1.
Lakeland, Florida
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Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, east of Tampa. According to the 2013 U. S. Census Bureau estimate and it is twinned with Richmond Hill, Ontario, Imabari, Ehime, Japan, Balti, Moldova, Portmore, Jamaica, and Chongming County, Shanghai, China through the Lakeland chapter of Sister Cities International. Native Americans began to live in the area 12,000 years ago, White settlers arrived in Lakeland in the 1870s and the city expanded in the 1880s with the arrival of rail service. Lakeland is home to the 1, 267-acre Circle B Bar Reserve, the first Paleo-Indians reached the central Florida area near the end of the last ice age, as they followed big game south. As the ice melted and sea levels rose, these Native Americans ended up staying, by the time the first Spanish conquistadors arrived, more than 250,000 Native Americans were living on the peninsula. Some of these first early tribes were the Tocobago, Timucua, in 1527, a Spanish map showed a settlement near the Rio de la Paz. The arrival of the Spanish turned out to be disastrous to these Native American tribes, within 150 years, the majority of the pre-Columbian Native American peoples of Florida had been wiped out. Those who had not succumbed to such as smallpox or yellow fever were either killed or enslaved. Little is left of these first Native Americans cultures in Polk County except for scant archaeological records, including a few personal artifacts, eventually, the remnants of these tribes merged with the Creek Indians who had arrived from the north and became the Seminole Indian tribe. Florida became a state in 1845, and Polk County was established in 1861, after the American Civil War, the county seat was established southeast of Lakeland in Bartow. Lakeland was first settled in the 1870s and began to develop as the lines reached the area in 1884. It was incorporated January 1,1885, the town was founded by Abraham Munn, who purchased 80 acres of land in what is now downtown Lakeland in 1882 and platted the land for the town in 1884. Lakeland was named for the lakes near the town site. In April 1898, the Spanish–American War began and started a crucial point in Lakelands development. While the war ended quickly and had little impact on most of the nation, the Florida peninsula was used as a point for the war. The Florida boom resulted in the construction of significant structures in Lakeland. This list includes the Terrace Hotel, New Florida Hotel, Polk Theatre, Frances Langford Promenade, Polk Museum of Art, Park Trammell Building, the city also has several historic districts with many large buildings built during the 1920s and 1940s. The Cleveland Indians held spring training there from 1923 to 1927 at Henley Field Ball Park, parks were developed surrounding Lake Mirror including Barnett Childrens Park, Hollis Gardens, and the newest, Allen Kryger Park
2.
Newark, New Jersey
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Newark is the most populous city in the U. S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County. For 2015, the Census Bureaus Population Estimates Program calculated a population of 281,944, Newark is the second largest city in the New York metropolitan area, located approximately 8 miles west of lower Manhattan. Settled in 1666 by Puritans from New Haven Colony, Newark is one of the oldest European cities in the United States and its location at the mouth of the Passaic River, has made the citys waterfront an integral part of the Port of New York and New Jersey. Today, Port Newark-Elizabeth is the container shipping terminal of the busiest seaport on the American East Coast. In addition, Newark Liberty International Airport was the first municipal airport in the United States. Several leading companies have their headquarters in Newark, including Prudential, PSEG, Panasonic Corporation of North America, Audible. com, IDT Corporation, the U. S. District Court for the District of New Jersey sits in the city as well. Local cultural venues include the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark Symphony Hall, The Prudential Center and the Newark Museum. Newark is divided into five wards, the East, West, South, North and Central wards. Newarks Branch Brook Park is the oldest county park in the United States and is home to the nations largest collection of cherry blossom trees, Newark was settled in 1666 by Connecticut Puritans led by Robert Treat from the New Haven Colony. It was conceived as an assembly of the faithful, though this did not last for long as new settlers came with different ideas. On October 31,1693 it was organized as a New Jersey township based on the Newark Tract, Newark was granted a Royal charter on April 27,1713. It was incorporated on February 21,1798 by the New Jersey Legislatures Township Act of 1798, during its time as a township, portions were taken to form Springfield Township, Caldwell Township, Orange Township, Bloomfield Township and Clinton Township. Newark was reincorporated as a city on April 11,1836, replacing Newark Township, the previously independent Vailsburg borough was annexed by Newark on January 1,1905. In 1926, South Orange Township changed its name to Maplewood, as a result of this, a portion of Maplewood known as Ivy Hill was re-annexed to Newarks Vailsburg. During the American Revolutionary War British troops made several raids into the town, the city has experienced revitalization since the 1990s. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city had an area of 26.107 square miles. It has the third-smallest land area among the 100 most populous cities in the U. S. behind neighboring Jersey City and Hialeah, the citys altitude ranges from 0 in the east to approximately 230 feet above sea level in the western section of the city. Newark is essentially a large basin sloping towards the Passaic River, historically, Newarks high places have been its wealthier neighborhoods
3.
The Notorious B.I.G.
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Christopher George Latore Wallace, better known by his stage names The Notorious B. I. G. Biggie, or Biggie Smalls, was an American rapper and he is consistently ranked as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time. Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, the following year, Wallace led his childhood friends to chart success through his protégé group, Junior M. A. F. I. A. While recording his album, Wallace was heavily involved in the growing East Coast–West Coast hip hop feud. On March 9,1997, Wallace was killed by an assailant in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. Wallace was noted for his loose, easy flow, dark semi-autobiographical lyrics, two more albums have been released since his death. He has certified sales of 17 million units in the United States and his father left the family when Wallace was two years old, and his mother worked two jobs while raising him. Wallace grew up in the Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn on 226 St. James Place near the border of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, at Queen of All Saints Middle School, Wallace excelled in class, winning several awards as an English student. He was nicknamed Big because of his size by age 10. He said he started dealing drugs when he was around the age of 12 and his mother, often away at work, did not know of her sons drug dealing until Wallace was an adult. According to his mother, Wallace was still a good student, at age seventeen, Wallace dropped out of school and became further involved in crime. In 1989, he was arrested on charges in Brooklyn. In 1990, he was arrested on a violation of his probation, a year later, Wallace was arrested in North Carolina for dealing crack cocaine. He spent nine months in jail before making bail, Wallace began rapping when he was a teenager. He entertained people on the streets and performed with groups the Old Gold Brothers. The tape was made with no serious intent of getting a recording deal. However, it was promoted by New York-based DJ Mister Cee, who had worked with Big Daddy Kane. In March 1992, Wallace was featured in The Sources Unsigned Hype column, dedicated to aspiring rappers, the demo tape was heard by Uptown Records A&R and record producer Sean Combs, who arranged for a meeting with Wallace
4.
Contemporary R&B
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Contemporary R&B, also known as simply R&B, is a music genre that combines elements of rhythm and blues, soul, funk, pop, hip hop and dance. The genre features a record production style, drum machine-backed rhythms, an occasional saxophone-laced beat to give a jazz feel. Electronic influences are becoming a trend and the use of hip hop or dance-inspired beats are typical, although the roughness. Contemporary R&B vocalists are often known for their use of melisma, popularized by such as Michael Jackson, R. Kelly, Craig David, Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston. That same year, Teddy Riley began producing R&B recordings that included hip hop influences and this combination of R&B style and hip hop rhythms was termed new jack swing and was applied to artists such as Bobby Brown, Keith Sweat, Al B. Guy, Jodeci and Bell Biv DeVoe, the style became less popular by the end of the 1990s, but later experienced a resurgence. In 1990 Mariah Carey released Vision of Love as her debut single and it was immensely popular peaking at number 1 in many worldwide charts including the Billboard Hot 100, and it propelled Mariahs carrier. The song is said to have popularized the use of melisma. During the mid-1990s, Whitney Houstons The Bodyguard, Original Soundtrack Album sold over 40 million copies becoming the best-selling soundtrack of all time. Janet Jacksons self-titled fifth studio album janet. which came after her historic multimillion-dollar contract with Virgin Records, sold over twenty million copies worldwide. Boyz II Men and Mariah Carey recorded several Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hits, including One Sweet Day, Carey also released a remix of her 1995 single Fantasy, with Ol Dirty Bastard as a feature, a collaboration format that was unheard of at this point. Carey, Boyz II Men and TLC released albums in 1994 and 1995—Daydream, II and CrazySexyCool. In the late 1990s, neo soul, which added 1970s soul influences to the hip hop soul blend, arose, led by such as DAngelo, Erykah Badu. Hill and Missy Elliott further blurred the line between R&B and hip hop by recording both styles, beginning in 1995, the Grammy Awards enacted the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album, with II by Boyz II Men becoming the first recipient. The award was received by TLC for CrazySexyCool in 1996, Tony Rich for Words in 1997, Erykah Badu for Baduizm in 1998. At the end of 1999, Billboard magazine ranked Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson as the first, simultaneously, in the second half of the 1990s, The Neptunes and Timbaland set influential precedence on contemporary R&B and hip hop music. R&B acts such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Usher, in 2001, Alicia Keys released Fallin as her debut single. It peaking at one on the Billboard Hot 100, Mainstream Top 40
5.
Soul music
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Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It combines elements of African-American gospel music, rhythm and blues, Soul music became popular for dancing and listening in the United States, where record labels such as Motown, Atlantic and Stax were influential during the Civil Rights Movement. Soul also became popular around the world, directly influencing rock music, catchy rhythms, stressed by handclaps and extemporaneous body moves, are an important feature of soul music. Other characteristics are a call and response between the lead vocalist and the chorus and a tense vocal sound. The style also occasionally uses improvisational additions, twirls and auxiliary sounds, Soul music reflected the African-American identity and it stressed the importance of an African-American culture. The new-found African-American consciousness led to new styles of music, which boasted pride in being black, Soul music dominated the U. S. R&B chart in the 1960s, and many recordings crossed over into the pop charts in the U. S. By 1968, the music genre had begun to splinter. Some soul artists developed funk music, while other singers and groups developed slicker, more sophisticated, by the early 1970s, soul music had been influenced by psychedelic rock and other genres, leading to psychedelic soul. The United States saw the development of neo soul around 1994, there are also several other subgenres and offshoots of soul music. The term soul had been used among African-American musicians to emphasize the feeling of being an African-American in the United States, according to another source, Soul music was the result of the urbanization and commercialization of rhythm and blues in the 60s. The phrase soul music itself, referring to music with secular lyrics, is first attested in 1961. The term soul in African-American parlance has connotations of African-American pride, gospel groups in the 1940s and 1950s occasionally used the term as part of their name. The jazz style that derived from gospel came to be called soul jazz, important innovators whose recordings in the 1950s contributed to the emergence of soul music included Clyde McPhatter, Hank Ballard, and Etta James. Ray Charles is often cited as popularizing the genre with his string of hits starting with 1954s I Got a Woman. Singer Bobby Womack said, Ray was the genius and he turned the world onto soul music. Charles was open in acknowledging the influence of Pilgrim Travelers vocalist Jesse Whitaker on his singing style, little Richard and James Brown were equally influential. Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson are also acknowledged as soul forefathers. Cooke became popular as the singer of gospel group The Soul Stirrers
6.
Hip hop music
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It developed as part of hip hop culture, a subculture defined by four key stylistic elements, MCing/rapping, DJing/scratching with turntables, break dancing, and graffiti writing. Other elements include sampling beats or bass lines from records, while often used to refer solely to rapping, hip hop more properly denotes the practice of the entire subculture. Hip hops early evolution occurred as sampling technology and drum machines became available and affordable. Turntablist techniques such as scratching and beatmatching developed along with the breaks and Jamaican toasting, rapping developed as a vocal style in which the artist speaks or chants along rhythmically with an instrumental or synthesized beat. The Sugarhill Gangs 1979 song Rappers Delight is widely regarded to be the first hip hop record to gain popularity in the mainstream. The 1980s marked the diversification of hip hop as the genre developed more complex styles, prior to the 1980s, hip hop music was largely confined within the United States. However, during the 1980s, it began to spread to scenes in dozens of countries. New school hip hop was the wave of hip hop music, originating in 1983–84 with the early records of Run-D. M. C. The Golden age hip hop period was a period between the mid-1980s and the early 1990s. Notable artists from this era include the Juice Crew, Public Enemy, & Rakim, Boogie Down Productions and KRS-One, EPMD, Slick Rick, Beastie Boys, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane, Ultramagnetic MCs, De La Soul, and A Tribe Called Quest. Gangsta rap is a subgenre of hip hop that often focuses on the violent lifestyles, in the West Coast hip hop style, G-funk dominated mainstream hip hop for several years during the 1990s. I. G. In the 1990s, hip hop began to diversify with other regional styles emerging, such as Southern rap, at the same time, hip hop continued to be assimilated into other genres of popular music, examples being Neo soul and nu metal. Hip hop became a pop music genre in the mid-1990s. The popularity of hip hop music continued through the 2000s, with hip hop influences also increasingly finding their way into mainstream pop, the United States also saw the success of regional styles such as crunk, a Southern genre that emphasized the beats and music more than the lyrics. Starting in 2005, sales of hip hop music in the United States began to severely wane, during the mid-2000s, alternative hip hop secured a place in the mainstream, due in part to the crossover success of artists such as OutKast and Kanye West. Creation of the hip hop is often credited to Keith Cowboy, rapper with Grandmaster Flash. However, Lovebug Starski, Keith Cowboy, and DJ Hollywood used the term when the music was known as disco rap. Cowboy later worked the hip hop cadence into a part of his stage performance, the first use of the term in print was in The Village Voice, by Steven Hager, later author of a 1984 history of hip hop
7.
Bad Boy Records
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Bad Boy Entertainment is an American record label founded in 1993 by Sean Combs. Today, it operates as an imprint of Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, after his climb from a non-paying internship to becoming an A&R executive at Uptown Records, Sean Puff Daddy Combs was fired in 1993 by Andre Harrell. Combs soon founded Bad Boy Records in 1993, the label’s first release was Flava In Ya Ear by Craig Mack, followed quickly by Macks debut album, Project, Funk Da World in 1994. On the heels of these releases came Juicy and Ready to Die, while Macks album went gold, Ready to Die achieved multi-platinum success. Dominating the charts in 1995, B. I. G. became one of the genre’s biggest names of the day, also in 1995, the label continued its success with platinum releases by Total and Faith Evans. The rapid success of Notorious B. I. G. and Bad Boy as a company, raised some tensions, for two years leading up to 1995, West Coast hip hop, dominated by Death Row, had been preeminent in mainstream rap music. Suge Knight, CEO of Death Row Records, held Combs responsible for the death of his friend Jake Robles. After the June 1996 release of Hit Em Up, smearing Bad Boy, Tupac was shot in Las Vegas on September 7,1996 soon after attending the Mike Tyson-Bruce Seldon boxing match at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. Tupac was pronounced dead on September 13, Bad Boy Records issued a statement of condolences. On March 9,1997, while Bad Boy were preparing the release of Biggies double album Life After Death, he was shot, the deaths of Biggie and Tupac left many to speculate if the coastal hostility had been responsible for their murders. The police investigations were criticized by public and judicial sources, posthumously, Biggie’s Life After Death reached number one on the Billboard Top 200. Its first two singles, Hypnotize and Mo Money, Mo Problems also topped the singles charts, the album eventually sold over 10 million copies in the United States alone, and is one of the highest selling rap albums ever in the U. S. In 1996, Puff Daddy had begun recording his own debut album. The first single, Cant Nobody Hold Me Down, peaked at one on the rap, R&B. In response to Biggie’s death, the label rush-released a Puff Daddy tribute song, Ill Be Missing You, which featured Biggies widow, Faith Evans, and Bad Boys R&B singing group 112. The single topped the charts for weeks and became the hasty second single from Combs’ album, No Way Out. Mase, Combs’ newest protégé, in the meantime was immediately thrust into the void that Biggie left and his own debut album, Harlem World, also released the same year, would go 4x platinum. Due to the successes of Life After Death, No Way Out and Harlem World, by the end of 1997, Bad Boy as a label
8.
BMG Rights Management
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BMG Rights Management GmbH is an international music company focused on the management of music publishing, recording rights and music distribution. The company operates as a division of the media conglomerate Bertelsmann. The company was established in 2008 as a joint venture between Bertelsmann and the private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. In March 2013, Bertelsmann took over BMG by acquiring KKRs shares, making BMG a fully owned subsidiary of the Bertelsmann group. The companys head office is in Berlin, and it operates offices in New York, Nashville, Los Angeles, London, Madrid, Paris, Stockholm, Hilversum, Beijing, Toronto, Sydney. BMG is the youngest major international company in the music industry, the formation of the company was first announced in October 2008 shortly following Bertelsmanns sale of its music interests to Sony Music Entertainment. BMG opened their first offices in January 2009 in Paris, London, Milan, Madrid, Amsterdam, the company trades under the name BMG Chrysalis in the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Sweden. BMG in 2010 made its biggest acquisition at the time with the purchase of Cherry Lane Music, the Cherry Lane roster of clients includes Elvis Presley, John Denver, the Black Eyed Peas, etc. The acquisition gave BMG a major presence in the U. S, in 2012, BMG was the fourth-largest music publisher in the world, based on revenue. BMG acquired Sanctuary Records Group from Universal Music Group for over €45 million in February 2013, the previous BMG had distributed Sanctuary in certain territories. The deal was approved by the EU in May 2013, in March 2013, Bertelsmann took over BMG by acquiring KKRs shares, making BMG a fully owned subsidiary of the Bertelsmann group. In 2014, it was the most successful publisher in Germany. Soon after completing its acquisition of Mute Records and Sanctuary, BMG arranged for INgrooves to distribute the catalogues in North America, also, Depeche Mode will be distributed through Sony Music Entertainment, while Black Sabbath remained at Universal Music Group until March 2014. Then in 2014, BMG signed multi-platinum selling group Day26, in November 2014, BMG acquired Union Square Music. BMG completed the purchase of Oregon-based metal and hard rock label Rise Records, home to The Devil Wears Prada, Of Mice & Men, in 2015, the Berlin-based company became the 5th biggest recorded music company in the UK. In April 2016, BMG signed a deal with Warner Music Group. On March 7,2017, BMG announced that it would transfer the worldwide rights to 95,000 tracks and 8,000 albums to Warners Alternative Distribution Alliance division. At the end of May 2016, BMG expanded into Brazil by acquiring the local publisher Basement Music, in July 2016, BMG completed two major acquisitions
9.
Capitol Records
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Capitol Records, LLC is an American record label which operates as a division of the Capitol Music Group. The label was founded as the first West Coast-based record label in the United States in 1942 by three industry insiders named Johnny Mercer, Buddy DeSylva and Glenn Wallichs, in 1955, the label was acquired by the British music conglomerate EMI as its North American subsidiary. EMI was later acquired by Universal Music Group in 2012 and was merged with the company in 2013, making Capitol Records, Capitol Records circular headquarter building located in Los Angeles is a recognized landmark of California. Mercer first raised the idea of starting a company while golfing with Harold Arlen. By 1941, Mercer was a songwriter and a singer with multiple successful releases. Mercer next suggested the idea to Wallichs while visiting his record store, Wallichs expressed interest in the idea and the pair negotiated an agreement whereby Mercer would run the company and identify their artists, while Wallichs managed the business side. On February 2,1942, Mercer and Wallichs met with DeSylva at a Hollywood restaurant to inquire about the possibility of investment of the company from Paramount Pictures, while DeSylva declined the proposal, he handed the pair a check worth $15,000. On March 27,1942, the three men incorporated as Liberty Records, in May 1942, the application was amended to change the companys name to Capitol Records. On April 6,1942, Mercer supervised Capitols first recording session where Martha Tilton recorded the song Moon Dreams, on May 5, Bobby Sherwood and his orchestra recorded two tracks in the studio. On May 21, Freddie Slack and his orchestra recorded three tracks in the studio, one with the orchestra, one with Ella Mae Morse called Cow-Cow Boogie, on June 4,1942, Capitol opened its first office in a second-floor room south of Sunset Boulevard. On that same day, Wallichs presented the companys first free record to Los Angeles disc jockey Peter Potter, on June 5,1942, Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra recorded four songs at the studio. On June 12, the recorded five more songs in the studio. On June 11, Tex Ritter recorded Jingle Jangle Jingle and Goodbye My Little Cherokee for his first Capitol recording session, and the songs formed Capitols 110th produced record. 133 - Get On Board Little Chillun - July 31,1942 - is a Freddie Slack/Ella Mae Morse/Mellowaires recording that might be the first rock n roll record and she has sometimes been called the first rock n roll singer. A good example is her 1942 recording of song which, with strong gospel, blues, boogie. Bone Walker recorded Mean Old World a pioneering example of the use of electric guitar. The earliest recording artists included co-owner Mercer, Whiteman, Tilton, Morse, Margaret Whiting, Jo Stafford, the Pied Pipers, Johnnie Johnston, Tex Ritter, Capitols first gold single was Morses Cow Cow Boogie in 1942. Capitols first album was Capitol Presents Songs By Johnny Mercer, a three 78-rpm disc set with recordings by Mercer, Stafford and the Pied Pipers, all with Westons Orchestra
10.
Entertainment One Music
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Entertainment One Music, a primary division of Entertainment One, is an independent record label in the United States. It has garnered the most Billboard hits of any independently owned music label in history and it is also distributed by the Universal Music Group in Europe under the name eOne Universal. On January 22,2009, Koch Records was officially branded as E1 Music by parent company Entertainment One, E1 Entertainment acquired KOCH Entertainment in June 2005, and renamed the company E1 Music. Since its inception as KOCH Records, E1 Music has charted over 100 albums on Billboards Independent Chart, E1 Music has been the number one independent label according to Billboard for the last six years and quickly grew to become North Americas largest independently owned and distributed record label. E1 Music covers all genres from adult-contemporary to rock, hip hop/urban to country. E1 Music was formed in January 1987 as Koch Records to serve as the North American umbrella for Koch Entertainment. They would sign many country, classical, and rock acts including Ringo Starr, Joan Baez, Chris Brubeck, Bob James, the label soon began to gain ground on the other independent record labels in the United States. In the 2000s, they began to sign hip hop acts. They signed various distribution deals with labels like Open Bar Entertainment, Terror Squad, D-Block Records, in 2004, they were able to sign a deal with Snoop Dogg and his Doggystyle Records along with Mobb Deep. They hired Snoop Dogg on to head up their western spin off Koch West, Koch also added onto their roster, Camron and his Diplomat Records. Diplomat rapper, Jim Jones would rise to prominence on the label through the deal, Koch later signed Yonkers rapper, J-Hood and his label On Da Grind Ent. Koch has also had releases from 2Pac, Tha Dogg Pound, Kurupt, Daz Dillinger and Gangsta Advisory. In 2007, when they signed J-Hood they gave him a big position in their Koch East division, J-Hood never released this album and he was booted from D-Block. In 2007, they signed a deal with Foxy Brown and her Black Rose Entertainment, as well as with Ray J. Slim Thug was signed to the label along with his Boss Hoggs label in late 2005. Latin Thug Records was formed by CEO Reyes to build a business with his brother and acting VP of A&R Mellow Man Ace that would focus on releasing personal projects. The label represents the extended Latin Thug family, including projects from Sen and Mellow and collaborations with B Real, Soul Assassins. In March 2008, the company signed neo-soul singer Dwele to their lineup, in October 2008, they signed also pop-jazz singer Basia, and released her comeback album Its That Girl Again a year later. Koch Records also releases music, such as Pokémon, Barney, Sesame Street, The Wiggles
11.
Sean Combs
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Sean John Combs, also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, Puffy, P. Diddy and Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, record producer and entrepreneur. He was born in Harlem and was raised in Mount Vernon and he worked as a talent director at Uptown Records before founding his label Bad Boy Entertainment in 1993. His debut album No Way Out has been certified seven times platinum and was followed by successful albums such as Forever, The Saga Continues. in 2009 Combs formed the musical group Diddy – Dirty Money and released the critically well-reviewed and commercially successful album Last Train to Paris. Combs has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and is the producer of MTVs Making the Band, in 2016 Forbes estimated Combs net worth at $750 million. Sean John Combs was born on November 4,1969 in Harlem in Manhattan, New York City, and was raised in Mount Vernon, New York. His mother, Janice, was a model and teachers assistant and his father, at age 33, Melvin was shot to death while sitting in his car on Central Park West, when Combs was 2 years old. Combs graduated from the Roman Catholic Mount Saint Michael Academy in 1987 and he played football for the academy, and his team won a division title in 1986. Combs said that he was given the nickname Puff as a child, after dropping out of Howard University in 1990, after two years as a business major, Combs became an intern at New Yorks Uptown Records. While talent director at Uptown, he helped develop Jodeci and Mary J. Blige, in his college days Combs had a reputation for throwing parties, some of which attracted up to a thousand participants. In 1991, Combs promoted an AIDS fundraiser with Heavy D held at the City College of New York gymnasium, the event was oversold, and a stampede occurred in which nine people died. In 1993, after being fired from Uptown, Combs established his new label Bad Boy Entertainment as a joint venture with Arista Records, taking then-newcomer The Notorious B. I. G. with him. Both The Notorious B. I. G. and Craig Mack quickly released hit singles, followed by successful LPs, Combs signed more acts to Bad Boy, including Carl Thomas, Faith Evans,112, Total, and Father MC. The Hitmen, his production team, worked with Jodeci, Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil Kim, TLC, Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, SWV, Aretha Franklin. Mase and The Lox joined Bad Boy just as a widely publicized rivalry with the West Coasts Death Row Records was beginning, Combs and The Notorious B. I. G. were criticized and parodied by Tupac Shakur and Suge Knight in songs and interviews during the mid-1990s. During 1994–1995, Combs produced several songs for TLCs CrazySexyCool, which finished the decade as number 25 on Billboards list of top pop albums of the decade, in 1997, under the name Puff Daddy, Combs recorded his first commercial vocal work as a rapper. His debut single, Cant Nobody Hold Me Down, spent 28 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and his debut album, No Way Out, was released on July 1,1997, through Bad Boy Records. Originally titled Hell up in Harlem, the album underwent several changes after The Notorious B. I. G. was killed on March 9,1997, several of the labels artists made guest appearances on the album. No Way Out was a significant success, particularly in the United States, four other singles, Cant Nobody Hold Me Down, Its All About the Benjamins, Been Around the World, and Victory, were also released
12.
Mary J. Blige
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Mary Jane Blige is an American singer, songwriter, model, record producer and actress. My Life, in particular, is considered among the greatest albums ever recorded according to Rolling Stone, Time, for her part in combining hip hop and soul in the early 1990s and its subsequent commercial success, Blige received the Legends Award at the World Music Awards. Blige made Time magazines Time 100 list of individuals around the world in 2007. As of 2013, Blige has sold more than 50 million albums and 25 million singles worldwide, Billboard ranked Blige as the most successful female R&B artist of the past 25 years. The magazine also lists her 2006 song Be Without You as the top R&B song of the 2000s, in 2011, VH1 ranked Blige as the 80th greatest artist of all time. Moreover, she is ranked number 100 on the list of 100 greatest singers of all time by Rolling Stone magazine, in 2012, VH1 ranked Blige at number 9 in The 100 Greatest Women in Music. Blige also earned high remarks for her work in film and she starred in the 2009 Tyler Perry box-office hit I Can Do Bad All By Myself and played a role in the film Rock of Ages. She received a Golden Globe Award nomination for her contribution to the film The Help. In partnership with the Home Shopping Network and Carols Daughter, Blige released her My Life perfume, the perfume broke HSN records by selling 65,000 bottles during its premiere. The scent went on to win two FiFi Awards, including the Fragrance Sales Breakthrough award, in 2017, she stars in the period drama film Mudbound directed by Dee Rees. Blige spent her years in Richmond Hill, Georgia, where she sang in a Pentecostal church. Blige later moved to Schlobohm Houses in Yonkers, New York, immediately north of New York City, Blige dropped out of high school in her junior year. Pursuing a musical career, Blige spent a period of time in a Yonkers band named Pride with band drummer Eddie DAprile. In early 1988, she recorded a cover of Anita Bakers Caught Up in the Rapture at a recording booth in the Galleria Mall in White Plains. Her mothers boyfriend at the later played the cassette for Jeff Redd. Redd sent it to the president and CEO of the label, Harrell met with Blige and in 1989 she was signed to the label, becoming the companys youngest and first female artist. After being signed to Uptown Records, Blige began working with record producer Puff Daddy and he became the executive producer and produced a majority of the album. Derived from Bliges past occupation as a 4-1-1 operator, it was also an indication by Blige of being the real deal, the music was described as revelatory on a frequent basis
13.
Keyshia Cole
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Keyshia Cole is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, businesswoman, and television personality. She was born in Oakland, California and her career began when she met MC Hammer at the age of 12, and later met rapper Tupac Shakur. At the age of 18, she moved to Los Angeles and was introduced to A&M Records. She released her album, The Way It Is, which spawned five singles, Never, I Changed My Mind, To Be Over, I Should Have Cheated. It was certified gold within 17 weeks, and then platinum just eight weeks later, the album stayed on the charts for over a year, selling over 1.6 million copies. Cole released her second album Just like You, and the album debuted and peaked at two on the Billboard 200. It was nominated for Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 50th Grammy Awards, the album has been certified platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America, and has sold 1.7 million copies in the U. S. A Different Me is Coles third album, released in 2008, the album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 322,000, the highest of Coles career. The album has certified platinum by the RIAA. Calling All Hearts is Coles fourth album, released on December 21,2010 in the United States by Geffen Records, the album debuted and peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200, with first week sales of 129,000. The album has sold 400,000 copies in the U. S. as of November 2012, Coles fifth album Woman to Woman debuted at number 10 on the Billboard 200, with first week sales of 96,000, lower than her last effort. The album has sold 329,000 copies in the U. S. as of September 2013. Coles sixth album Point of No Return was released on October 7,2014, along with her music, Cole has ventured into reality television. Her second reality show, Family First premiered on October 9,2012 and her third reality show Keyshia Cole, All In premiered on February 24,2015. Keyshia Cole was born on October 15,1981 in Oakland, California, Cole and Hunter met for the first time in 2016 after a paternity test confirmed their connection. She was adopted at age two by family friends Leon and Yvonne Cole, changing her last name to Cole, at age 12, Cole was introduced into the music industry, along with her brother Sean, where she met and recorded with MC Hammer. She later formed a friendship with Tupac Shakur, who promised to help her start her singing career asking her to write a book on his project the night he died unexpectedly. Cole moved to Los Angeles at 18 to pursue a music career, during this time, Cole collaborated with artists from her native Bay Area, among them DWayne Wiggings of Tony Toni Tone and Messy Marv
14.
Anastacia
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Anastacia Lyn Newkirk is an American singer-songwriter, producer and former dancer. She is best known for her pop music of the early 2000s which had a significant impact in Europe. Her first two albums Not That Kind and Freak of Nature were released in succession to major success. Spurred on by the multi-platinum, global smash Im Outta Love and her commercial appeal continued with international hits such as Paid My Dues, One Day In Your Life and the official song of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Boom. After recovering from cancer, she returned with 2004s Anastacia which deviated from previous albums into pop-rock, peaking at number one in 11 countries, it became Europes second biggest selling album of the year. Its lead Left Outside Alone remained at one on the European Billboard chart for 15 weeks. In 2005, the multi-platinum compilation project Pieces of a Dream was released which spawned the chart topping duet with Eros Ramazzotti, Anastacia established herself as one of the top selling international female pop-singers of the 2000s before taking a hiatus in late 2006. She has sold over 52 million records worldwide and has topped the U. S. dance chart on two separate occasions. In 2014, Anastacia made a comeback with her studio album Resurrection, which reached the top ten in the Italian, Netherlands, Switzerland, German. Her Ultimate Collection was released in 2015 and peaked in the top ten of the UK charts, known for her powerful mezzo-soprano voice and her small stature of 5 feet 2 inches, she has been dubbed the little lady with the big voice. Also famed for her glasses, she underwent corrective lasic surgery in August 2005. During her life Anastacia has battled many health problems and she was diagnosed with Crohns disease at age 13, breast cancer at age 34, and supraventricular tachycardia at age 39. In 2013 Anastacia was diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time, on October 1,2013 to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Anastacia informed the media that she had undergone a double mastectomy. Anastacia was born in Chicago, Illinois, her late father Robert Newkirk was a club-singer and her mother Diane Hurley an actress on Broadway, after her father left the Newkirk family, they moved to New York City when she was a teenager. Then she enrolled at the Professional Childrens School in Manhattan, Anastacia was diagnosed with Crohns disease when she was thirteen. Despite her illness she soon became interested in dance, at age 19, a diet triggered a Crohns relapse. Despite her ongoing health problems Anastacia continued to pursue her ambitions for the next decade, Anastacia started her career in 1983 as a dancer for hire. Her first claim to fame was as a dancer, making regular appearances in the mid-1980s and early-90s on MTVs Club MTV
15.
New Jersey
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New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania, New Jersey is the fourth-smallest state but the 11th-most populous and the most densely populated of the 50 United States. New Jersey lies entirely within the statistical areas of New York City. New Jersey was inhabited by Native Americans for more than 2,800 years, in the early 17th century, the Dutch and the Swedes made the first European settlements. New Jersey was the site of decisive battles during the American Revolutionary War in the 18th century. In the 19th century, factories in cities such as Camden, Paterson, Newark, Trenton, around 180 million years ago, during the Jurassic Period, New Jersey bordered North Africa. The pressure of the collision between North America and Africa gave rise to the Appalachian Mountains, around 18,000 years ago, the Ice Age resulted in glaciers that reached New Jersey. As the glaciers retreated, they left behind Lake Passaic, as well as rivers, swamps. New Jersey was originally settled by Native Americans, with the Lenni-Lenape being dominant at the time of contact, scheyichbi is the Lenape name for the land that is now New Jersey. The Lenape society was divided into clans that were based upon common female ancestors. These clans were organized into three distinct phratries identified by their animal sign, Turtle, Turkey, and Wolf and they first encountered the Dutch in the early 17th century, and their primary relationship with the Europeans was through fur trade. The Dutch became the first Europeans to lay claim to lands in New Jersey, the Dutch colony of New Netherland consisted of parts of modern Middle Atlantic states. Although the European principle of ownership was not recognized by the Lenape. The first to do so was Michiel Pauw who established a patronship called Pavonia in 1630 along the North River which eventually became the Bergen, peter Minuits purchase of lands along the Delaware River established the colony of New Sweden. During the English Civil War, the Channel Island of Jersey remained loyal to the British Crown and it was from the Royal Square in St. Helier that Charles II of England was proclaimed King in 1649, following the execution of his father, Charles I. The North American lands were divided by Charles II, who gave his brother, the Duke of York, the region between New England and Maryland as a proprietary colony. James then granted the land between the Hudson River and the Delaware River to two friends who had remained loyal through the English Civil War, Sir George Carteret and Lord Berkeley of Stratton, the area was named the Province of New Jersey. Since the states inception, New Jersey has been characterized by ethnic, New England Congregationalists settled alongside Scots Presbyterians and Dutch Reformed migrants
16.
Faith (Faith Evans album)
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Faith is the debut album by American R&B singer Faith Evans, released by Bad Boy Records on August 29,1995 in the United States. Featuring main production by The Hitmen members Sean Puff Daddy Combs and Chucky Thompson, as well as Mark Ledford, Herb Middleton, and Jean-Claude Olivier, among others. The album, which spawned the gold-certified hits You Used to Love Me, Faith contains a cover of the Rose Royces single Love Dont Live Here Anymore which featured an appearance from Mary J. Blige on the albums original pressings. Producer Chucky Thompson- who helmed most of the album- recalls meeting Evans for the first time by her doing vocal production work on Ushers album, though she initially was a protégé of Al B. Sure. s, she signed to Bad Boy and insisted on Thompson producing her entire album after hearing him playing music on the piano in the studio. The second single Soon As I Get Home was done to pass the time at the studio because Thompson had a flight to catch later that day. As he was about to leave, he received a call from Combs insisting he record the music Evans heard him play before he got on the plane, Evans later left a message on Thompsons answering machine- which was the song she wrote and recorded. Thompson said the song was finished and he didnt add any other touches to it, another song on the album, You Dont Understand, was primarily influenced by Evans marriage to The Notorious B. I. G. The music of R. Kelly was the inspiration for the musical arrangement. The third single from the album was the song Aint Nobody, Thompson said it was influenced by the song Cant Let Her Get Away by Michael Jackson from his 1991 album Dangerous. When he started on the music, he didnt do the tracking until after Combs came to hear the song and gave him the go ahead to track it. When Thompson attempted the first time after Combs left, the plug came out from the machine, the final single released from the album, Come Over, was initially supposed to be an interlude. However, Evans insisted the interlude should be made into a full song, another album track on Faith, All This Love was written by Evans and her boyfriend prior to her marriage to The Notorious B. I. G. But Thompson revealed the music was composed five years before he met Evans, the CD bonus track Reasons featured uncredited background vocals from Blackstreet member Dave Hollister. The reason for his appearance was due to Evans and Blackstreet recording their albums at the same studio. Also originally planned as an interlude, Blackstreet member and producer Teddy Riley came looking for Hollister, Riley then suggested to Combs that it should be made into a full song. Faith was recorded primarily at The Hit Factory and Combs personal studio Daddys House Recording- both of which were based in New York City, Faith became a success based on the hit singles You Used to Love Me, Soon as I Get Home and Aint Nobody. The album was certified Platinum with over 1,500,000 copies sold, Faith received critical acclaim upon its release
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Keep the Faith (Faith Evans album)
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Keep the Faith is the second album by American singer Faith Evans. It was released on Bad Boy Records and peaked at number 6 on the U. S. Billboard 200, the album has been certified Platinum by the RIAA. Two years in the making, Evans second solo effort, Keep the Faith, was released during October 1998, almost entirely written and produced by her, Evans considered the album difficult to complete as she had initially felt discouraged about the progress at first. Upon its release, however, the album garnered positive reviews by music critics
18.
Faithfully (Faith Evans album)
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Faithfully is the third studio album by American singer Faith Evans, released by Bad Boy Records in the United States on November 6,2001. Featuring production by Sean Combs, The Neptunes, Cory Rooney, Michael Angelo Saulsberry, Mario Winans and this was the last album by Faith Evans to be recorded with Bad Boy Records before her split in 2003. Alone in This World contains a sample from Who Shot Ya. by Notorious B. I. G, I Love You contains a sample from Make a Little Love to Me by Isaac Hayes. Back to Love contains a sample from Last Night a D. J, Faithful contains a sample from Faithful to the End by D. J. Cant Believe contains a sample from Phone Tap by The Firm, dont Cry contains a sample from Mainstream by OutKast. Faithfully contains a sample from Juicy Fruit by Mtume, where We Stand contains a sample from Never Say Die by Michael Franks. Heaven Only Knows contains a sample from Thats Alright With Me by Esther Phillips, Faith Evans at MySpace Faith Evans discography, forum, and marketplace at Discogs Faith Evans at AllMusic
19.
The First Lady (Faith Evans album)
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The First Lady is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Faith Evans. Released by Capitol Records, it marked Evans debut on the EMI subsidiary, despite this, the singer reunited with much of her frequent contributors to work on the album, including The Neptunes, Chucky Thompson, and Mario Winans. Duo Carvin & Ivan of Karma Productions wrote and produced the predominant part of all songs that were included in the track listing. Generally well received by critics, The First Lady debuted at two on the U. S. Billboard 200 and number one on the U. S. Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums with opening sales of 157,000 units. It remains Evans highest ranking album on chart, and the best first week sales of her career. By the end of 2005, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, in support of the album, Evans embarked on a concert tour, The First Lady Tour, in the United States and Europe in mid-2005. In 2006, it was nominated for Best Female R&B/Soul Album at the 20th Soul Train Music Awards, the title of the album was inspired by Evans original nickname with Bad Boy Records, The First Lady of Bad Boy. On her decision to use a version of the name Diddy dubbed her with, Evans commented, did carry over, cause Im the first artist in my genre at Capitol. More so, I chose the title The First Lady because a lot of my personality reminds me of people like Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, of course, they go through things, cause theyre human like all of us. But when you see the first lady, you regard her being the first lady, ive made it my business to try and handle certain turbulence in my life with a certain dignity and ladylike. The First Lady received positive reviews from most music critics upon its release, in his review for Allmusic, Andy Kellman wrote that if there was any creative block during time away, it doesnt show. In fact, The First Lady proves that she gets better with time, as she goes through more ups and downs. In review of her 2010 album Something About Faith he called The First Lady one of Faith Evans strongest albums and it smartly incorporates throwback aspects into state-of-the-art pop-soul. The Washington Post gave it a review, stating, No further proof is needed than The First Lady. The industry gave it to her—with the appendage of hip-hop soul—after she started running in the circles as Sean P. Diddy Combs. Shes still known as Biggies widow, even though she married her musical collaborator, Todd Russaw. But all the drama and the sorrow barely matter at this point, blogcritics also gave it a favorable review, stating that it is a musical mood ring, encapsulating and displaying the last ten years of her life
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A Faithful Christmas
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A Faithful Christmas is a Christmas album and the fifth studio album by American recording artist Faith Evans, released on October 25,2005 by Capitol Records. Work on the began in mid-2005 after the release of her fourth studio album The First Lady. The album received mixed reviews from critics. In his review for Allmusic, Andy Kellman from wrote that the album sounded very uneven and he criticized A Faithful Christmas for switching between thoroughly modern and classic Christmas songs, calling Evanss original material on the album spirited but bland. He however praised her version of The Day That Love Began. People magazine writer Chuck Arnold felt that the girliness of Santa Baby and playfulness of Mistletoe, more fittingly, the CD closes with O Come All Ye Faithful. Sample credits Christmas Wish samples from Merry Christmas Baby by American singer James Brown, faithEvansMusic. com Faith Evans at MySpace Faith Evans - AllMusic
21.
Something About Faith
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Something About Faith is the fifth studio album by American singer Faith Evans, released on Prolific Music Group on October 5,2010 in the United States. The album attained a UK release on December 6,2010, the project involves production by Chucky Thompson, Mike City, and Salaam Remi, among others and Evans collaborated with singer Keyshia Cole, and rappers Redman, Snoop Dogg and Raekwon for the album. The albums first single, Gone Already, was released in August 2010, the song was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for the 2011 Grammy Awards. Gone Already was released as the lead single on August 10,2010. Promoted by live performances on The Wendy Williams Show on October 8,2010, Gone Already spent seventeen weeks on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart where it peaked at number 26. The song was promoted with the release of a music video on Evans. Right Here goes for adds at Urban AC on 4/12/11 as the official single. Upon its release, Something About Faith received generally mixed to positive reviews from most music critics, on the contrary Mark Edward Nero of About. Likewise, Melanie Sims of The Canadian Press described the album as being a batch of soulful yet predictable ballads, noting Party as sounding dated, credits from UrbanBridgez. com and BestBuy. com FaithEvansMusic. com Faith Evans at MySpace Faith Evans at AllMusic
22.
Murder of Christopher Wallace
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The murder of Christopher Wallace, also known as The Notorious B. I. G. and Biggie Smalls, occurred on the night of March 9,1997. The rapper was shot four times in a shooting in Los Angeles, California. Wallace travelled to Los Angeles, California in February 1997 to promote his second studio album. On March 5, he gave a interview with The Dog House on KYLD in San Francisco. Life After Death was scheduled for release on March 25,1997, on March 7, he presented an award to Toni Braxton at the 1997 Soul Train Music Awards in Los Angeles and was booed by some of the audience. The following evening, March 8, Wallace attended a party hosted by Vibe magazine. Other guests included Faith Evans, Aaliyah, Sean Combs, and members of the Bloods and Crips gangs. On March 9,1997, at 12,30 AM, Wallace traveled in the front passenger seat alongside his associates, Damion D-Roc Butler, Junior M. A. F. I. A. Member Lil Cease, and driver Gregory G-Money Young, Combs traveled in the other vehicle with three bodyguards. The two trucks were trailed by a Chevrolet Blazer carrying Bad Boys director of security, by 12,45 AM, the streets were crowded with people leaving the event. Wallaces SUV stopped at a red light on the corner of Wilshire Boulevard, a dark-colored Chevrolet Impala SS pulled up alongside Wallaces SUV. The driver of the Impala, a male dressed in a blue suit and bow tie, rolled down his window, drew a 9 mm blue-steel pistol and fired at the GMC Suburban. Wallaces entourage rushed him to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where doctors performed an emergency thoracotomy and his autopsy was released to the public in December 2012,15 years after his death. According to the report, three of the four shots were not fatal, the report said that the third bullet struck the left side of the scrotum, causing a very shallow, 3⁄8 inch linear laceration. The fourth bullet was fatal, entering through his hip and striking several vital organs. That bullet struck his colon, liver, heart, and upper lobe of his left lung, on March 9,2017, exactly 20 years after his death, thousands of fans paid tribute to Wallace and his impact on hip-hop music. Immediately following the shooting, reports surfaced linking the murder with that of Tupac Shakur, in 1997, Los Angeles Times authors Chuck Philips and Matt Laitt reported that the key suspect was a member of the Crips acting in service of a personal financial motive. The book stated that one of Macks alleged associates, Amir Muhammad, was the hitman who killed Wallace, the theory was based on evidence provided by an informant, and resemblance of Muhammed to the facial composite
23.
112 (band)
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112 is an American R&B quartet from Atlanta, Georgia. Formerly artists on Bad Boy Records, the group signed to the Def Soul roster in 2002 and they had great success in the late 1990s and early 2000s with hits such as Only You, Anywhere and the Grammy-nominated single, Peaches and Cream. The group most notably won a Grammy Award in 1997 for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, for featuring in the song Ill Be Missing You with Sean Combs, the group had its start when the members met while attending high school. The original group consisting of Daron Jones, Michael Keith, & Reginald Finley sang together while Jones & Keith were in middle school & Finley was in high school. Once they joined Finley in high school they met fellow schoolmate Aldon Lagon who was working at a local McDonalds in Atlanta & added him due to his bass voice. They then met a high tenor vocalist Marvin Scandrick they sang with in the school chorus. Known as Forte at the time, the group performed talent shows and performed at churches, the group then changed their name from Forte to 112 after the Atlanta club where Combs first had the boys to audition. Soon afterwards they found living in New York City, recording their debut album 112. Released in 1996, the album went double platinum. The album which was produced by Tim & Bob entered into the top 5 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart. It featured the hit singles Only You and Cupid, both of which peaked at #13 on the Hot 100 and #3 and #2 on the R&B charts respectively, the group also contributed to records by artists including The Notorious B. I. G. In the years followed, they toured with other performers such as Whitney Houston. A series of tracks by 112 populated the charts in 1997, beginning with the Tim & Bob produced single Come See Me. Cupid, Produced by Arnold Hennings, released in May, made the top 10 and was certified gold in the same month, another 1997 single, Ill Be Missing You, hit the top 40 in June and was certified triple platinum by July. Attaining the number one position by August, the song won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1997. Ill Be Missing You sat at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for eleven weeks, the track also topped the R&B singles, R&B singles sales, and rap singles charts for eight weeks running. The group booked tours with the Isley brothers, Keith Sweat, and New Edition, as well as with Puff Daddy, the group spent 18 successive months on the road fulfilling tour commitments. Their second album, Room 112 was released in 1998, and featured the hits, Love Me featuring Mase, both the album and the song Love Me were certified gold
24.
I'll Be Missing You
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Wallace, who was murdered on March 9,1997. Released as the single from Puff Daddy and the Familys No Way Out album, Ill Be Missing You samples The Polices 1983 hit song Every Breath You Take. The track also features a spoken intro over a version of Samuel Barbers Adagio for Strings. In 1998, the won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. The single spent 11 weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100 during the summer of 1997, as of February 2016, it is rated the 99th biggest song of all time in the US, according to Billboard. The song, a rap ballad, had already been completed before permission was granted to use the sample from The Polices Every Breath You Take, sting ultimately participated in a performance of Ill Be Missing You at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards. Sting owns 100% of the publishing royalties, as well as using the melody and arrangement of Every Breath You Take, the single also borrows the melody from the well-known American spiritual Ill Fly Away. There are several different versions of song, one being an extended version, another without the choir. In the extended version of the song the choir is singing in the beginning of Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber. Entertainment Weekly gave the song a grade of D, and described it as a tribute to the Notorious B. I. G. The late rappers former mentor and wife team up to say their farewells to the big man on a song that samples the Polices Every Breath You Take. With lyrics like Know youre in heaven, smiling down/Watching us as we pray for you, the music video was shot on April 6,1997 in Chicago, and was directed by Hype Williams. Numerous scenes of Puff Daddy and Faith Evans were filmed in the artistically illuminated passenger walkway tunnel between OHare International Airport Terminal 1 Concourses B and C, Ill Be Missing You topped many charts across the world. It reached number one in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Norway, Denmark and Poland. The song spent a record-breaking 11 weeks at No.1 on the Hot 100, the song re-entered the UK Singles Chart at #32 on July 8,2007, ten years after it had its full physical release and 10 years after it was No.1
25.
Grammy Award
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A Grammy Award, or Grammy, is an honor awarded by The Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the mainly English-language music industry. The annual presentation ceremony features performances by prominent artists, and the presentation of awards that have a more popular interest. It shares recognition of the industry as that of the other performance awards such as the Emmy Awards, the Tony Awards. The first Grammy Awards ceremony was held on May 4,1959, to honor, following the 2011 ceremony, The Academy overhauled many Grammy Award categories for 2012. The 59th Grammy Awards, honoring the best achievements from October 2015 to September 2016, was held on February 12,2017, the Grammys had their origin in the Hollywood Walk of Fame project in the 1950s. The music executives decided to rectify this by creating a given by their industry similar to the Oscars. This was the beginning of the National Academy of Recording Arts, after it was decided to create such an award, there was still a question of what to call it, one working title was the Eddie, to honor the inventor of the phonograph, Thomas Edison. They finally settled on using the name of the invention of Emile Berliner, the gramophone, for the awards, the number of awards given grew and fluctuated over the years with categories added and removed, at one time reaching over 100. The second Grammy Awards, also held in 1959, was the first ceremony to be televised, the gold-plated trophies, each depicting a gilded gramophone, are made and assembled by hand by Billings Artworks in Ridgway, Colorado. In 1990 the original Grammy design was revamped, changing the traditional soft lead for a stronger alloy less prone to damage, Billings developed a zinc alloy named grammium, which is trademarked. The trophies with the name engraved on them are not available until after the award announcements. By February 2009,7,578 Grammy trophies had been awarded, the General Field are four awards which are not restricted by genre. Album of the Year is awarded to the performer and the team of a full album if other than the performer. Record of the Year is awarded to the performer and the team of a single song if other than the performer. Song of the Year is awarded to the writer/composer of a single song, Best New Artist is awarded to a promising breakthrough performer who releases, during the Eligibility Year, the first recording that establishes the public identity of that artist. The only two artists to win all four of these awards are Christopher Cross, who won all four in 1980, and Adele, who won the Best New Artist award in 2009 and the other three in 2012 and 2017. Other awards are given for performance and production in specific genres, as well as for other such as artwork. Special awards are given for longer-lasting contributions to the music industry, the many other Grammy trophies are presented in a pre-telecast Premiere Ceremony earlier in the afternoon before the Grammy Awards telecast
26.
Turn It Up (film)
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Turn It Up is a 2000 action hood film. It was directed by Robert Adetuyi and stars Ja Rule, Pras, Faith Evans, the film grossed $1,247,949 during its brief theatrical run. Turn It Up received negative reviews critics, as it holds a rating of 8% on Rotten Tomatoes. Turn It Up at the Internet Movie Database Turn It Up at Rotten Tomatoes Turn It Up at Box Office Mojo
27.
African Americans
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African Americans are an ethnic group of Americans with total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. The term may also be used to only those individuals who are descended from enslaved Africans. As a compound adjective the term is usually hyphenated as African-American, Black and African Americans constitute the third largest racial and ethnic group in the United States. Most African Americans are of West and Central African descent and are descendants of enslaved peoples within the boundaries of the present United States. On average, African Americans are of 73. 2–80. 9% West African, 18–24% European, according to US Census Bureau data, African immigrants generally do not self-identify as African American. The overwhelming majority of African immigrants identify instead with their own respective ethnicities, immigrants from some Caribbean, Central American and South American nations and their descendants may or may not also self-identify with the term. After the founding of the United States, black people continued to be enslaved, believed to be inferior to white people, they were treated as second-class citizens. The Naturalization Act of 1790 limited U. S. citizenship to whites only, in 2008, Barack Obama became the first African American to be elected President of the United States. The first African slaves arrived via Santo Domingo to the San Miguel de Gualdape colony, the ill-fated colony was almost immediately disrupted by a fight over leadership, during which the slaves revolted and fled the colony to seek refuge among local Native Americans. De Ayllón and many of the colonists died shortly afterwards of an epidemic, the settlers and the slaves who had not escaped returned to Haiti, whence they had come. The first recorded Africans in British North America were 20 and odd negroes who came to Jamestown, as English settlers died from harsh conditions, more and more Africans were brought to work as laborers. Typically, young men or women would sign a contract of indenture in exchange for transportation to the New World, the landowner received 50 acres of land from the state for each servant purchased from a ships captain. An indentured servant would work for years without wages. The status of indentured servants in early Virginia and Maryland was similar to slavery, servants could be bought, sold, or leased and they could be physically beaten for disobedience or running away. Africans could legally raise crops and cattle to purchase their freedom and they raised families, married other Africans and sometimes intermarried with Native Americans or English settlers. By the 1640s and 1650s, several African families owned farms around Jamestown and some became wealthy by colonial standards and purchased indentured servants of their own. In 1640, the Virginia General Court recorded the earliest documentation of slavery when they sentenced John Punch. One of Dutch African arrivals, Anthony Johnson, would own one of the first black slaves, John Casor
28.
White Americans
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White Americans are Americans who are considered or reported as White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those having origins in any of the peoples of Europe. Like all official U. S. racial categories, White has a not Hispanic or Latino and a Hispanic or Latino component, the term Caucasian is often used interchangeably with White, although the terms are not synonymous. Whites constitute the majority, with a total of about 246,660,710, non-Hispanic Whites totaled about 197,870,516, or 62. 06% of the U. S. population. Definitions of who is White have changed throughout the history of the United States, the term White American can encompass many different ethnic groups. Although the United States Census purports to reflect a social definition of race, the 2000 U. S. census states that racial categories generally reflect a social definition of race recognized in this country. They do not conform to any biological, anthropological or genetic criteria, the Census Bureau defines White people as follows, White refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East or North Africa. It includes people who indicated their race as White or reported entries such as Irish, German, Italian, Lebanese, Arab, Moroccan or Caucasian. In U. S. Hispanic and Latino Americans as a make up a racially diverse group. In cases where individuals do not self-identify, the U. S. census parameters for race give each national origin a racial value. Additionally, people who reported Muslim, Jewish, Zoroastrian, or Caucasian as their race in the Some other race section, the US Census considers the write-in response of Caucasian or Aryan to be a synonym for White in their ancestry code listing. In the contemporary United States, essentially anyone of European descent is considered White, the definition of White has changed significantly over the course of American history. Among Europeans those not considered White at some point in American history include Italians, Greeks, Spaniards, Irish, Swedes, Germans, Finns, Russians, early on in the United States, white generally referred to those of British ancestry or northern and northwestern European descent. David R. Roediger argues that the construction of the race in the United States was an effort to mentally distance slave owners from slaves. The process of officially being defined as white by law came about in court disputes over pursuit of citizenship. Scholars such as David Roediger, Paul Gilroy, and others have based some of their work on this notion, moreover, Whites tend to be disproportionately represented in powerful positions, controlling almost all political, economic, and cultural institutions. Whites made up 79. 8% or 75% of the American population in 2008 and this latter number is sometimes recorded as 77. 1% when it includes about 2% of the population who are identified as white in combination with one or more other races. The largest ethnic groups among White Americans were Germans, followed by Irish and English, White Americans are projected to remain the majority, though with their percentage decreasing to 72% of the total population by 2050
29.
Foster care
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Foster care is a system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home, or private home of a state-certified caregiver, referred to as a foster parent. The placement of the child is normally arranged through the government or a service agency. The institution, group home or foster parent is compensated for expenses, the vast majority of children who would otherwise need foster care are in kinship care, that is, in the care of grandparents or other relatives. Most kinship care is done informally, without the involvement of a court or public organization, however, in the U. S. formal kinship care is increasingly common. In 2012, a quarter of all children in foster care were placed with relatives. In Australia foster care was known as boarding-out, Foster care had its early stages in South Australia in 1866 and stretched to the second half of the 19th century. It is said that the system was run by women until the early 20th century. Then the control was centered in many state childrens departments, although boarding-out was also implemented by nongovernment child rescue organizations, many large institutions remained. These institutions assumed an importance from the late 1920s when the system went into decline. The system was re-energized in the era, and in the 1970s. The system is still the structure for out-of-home care. The system took care of local and foreign children. New baby adoption dropped dramatically from the mid-1970s, with the tolerance of. Foster care in Cambodia is relatively new as a practice within the government. However, despite a later start, the practice is currently making strides within the country. Most notably, the found that the percentage of children within orphanages that had parents approached 80%. At the same time, local NGOs like Children In Families began offering limited foster care services within the country and these actions lead to an increase in the number of NGOs providing foster care placements, and helped to set the course for care reform around the country. Foster children in Canada are known as permanent wards, a ward is someone, in this case a child, placed under protection of a legal guardian and are the legal responsibility of the government
30.
The 5th Dimension
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The 5th Dimension is an American popular music vocal group, whose repertoire includes pop, R&B, soul, jazz, light opera and Broadway—the melange was coined as Champagne Soul. Formed as The Versatiles in late 1965, the changed its name to the hipper The 5th Dimension by 1966. The five original members were Billy Davis Jr. Florence LaRue, Marilyn McCoo, Lamonte McLemore and they have recorded for several labels over their long careers. Their first work appeared on the Soul City label, which was started by Imperial Records/United Artists Records recording artist Johnny Rivers, the group later recorded for Bell/Arista Records, ABC Records, and Motown Records. Some of the songwriters popularized by the 5th Dimension went on to careers of their own, especially Ashford & Simpson, who wrote California Soul. In the early 1960s, Lamonte McLemore and Marilyn McCoo got together with three friends from Los Angeles — Harry Elston, Lawrence Summers. and Fritz Baskett — to form a group called the Hi-Fis. In 1963, they sang at clubs while taking lessons from a vocal coach. In 1964, they came to the attention of Ray Charles and he produced a single by the group, Lonesome Mood, a jazz-type song that gained local attention. However, internal disagreements caused Elston to go his way, eventually leading to his forming the Friends of Distinction, with latter day Hi-Fis member, McLemore sought to form another group and started looking for members to join him and McCoo. McCoo, who had studied with the vocal coach Eddie Beal, had appeared in high school. His grandmother fostered his career by arranging for private voice and acting lessons as he grew up, in his teens, he toured with Dorothy Dandridge and Nat King Cole, joined the Wings Over Jordan Choir, and played a small part in the film Porgy and Bess. He demonstrated his skill as a classical artist by placing third in the Metropolitan Opera auditions held in St. Louis, after finishing high school, he worked his way through Lincoln University by conducting the school and church choir. After graduating, he organized his own 25-member gospel choir, another of McLemores friends from St. Louis days, Billy Davis Jr. started singing in gospel choirs at an early age. He later saved enough money to buy a cocktail lounge in St. Louis, when asked to join McLemores new group, he agreed, while hoping for a solo contract from Motown. The members began rehearsing as the Versatiles in late 1965 and auditioned for Marc Gordon, who headed Motowns Los Angeles office. Although the groups demo tape was rejected by Motown, Gordon agreed to them and brought them to the attention of Johnny Rivers. Their first Soul City single, Ill Be Lovin You Forever, was a successful single, in 1965 The Mamas & the Papas first single, lead member John Phillips Go Where You Wanna Go, failed to open the foursomes chart career. The budding songwriter Jimmy Webb supplied the group with their hit, Up, Up and Away
31.
Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In
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The song peaked at number one for six weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in the spring of 1969. The single topped the American pop charts and was certified platinum in the U. S. by the RIAA. The song listed at number 66 on Billboards Greatest Songs of All Time and this song was one of the most popular songs of 1969 worldwide, and in the United States it reached the number one position on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Adult Contemporaries Chart. It also reached the top of the charts in Canada. Billboard ranked it as the No.2 record overall for 1969. The lyrics of song were based on the astrological belief that the world would soon be entering the Age of Aquarius, an age of love, light. The exact circumstances for the change are When the moon is in the seventh house and this change was presumed to occur at the end of the 20th century, however, astrologers differ extremely widely as to when. Their proposed dates range from 2062 to 2680, astrologer Neil Spencer denounced the lyrics as astrological gibberish, noting that Jupiter aligns with Mars several times a year and the moon is in the 7th House for two hours every day. These lines are considered by many to be poetic license. The American Film Institutes 100 Years.100 Songs list, published in 2004, ranked Medley, the crowd at the Woodstock Festival sang the song. The recording is featured on the double album Woodstock Two, Donna Summer, then Donna Gaines, was cast in the German version of the musical singing the lead in Wassermann, in 1968. Checkmates, Ltd. released a version of the song as part of The Hair Anthology Suite on their 1969 album, ray Stevens recorded Aquarius for his 1969 studio album Have a Little Talk with Myself. Cilla Black recorded the song for her 1969 studio album Surround Yourself with Cilla, engelbert Humperdinck recorded a cover of the song on his 1969 self-titled album. Andy Williams released a version in 1969 on his album, Get Together with Andy Williams, mercy released a version of the song on their 1969 album, Love Can Make You Happy. The instrumental band the Ventures covered the medley on their 1969 album Hawaii Five-O. Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In was also covered by the Osmonds on the 1970 album, the Undisputed Truth recorded a version called Aquarius for their 1971 self-titled LP. Charles Earland, a jazz Hammond organ player, recorded a version of song in his album Black Talk. George Shearing, a player, recorded a version of the song in 1974 on the album The Way We Are. Ren Woods Sang the song in the scene of the 1979 film adaption of the play
32.
Jazz
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Jazz is a music genre that originated amongst African Americans in New Orleans, United States, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and developed from roots in Blues and Ragtime. Since the 1920s jazz age, jazz has become recognized as a form of musical expression. Jazz is characterized by swing and blue notes, call and response vocals, polyrhythms, Jazz has roots in West African cultural and musical expression, and in African-American music traditions including blues and ragtime, as well as European military band music. Although the foundation of jazz is deeply rooted within the Black experience of the United States, different cultures have contributed their own experience, intellectuals around the world have hailed jazz as one of Americas original art forms. As jazz spread around the world, it drew on different national, regional, and local musical cultures, New Orleans jazz began in the early 1910s, combining earlier brass-band marches, French quadrilles, biguine, ragtime and blues with collective polyphonic improvisation. In the 1930s, heavily arranged dance-oriented swing big bands, Kansas City jazz, bebop emerged in the 1940s, shifting jazz from danceable popular music toward a more challenging musicians music which was played at faster tempos and used more chord-based improvisation. Cool jazz developed in the end of the 1940s, introducing calmer, smoother sounds and long, modal jazz developed in the late 1950s, using the mode, or musical scale, as the basis of musical structure and improvisation. Jazz-rock fusion appeared in the late 1960s and early 1970s, combining jazz improvisation with rock rhythms, electric instruments. In the early 1980s, a form of jazz fusion called smooth jazz became successful. Other styles and genres abound in the 2000s, such as Latin, the question of the origin of the word jazz has resulted in considerable research, and its history is well documented. It is believed to be related to jasm, a term dating back to 1860 meaning pep. The use of the word in a context was documented as early as 1915 in the Chicago Daily Tribune. Its first documented use in a context in New Orleans was in a November 14,1916 Times-Picayune article about jas bands. In an interview with NPR, musician Eubie Blake offered his recollections of the slang connotations of the term, saying, When Broadway picked it up. That was dirty, and if you knew what it was, the American Dialect Society named it the Word of the Twentieth Century. Jazz has proved to be difficult to define, since it encompasses such a wide range of music spanning a period of over 100 years. Attempts have been made to define jazz from the perspective of other musical traditions, in the opinion of Robert Christgau, most of us would say that inventing meaning while letting loose is the essence and promise of jazz. As Duke Ellington, one of jazzs most famous figures, said, although jazz is considered highly difficult to define, at least in part because it contains so many varied subgenres, improvisation is consistently regarded as being one of its key elements
33.
Fordham University
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Fordham University is a private, independent research university in New York City, founded by the Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841. It is the oldest Catholic institution of education in the northeastern United States. The colleges first president, John McCloskey, was also the first Catholic cardinal in the United States, after merging with Thomas More College in 1974, Fordham became a coeducational institution. Fordhams Bronx campus features some of the earliest examples of gothic architecture in North America. In addition to masters and doctoral degrees, Fordham awards the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science. In addition to locations, the university maintains a study abroad center in the United Kingdom and field offices in Spain. Fordhams notable alumni and faculty include numerous U. S, vice Chief of Staff of the Army, a U. S. Postmaster General, a U. S. Attorney General, a U. S, vice Presidential candidate, and a President of the United States. Fordham University has produced at least 119 Fulbright Scholars since 2003, Fordham was founded as St. Johns College in 1841 by the Irish-born coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of New York, the Most Reverend John J. Hughes. The college was the first Catholic institution of education in the northeastern United States. Rose Hill was the originally given to the site in 1787 by its owner, Robert Watts. The seminary was paired with St. Johns College, which opened at Rose Hill with a student body of six on June 21,1841, the Reverend John McCloskey was the schools first president, and the faculty were secular priests and lay instructors. In 1845, the church, Our Lady of Mercy, was built. The same year, Bishop Hughes convinced several Jesuit priests from the St. Marys Colleges in Maryland, in 1846, the college received its charter from the New York State Legislature, and roughly three months later, the first Jesuits began to arrive. Bishop Hughes deeded the college over but retained title to the seminary property, in 1847, Fordhams first school in Manhattan opened. The school became the independently chartered College of St. Francis Xavier in 1861 and it was also in 1847 that the American poet Edgar Allan Poe arrived in the village of Fordham and began a friendship with the college Jesuits that would last throughout his life. In 1849, he published his famed work The Bells, some traditions credit the colleges church bells as the inspiration for this poem. Poe also spent considerable time in the Fordham Library, and even stayed overnight
34.
Backing vocalist
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Backing vocalists are singers who provide vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. In some cases, a singer may sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalists entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are used in a range of popular music, traditional music. Solo artists may employ professional backing vocalists in studio recording sessions as well as during concerts, in many rock and metal bands, the musicians doing backup vocals also play instruments, such as guitar, electric bass, drums, or keyboards. In Latin or Afro-Cuban groups, backup singers may play percussion instruments or shakers while singing, in some pop and hip-hop groups and in musical theater, the backup singers may be required to perform elaborately choreographed dance routines while they sing through headset microphones. The style of singing used by backup singers varies according to the type of song, in pop and country songs, backup vocalists may perform vocal harmony parts to support the lead vocalist. In hardcore punk or rockabilly, other members who play instruments may sing or shout backup vocals during the chorus section of the songs. While some bands use performers whose sole on-stage role is performing backing vocals, two notable examples of band members who sang back-up are The Beach Boys and The Beatles. The Beach Boys were well known for their vocal harmonies, occasionally with all five members singing at once such as In My Room. All five members would sing lead, although most often Brian Wilson or Mike Love would sing lead with guitarists Carl Wilson and Al Jardine, examples of three-part harmonies by Lennon, McCartney and Harrison include Nowhere Man, Because, Day Tripper, and This Boy. Former guitarist John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers sang nearly all backing vocals often singing some parts without accompaniment from lead vocalist Anthony Kiedis, the bands bassist Flea occasionally filled in for additional vocals. Frusciante usually sang one song by himself during concerts, another example is No Frontiers by The Corrs, which is sung by Sharon and Caroline. In the recording studio, some lead singers record their own backing vocals by overdubbing, one famous example is Freddie Mercury of Queen singing the first part of Bohemian Rhapsody himself by overdubbing. With the exception of a few songs on album, Dan Fogelberg, Eddie Rabbitt, David Bowie. Some bands, such as Hawthorne Heights and Finch have the backup singers do harsh vocals to highlight specific lyrics. Pop and R&B vocalists such as Diana Ross, Ariana Grande, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Beyoncé Knowles, Brandy, Faith Evans, DAngelo, when they perform live, they may have backing vocalists that impersonate their voices. Some bands use backing vocals in order to contrast with the singer who may be performing an unusual vocal technique. In rap music, a rapper who chants and rhymes to support the main artist is often referred to as hype man
35.
My Life (Mary J. Blige album)
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My Life is the second studio album by American R&B recording artist Mary J. Blige, released on November 29,1994, by Uptown Records. Many of the topics on My Life deal with clinical depression, similar to her debut album Whats the 411. My Life features vast production from Sean Combs for his newly founded label, Bad Boy Entertainment and it also won the 1995 Billboard Music Award for Top R&B Album. Following the success of her album, Whats the 411. Producer Chucky Thompson was brought in and had originally contracted to produce one song. He ended up being a last minute replacement as the producers Blige worked with previously on Whats the 411, demanded more money when the album was certified triple platinum. Blige loved the one song Thompson produced for her, which made Combs change the direction of the album, Combs called recording engineer Prince Charles Alexander out of the blue after Jodeci went to record Diary of a Mad Band. Alexander was brought in at the end of the record, after working on albums by artists on Bad Boy Entertainment, such as Total. In the middle of recording My Life, Combs suggested covering Rose Royces 1977 hit Im Going Down, however, the two butted heads over production credit issues, as Combs wanted to give credit to himself and Thompson, although neither were present for the songs recording session. Alexander fought hard to seek credit from Combs and the two battled it out over the phone over the issue. Combs later explained it was due to receiving a royalty rate for producing the majority of the songs. To circumvent this issue, Alexander insisted on having two more sessions with Bad Boy acts, one of the other songs he produced was another Rose Royce cover - Love Dont Live Here Anymore for Faith Evans 1995 debut Faith. Alexander was later called back in to do some mixing and recording, on the song K. Murray Interlude, it originally featured The Notorious B. I. G. He was taken off due to the lyrical content, which would have forced Uptown Records to release the album with a Parental Advisory sticker. Rapper Keith Murray was the replacement, while The Notorious B. I. G. s verse would be released as the song Who Shot Ya. In this period, Blige would once again dominate the charts with her singles, the Top 40 hit Be Happy, a cover version of Im Goin Down and You Bring Me Joy. The album uses primary soul samples from R&B musicians such as Curtis Mayfield, Roy Ayers, Al Green, Teddy Pendergrass, Marvin Gaye, Barry White, Rick James, and his protégés, the Mary Jane Girls. NME wrote that the beats reign supreme and commended Blige for telling her audience she grew up the way they did
36.
Usher (musician)
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Usher Raymond IV is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. Born in Dallas, Texas but raised and lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee until moving to Atlanta, at the age of 12, his mother put him in local singing competitions, before catching the attention of a music A&R from LaFace Records. In 1994 he released his debut album, Usher. 8701 produced the number-one singles U Remind Me and U Got It Bad and it sold 8 million copies worldwide and won his first two Grammy Awards as Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 2002 and 2003. Confessions established him as one of the musical artists of the 2000s decade. Bolstered by its four consecutive Billboard Hot 100 number one singles, Burn, Confessions Part II, and My Boo, it has been certified Diamond by the RIAA. Here I Stand and Raymond v. Raymond, debuted atop of the Billboard 200, the EP, Versus, also produced the Hot 100 top-five single DJ Got Us Fallin in Love. Looking 4 Myself, also debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart, Raymond v. Raymond and Looking 4 Myself received Grammy Awards for R&B singles There Goes My Baby and Climax. Hard II Love peaked at five of the Billboard 200 albums chart. Usher has sold 23.8 million albums and 38.2 million digital songs in the United States, to date, his worldwide sales stand at 43 million albums and 75 million records overall, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Usher has won awards and accolades including 18 Billboard Music Awards and 8 Grammy Awards. Billboard also placed him at number 6 on their list of Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years, Usher has attained 9 US Hot 100 number-one singles. Considered an icon and sex symbol, he was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, in 2008, he started his own record label Raymond-Braun Media Group, a joint venture with talent manager Scooter Braun that includes Canadian singer Justin Bieber. Usher was born in Dallas, Texas, the son of Jonetta Patton, from Tennessee, Usher spent the majority of his young life in Chattanooga, his father left the family when Usher was a year old. Usher grew up with his mother, then-stepfather, and half-brother, while in Atlanta, Usher attended North Springs High School. At age 10, Usher joined an R&B local quintet called the NuBeginnings, Usher recorded 10 songs with the group in 1991, and the ensuing album, Nubeginning Featuring Usher Raymond IV, was only made available regionally and by mail order. However, Patton took him out because, according to her, the album was re-released nationally in April 2002 by Hip-O Records. At age 13, Usher would meet A. J, alexander at local talent show in Atlanta
37.
Usher (album)
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Usher is the eponymous debut studio album by American singer Usher. It was released on August 30,1994, by LaFace Records, as executive producer, Sean Puffy Combs mostly did the production work on this album, as well as the additional production that were provided by Chucky Thompson, DeVante Swing and Al B. The album debuted at number 167 on the US Billboard 200, the release of the album was accompanied by the supported of three singles, Can U Get wit It, Think of You and The Many Ways. To date, the album has sold over 200,000 copies in the United States, music called the debut album an enjoyable ride. Anderson Jones of Entertainment Weekly in a review of the album called the songs sophomoric. — denotes releases that did not chart, Usher at AllMusic Usher at Discogs
