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…

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…

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…

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…

The millenium may have gotten off on a very glitzy note (both musically and image-wise), but such up-and-coming female urban artists as Lauryn Hill, Macy Gray, and Erykah Badu made sure that soul and hip-hop retained some of their natural roots. Most…

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…

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,…

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. 22 May 1973, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Edward Ferrell of Untouchables Entertainment discovered this talented singer-songwriter at the Black Radio Exclusive Conference in Washington, DC. The ex-Heavy D associate helped Jones sign a deal with LaFace R…

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…

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…

b. Cleveland, Ohio, USA. This US modern R&B singer earned immediate comparisons to fellow Midwest native R. Kelly when he made his initial breakthrough in 2000 with the hit single "Separated". Raised in Cleveland, Avant began singing in church but fi…

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…

Nashville-born Detroit-based singersongwritermusicianproducer Kem Owens is a smooth spiritually oriented RB artist inspired by the likes of Stevie Wonder Steely Dan and Grover Washington Jr His self-released debut Kemistry sold 10000 copies and it wa…

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…

If you're looking for the perfect music to cap a romantic evening or, for that matter, get one started, slow-jam master R. Kelly might just do the trick. Whether he's turning out heart-on-sleeve love ballads (the R. Kelly-penned Michael Jackson 1995 …

R&B crooner Ginuwine has modeled his career after musical heroes Prince and Michael Jackson, and has covered tunes by both artists. However, where those performers have rock leanings, Ginuwine has rooted himself in smooth contemporary R&B with a heal…

b. 1979, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. This versatile singer benefited from the rise in popularity of the neo-soul movement around the new millennium, releasing her debut album in 2002. Green developed an early appreciation of music through her mo…

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 …

The son of jazz cellist Abdul Wadud Maryland-based RB vocalist Raheem DeVaughn kicked his career into gear after initiating a series of independent releases aided in part by the cash reward earned from winning a talent contest Jive became interested …