A major player in the neo-soul armada that took both the pop and R&B worlds by storm in the late-1990s/early-2000s, Jill Scott got her start touring with the likes of Erykah Badu and the Roots. With a background in both poetry and musical theater, Sc…

The mid-'90s urban music scene may have been dominated by rap acts, but such sexy soul artists as Maxwell, Tevin Campbell, and especially D'Angelo balanced things out. D'Angelo revisited the smooth and soulful sounds of such legendary '60s crooners a…

Exploding into super-stardom, actress/singer/philanthropist Lauryn Hill has become an icon of social consciousness. Influenced by Bob Marley, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and the whole of '60s and '70s protest music, Hill first garnered public attenti…

In the hip-hop mid 1990s, neo-traditionalist R&B singer Maxwell had the nerve to look back to the aesthetics of '70s soul for inspiration, specifically to the influence of Al Green and Marvin Gaye. More surprisingly, he was able to pull it off, becom…

Before even having a record in the stores, the members of the UK-bred neo soul duo Floetry, singers Marsha Ambrosius and Natalie Stewart, were already songwriting veterans, having penned songs for renowned figures such as Michael Jackson, Glenn Lewis…

A singer whose music is as exotic and elegant as her image, Sade utilized sultry, jazz-tinged vocals and smooth pop arrangements to become, deservedly, one of the most successful international stars of the 1980s. Her voice is a subtle thing, breathy …

Precocious R&B vocalist/pianist Alicia Keys was hand-picked by Clive Davis as one of the flagship artists for his post-Arista label, J Records. No doubt he was as impressed by her multitude of skills (Keys took a large role in the writing, arranging,…

One of the most promising talents of the neo-soul movement, Anthony Hamilton was by no means an overnight success. After releasing 1996's excellent XTC to almost zero commercial response, Hamilton chose to work behind the scenes as a songwriter for v…

New York native Mary J. Blige was one of the first female artists to successfully merge classic soul sounds with modern day hip-hop, resulting in a string of hit singles and albums in the 1990s and early 2000s. Her influence was felt quickly by other…

Though it appears that he emerged fully-formed in 2004 from the mind of Kanye West, John Legend got his start on the East Coast in the mid 1990s as John Stephens, a promising neo-soul piano-player and songwriter. After he garnered the attention of La…

It was Angie Stone's vocal talent that shot Vertical Hold's urban dance hit, "Seems You're Much Too Busy," to the upper reaches of the charts in 1993. But it wasn't until 1999 that Stone got around to issuing her first solo album, BLACK DIAMOND, whic…

The turn of the century was awash with young R&B performers purveying roots-conscious "neo-soul" that owed more to Marvin Gaye than to R. Kelly. Following close behind the likes of Maxwell, Macy Gray, and D'Angelo was the talented Taalib Johnson, bet…

Born Goapele Mohlabane in Oakland CA this singer grew up in a socially conscious and politically active family Her mother married South African political exile Douglas Mohlabane while studying in Nairobi Kenya At an early age Goapele attended the Ber…

b. Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. Perhaps best known as the singer for the short-lived mid-90s R&B outfit, Groove Theory, Amel Larrieux has also lent her vocal talents to recordings by several renowned outfits, in addition to launching a so…

b. Bilal Sayeed Oliver, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. This talented R&B singer-songwriter and keyboard player received formal training in voice and jazz and big band arrangements at the Mannes Music Conservatory in New York. Back in Philadelphia h…

In the wake of Michael Jackson's monster success with THRILLER, most of his brothers and sisters tried their hands at launching similarly styled solo careers, with varying degrees of success. But the only one to become a major recording figure on her…

Featuring an infamous human beatbox/turntable backing up three MCs, the Roots have elevated hip-hop music by using live instrumentation instead of samples. Performing in the underground hip-hop circuit since 1987, the group has made waves in both the…

Born Lonnie Rashied Lynn in Chicago, the rapper who would become an integral part of the 1990s underground hip-hop scene started out as Common Sense. His 1992 debut CAN I BORROW A DOLLAR? showcased a politically conscious, musically eclectic artist i…

b. Andwele Gardner, Detroit, Michigan, USA. That this innovative nu-soul artist's full first name means "God has brought me" in Swahili is frequently cited as fitting for a man considered as an outstanding talent. This may be overstating the case but…