Joanna Noëlle Levesque, known professionally as JoJo, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She began performing in singing competitions and local talent shows as a child. In 2003, record producer Vincent Herbert noticed her after she competed on the television show America's Most Talented Kids and asked her to audition for his record label Blackground Records. After signing with the label, JoJo released her eponymous debut studio album in 2004. It peaked at number four on the US Billboard 200 and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), selling over four million copies worldwide to date.
American singer-songwriter JoJo has released six studio albums, two mixtapes, two extended plays (EP), two re-recordings, twenty-one singles, fifteen promotional singles and 34 music videos. After JoJo competed on the television show America's Most Talented Kids she signed a seven-album record deal with Blackground Records in 2003 and released her eponymous debut album the following year at the age of 13.
Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo is an American R&B singer-songwriter and rapper from Los Angeles, California. Aiko embarked on her musical career in 2002, as a backing vocalist and music video performer for the R&B group B2K. She was signed by their record label, The Ultimate Group that same year and was marketed as the "cousin" of B2K member Lil' Fizz to cultivate her own following, although they are not related. Her debut album, slated for a 2003 release through the label with Epic Records, was shelved due to Aiko instead further pursuing her education.
Diana Gordon, previously known by her stage name Wynter Gordon, is an American singer and songwriter. She began her career writing music for other artists, later signing with Atlantic Records where she started to work on her own album. Her debut album With the Music I Die was released in 2011, with its lead single "Dirty Talk" receiving triple platinum and gold certifications in Australia and the United Kingdom. She began going by her birth name in 2016, and released the extended plays Pure (2018) and Wasted Youth (2020)
Tinashe Jorgensen Kachingwe, known mononymously as Tinashe, is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress. Born in Lexington, Kentucky, Tinashe moved to Pasadena, California as a child, where she pursued work in entertainment. Her notable roles include a motion-capture performance in the animated film The Polar Express (2004), Robin Wheeler in the Cartoon Network television series Out of Jimmy's Head (2007–2008), and a recurring role in the CBS series Two and a Half Men (2008–2009).
"Deuces" is a song written and performed by American singer Chris Brown featuring fellow American musicians Tyga and Kevin McCall. Produced by McCall, "Deuces" was released digitally on June 25, 2010, as the lead single from Brown's first collaborative effort with Tyga, titled Fan of a Fan (2010). The song is a slow, down-tempo R&B ballad featuring elements from the genres of house and pop music, while the song is lyrically about "breaking it off with a girl after failed attempts to make the relationship work". "Deuces" was later included on Brown's fourth studio album, F.A.M.E. (2011).
"Poison" is a song that was recorded by American singer Beyoncé for the 2009 deluxe edition of her third studio album, I Am… Sasha Fierce (2008) and the EP titled I Am... Sasha Fierce – The Bonus Tracks (2009). It was written by Johntá Austin, Mikkel S. Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermansen of the production team Stargate and Beyoncé while the production was handled by the later two. The song leaked online in August 2009 prior to the release of the deluxe edition of I Am… Sasha Fierce. During that month, it was included on a mixtape by DJ Haze titled Big R&B Ego.
Agápē is the second mixtape by American pop-R&B singer JoJo. It is of EP length, unlike the previous mixtape. The mixtape was announced in early November 2012. JoJo recorded material specifically intended for the mixtape as she did not want to keep her fans waiting for new music any longer. Released on her 22nd birthday on December 20, 2012, it marked the follow-up to her 2010 mixtape Can't Take That Away from Me, which spawned the single and video for "In the Dark". The mixtape's first single "We Get By" was released for free online on November 15, 2012 on JoJo's official SoundCloud with a limited number of downloads, with JoJo stating that "there's a limit on the download because we want you to download the entire mixtape once it's released". She recorded the song with a group of her friends known as The Backpackkids who all got together to create what they call "genre-less music".
Souled Out is the debut studio album by American singer Jhené Aiko. It was released on September 9, 2014, by ArtClub International, ARTium Recordings, and Def Jam Recordings. After leaving Epic Records in 2003, Aiko took a hiatus from her music career and returned in 2011, with the release of her debut mixtape Sailing Soul(s). After raising her profile with the mixtape, Aiko met with record producer No I.D., and subsequently secured a recording contract with his newly found record label imprint, ARTium. Following her record deal, Aiko immediately began working on the album; during the recording process, Aiko released her debut EP Sail Out (2013), to bridge the gap between her mixtape and the album.
RockaByeBaby is the first mixtape by American singer Cassie, released on April 11, 2013, by Bad Boy Records. It was her first full-length project released since her self-titled debut studio album Cassie (2006). Following the premiere of the track "King of Hearts" in February 2012, which was initially announced as the lead single from her upcoming second studio album, Cassie announced that she would be releasing a mixtape. The mixtape's concept is based on the 1991 film New Jack City.
Sail Out is the debut extended play (EP) by American recording artist Jhené Aiko, released on November 12, 2013 through Def Jam Recordings. It was Aiko's first release under the label after leaving her contract with Sony Music in 2003. After leaving Sony Music, Aiko released her first mixtape Sailing Soul(s) (2011), independently; the mixtape featured appearances from well-known artists and was met with generally positive reviews and was nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards. . In 2012, Aiko met with American record producer and vice president of A&R at Def Jam No I.D., who ended up signing Aiko to his Artium Records imprint, through Def Jam.
"Bed Peace" is a song by American recording artist Jhené Aiko, taken from her debut EP, Sail Out (2013). The song was first premiered in July 2013 during a performance for Rap-Up Sessions, "Bed Peace" was later released as the EP's lead single on September 17, 2013, through ARTium record and Def Jam Recordings. The song was produced by frequent collaborator Fisticuffs and features a guest appearance from American rapper Childish Gambino, who co-wrote the song along with Aiko.
"Thirsty" is a promotional single by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey from her fourteenth studio album, Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse. It was co-written by Carey in collaboration with Hit-Boy, Denesia Andrews and MaryAnn Tatum. Carey and Hit-Boy also produced it, with co-production from Rey Reel. The alternate version of "Thirsty", featuring one rap verse from American rapper Rich Homie Quan, received its radio premiere on Power 105.1 on May 13, 2014, a day before the album version featuring just Carey was made available to stream. It has been described as a "club-friendly" R&B song influenced by hip hop, which makes use of a minimal synth beat.
American rapper Angel Haze has released one studio album, one internet album, two extended plays (EPs), four mixtapes and nineteen singles. In July 2012, after releasing two prior mixtapes, Haze released a mixtape Reservation online for free. The title is inspired by the act of reserving a table at a restaurant, saying "[...] For me, it's like that with the rap industry. I made my reservation there [...] and now I'm finally arriving". The lead single "New York" peaked at number 58 on the UK Singles Chart, and number 12 on the UK R&B Singles Chart. Shortly after, Haze released a commercial EP compiled of tracks from Reservation, titled New York, followed by a fourth mixtape, Classick. Throughout late 2013, during the run-up to the release of the debut album, Haze released a cover of a popular song every day, for thirty days. Most famous from these freestyles was the adaptation of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis's track "Same Love", which discusses childhood, prejudice, homophobia and sexuality. The series was dubbed 30 Gold.
Jeremy Dussolliet, known professionally as Kinetics is a rapper and songwriter based in New York City who has been releasing hip-hop projects since 2008. He has collaborated with R.A. the Rugged Man, Skyzoo, Remedy from Wu-Tang Killa Bees, Termanology, Accent, the Unknown Prophets and others, but is best known for his work with friend and longtime collaborator, NYC producer One Love. In 2009, Kinetics & One Love started releasing experimental hip-hop projects and writing and producing for other artists.
Mad Love is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter JoJo. The album was released on October 14, 2016, through Atlantic Records. Incorporating a base core of R&B, pop and soul music, it serves as her first major album release in a decade following 2006's The High Road. JoJo co-wrote every song on the album while also providing vocal production every song. The album was JoJo's only album release under Atlantic Records, as she left in August 2017 to form her own label under Warner Records.
"FAB is a song by American R&B singer-songwriter JoJo featuring American rapper Remy Ma from her third studio album Mad Love (2016). FAB is an acronym for Fake Ass Bitches. It was written by Joanna Levesque, Jussi Karvinen, Hayley Warner, Jason Dean, Joseph Kirkland and Reminisce Smith, while production was helmed by Jussifer. Originally released as a promotional single on September 22, 2016, the song was released as the second single from the album on November 29, 2016. Musically, "FAB" is a mid-tempo pop song with R&B influences. Lyrically, the song is an anthem that rallies against all "fake ass bitches", but also celebrates the "real ones".
"Joanna" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter JoJo, released on October 11, 2019 by Clover Music and Warner Bros. Records. The song marks her first original release since the creation of Clover Music and the singer signing to Warner Bros. Records.
Marcos Palacios, known professionally as Kosine, is an American music producer and songwriter. As a member of the production duo Da Internz, Palacios is known for producing songs such as Big Sean's "Dance (A$$)" (2011), Rihanna's "Birthday Cake" (2011), and Nicki Minaj's "Anaconda" (2014). From 2018, Palacios worked as a soundtrack producer for the television series Empire and Star, debuting as an actor on Star. Palacios has worked as a talk show host on BET's Mancave (2018) and Kingz with Kosine (2020).
