton. It was written by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Daryl Simmons, and Bo Watson and produced by Edmonds and Simmons along with L.A. Reid. Originally written for singer Anita Baker, who had to decline due to her pregnancy, it was eventually recorded by Braxton and featured on the soundtrack to Reginald Hudlin's romantic comedy film Boomerang (1992). The song was later also included on Braxton's self titled debut album (1993). Lyrically, the slow-groove R&B song is saga of betrayal and infidelity that depicts a heartbroken Braxton.
"Step in the Name of Love (Remix)" is a hit song by R&B singer R. Kelly. Taken from the 2003 album Chocolate Factory, the song became the tenth single from Kelly (and the final one to date) to reach #1 on the R&B chart, particularly on the strength of the song's remix. It also peaked at number nine on the pop charts on December 2, 2003. The original "Step in the Name of Love", which is on the unreleased 2002 album "Loveland" as well as the Chocolate Factory album, described a dance style initially created in Chicago called "stepping". That dance, and the music associated with it, was heavily featured on disc one of his 2004 double album, "Happy People/U Saved Me". The song became an impromptu "anthem" for steppers and the dance. In the UK, the song was a double A-side with "Thoia Thoing".
"I Have Learned to Respect the Power of Love" is song was written by Angela Winbush and René Moore, of the singing duo Rene & Angela.The song first appeared on the self-titled album, "Alton McClain & Destiny" as "The Power of Love". This album was later re-released as It Must Be Love. Alton McClain & Destiny are best known for their disco song, "It Must Be Love."
"Candy Rain" is the title of a number-one R&B hit single by Soul for Real, released in 1994 on Uptown Records. The song was written by Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Hamish Stuart, Dwight Myers, Malik Taylor, Owen McIntyre, Samuel Barnes, Jean-Claude Olivier, and Terri Robinson, and spent three weeks at No. 1 on the US R&B chart and peaked at No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks. The song also reached No. 1 on Billboard's Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover airplay chart and was a moderate success on mainstream Top 40 radio, peaking at No. 21 in the spring of 1995 on Radio & Records CHR/Pop tracks chart. It was certified gold by the RIAA and sold 800,000 copies. It features rapper Heavy D in the video and the song is regarded as the group's signature song. The song has a remix by Heavy D and samples the 1974 hit song "Mr. Magic" by Grover Washington, Jr. Bruno Mars has covered this song during his The Moonshine Jungle Tour. The bassline of this song was sampled from Minnie Riperton's "Baby, This Love I Have" which is the first song from her 1975 album Adventures in Paradise.
"Practice What You Preach" is the title of a number-one R&B single by singer Barry White, written by White, Gerald Levert, Edwin Nicholas, from White's 1994 album The Icon Is Love. The hit song spent three weeks at number-one on the US R&B chart and reached 18 on the pop chart. It became a gold record. The 1994 single also won a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Song of the Year.
"Cry for You" is a song by American R&B group Jodeci recorded for their second album, Diary of a Mad Band (1993). The song was released as the album's lead single in November 1993. It peaked at number fifteen on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and also spent four weeks at number one on the R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart, and number one Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop airplay chart. The song was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales in excess of 500,000 units.
"Can We Talk" is a song recorded by American R&B singer Tevin Campbell. It was written and produced by Babyface and Daryl Simmons and served as the first single to be released from Campbell's second studio album I'm Ready (1993). The song hit top ten on the pop charts peaking at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent a total of three weeks at number one on the US R&B chart. It sold 500,000 copies and earned a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The song was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and won the Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single – Male.
"Just Kickin' It" is a song by American R&B group Xscape. Written by Jermaine Dupri and Manuel Seal, the song was released as Xscape's first single from the group's 1993 debut album, Hummin' Comin' at 'Cha. The single became the group's most commercially successful hit, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and spending four weeks at number one on the Hot R&B Singles chart.
"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.
"Your Body's Callin" is a song by American singer and songwriter R. Kelly, released in April 1994 as the third single from his debut album, 12 Play (1993). It peaked at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top 40 in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Kelly also released a remix as a B-side to the single featuring Aaliyah called the "Your Body's Calling His N Hers Mix".
"Something in the Way " is a 1989 single by Stephanie Mills from her album Home. It was Mills' fourth R&B number one on Billboard's Top R&B Songs chart. The single was both written and produced by Angela Winbush, who had overseen her first R&B number one I Have Learned to Respect the Power of Love in 1986.
