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. In 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 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 artists who heavily 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.
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".
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.
The discography of Ludacris, an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia, consists of nine full studio albums along with two compilation albums, one extended play (EP), six mixtapes, nine promotional singles and 89 singles—including 51 as a featured artist. Out of the dozens of singles released by or featuring Ludacris, 35 have charted within the Top 40 of the US Hot 100 chart. Of his nine solo studio albums, four of those records have topped the Billboard Hot 200 albums chart, and four have peaked within the Top 5.
Blackstreet is the debut studio album from American R&B group Blackstreet, released in 1994 on Interscope Records. The group was formed by Riley with Chauncey Hannibal after the dissolution of Teddy Riley's former group Guy. The other members of Blackstreet - Joseph Stonestreet and Levi Little - were session singers alongside Hannibal on Bobby Brown's third album Bobby, an album that was mostly produced by Riley. They recorded one song for the soundtrack of the Chris Rock film CB4 called "Baby Be Mine". Before they could record an album, Stonestreet left the group and was replaced by former Force One Network singer Dave Hollister. When they re-recorded "Baby Be Mine" for their self-titled debut, Hollister's vocals were added on the album version of the song.
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.
The discography of Ja Rule, an American rapper. He has released seven studio albums and twenty singles.
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.
New Jack Swing is a song by Wreckx-N-Effect from their 1989 debut album Wrecks-N-Effect, The song hit number one on the Billboard Rap chart. It featured samples of The Village Callers' 1967 song "Hector", Parliament's 1975 song "Give Up the Funk", and James Brown’s Funky Drummer, Funky President and Soul Power. The single reached number one on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart.
Wrecks-n-Effect is the debut album released by Wrecks-n-Effect. It was released on September 12, 1989 for 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.
Hard or Smooth is the second album released by Wreckx-n-Effect. It was released on November 24, 1992, for MCA Records and featured production from Teddy Riley, Ty Fyffe, Riley's engineers Franklyn Grant and David Wynn and Wreckx-n—Effect. This marked Wreckx-n-Effect's first album following the death of member Brandon Mitchell, who was shot to death in 1990.
Raps New Generation is the third and final album released by Wreckx-n-Effect. It was released on September 24, 1996 for MCA Records and featured production from Teddy Riley, "Lil" Chris Smith, Markell Riley and Aqil Davidson. Raps New Generation was both a critical and commercial flop and was the group's only album not to chart on the Billboard 200. The single "Top Billin'" produced by "Lil" Chris Smith and Aqil Davidson however, made it to 38 on the Hot Rap Tracks.
"Rump Shaker" is a song by American hip-hop group Wreckx-N-Effect. It was released in August 1992 as the lead single from their second album, Hard or Smooth (1992). It features production and guest vocals from Teddy Riley, brother of former Wreckx member Markell Riley.
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.
Redhead Kingpin and the F.B.I. was an American hip hop/new jack swing group best known for its debut single and highest-charting song, "Do the Right Thing" from its album A Shade of Red, which peaked at No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart in 1989. The song was featured on the soundtrack of Wes Craven's horror film The People Under the Stairs.
"Ruffneck" is a hip hop song recorded by American rapper MC Lyte. It was published on May 27, 1993 by First Priority Music and Atlantic Street, as the lead single from her fourth studio album, Ain't No Other (1993). The song was produced by Aqil Davidson with Walter "Mucho" Scott, who along with Lyte have songwriting credits.
"I Go On" is the second and final single from MC Lyte's fourth album Ain't No Other. Produced by Tyrone Fyffe, Franklin Grant and Wreckx-n-Effect's Markell Riley, it was released on November 4, 1993.
Aqil Davidson, sometimes socially referred to as A-Plus or Empra, is an American lyricist, hip-hop artist, and record producer. He is known for being front man and lead rapper of hip-hop / new jack swing brand Wreckx-n-Effect and writing, producing, and being featured on songs by Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown, MC Hammer, MC Lyte, and Guy.
