Name	Contemporary R&B;
Bgcolor	#0000E1
Color	white
Stylistic origins	Pop - Funk - Soul - hip hop music - R&B;
Cultural origins	Early 1980s North America; New York City, Los Angeles, Montreal, Atlanta, Chicago, Toronto, Houston
Instruments	Synthesizers - Keyboard - Drum machine
Popularity	Moderate since 1980s worldwide
Subgenrelist	List of R&B; genres
Subgenres	Quiet storm
Fusiongenres	New jack swing – Hip hop soul – Neo soul – 2-step – Rhythm & grime – Crunk & B - Snap & B
Other topics	Musicians

Contemporary R&B; (also known as simply R&B;) is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B;, pop and funk.

Although the abbreviation “R&B;” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B; is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in the 1980s. Some sources refer to the style as urban contemporary (the name of the radio format that plays hip hop and contemporary R&B;). R&B; has also been used to refer to rhythm & bass although the accuracy of this abbreviation is open to debate seeing that bass forms part of a rhythm along with the drums.

Contemporary R&B; has a polished record production style, drum machine-backed rhythms, an occasional saxophone-laced beat to give a jazz feel (mostly common in contemporary R&B; songs prior to the year 1993), and a smooth, lush style of vocal arrangement. Electronic influences are becoming an increasing trend, and the use of hip hop or dance inspired beats are typical, although the roughness and grit inherent in hip hop may be reduced and smoothed out. Contemporary R&B; vocalists are often known for their use of melisma, popularized by vocalists such as Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, That same year, Teddy Riley began producing R&B; recordings that included hip hop influences. 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, Guy, Jodeci, and Bell Biv DeVoe.

1990s

In contrast to the works of Boyz II Men, Babyface and similar artists, other R&B; artists from this same period began adding even more of a hip hop sound to their work. The synthesizer-heavy rhythm tracks of new jack swing was replaced by grittier East Coast hip hop-inspired backing tracks, resulting in a genre labeled hip hop soul by producer Sean Combs. The style became less popular by the end of the 1990s, but later experienced a resurgence.

During the mid 1990s, Michael Jackson, R Kelly, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Aaliyah, TLC, SWV and Boyz II Men brought contemporary R&B; to the mainstream. Janet Jackson's self-titled fifth studio album janet. (1993), which came after her historic multi-million dollar contract with Virgin Records, sold over twenty million copies worldwide. Boyz II Men and Carey recorded several Billboard Hot 100 #1 hits, including "Fantasy", "One Sweet Day", a collaboration between both acts, which became the longest-running #1 hit in Hot 100 history. Carey, Boyz II Men and TLC released albums in 1994 and 1995—Daydream, II , and CrazySexyCool respectively — that sold over ten million copies, earning them diamond and also making them the best selling female R&B; group of all time. RIAA certification.

In the late 1990s, neo soul, which added 1970s soul influences to the hip hop soul blend, arose, led by artists such as D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and Maxwell. Mariah Carey was well known to incorporate her pop, R&B; tunes with hip-hop and rap. 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 later received by TLC for CrazySexyCool in 1996, Tony Rich for Words in 1997, Erykah Badu for Baduizm in 1998 and Lauryn Hill for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in 1999. At the end of 1999, Billboard magazine ranked Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson as the first and second most successful artists of the 1990s.

2000s-2010s

The popularity of neo soul continues into the 21st century. Prominent 2000s neo soul artists include Alicia Keys, Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild, Anthony Hamilton, John Legend, Raphael Saadiq, Dwele, and Kem. By the 2000s, the cross-pollination between R&B; and hip hop had increased. Mainstream modern R&B; has a sound more based on rhythm than hip hop soul had, and lacks the hardcore and soulful urban "grinding" feel on which hip-hop soul relied. That rhythmic element descends from new jack swing. R&B; began to focus more on solo artists rather than groups as the 2000s progressed. Some of the most prominent R&B; musicians today include artists such as Jennifer Lopez, Ashanti, Ciara, Beyoncé, Usher, Ne-Yo, Chris Brown, Rihanna, Alexandra Burke and Trey Songz. As the 2010s approaches, R&B; music begins to revert back to more traditional elements along with an emerging hybrid with dance and electronica music that is popular in the current decade.

See also

List of R&B; musicians

Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs

List of the biggest selling R&B;/Hip Hop albums of all time in the United States

References

Category:Rhythm and blues music genres Category:African American music

Name	Beyoncé Knowles
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Beyoncé Giselle Knowles
Born	September 04, 1981Beyoncé's autograph

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles (born September 4, 1981), commonly known simply by the mononym Beyoncé ( ), is an American Pop/R&B; singer, songwriter, actress and fashion designer. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child. Knowles rose to fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the R&B; girl group Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time.

During the hiatus of Destiny's Child, Knowles released her debut solo album Dangerously in Love (2003), which spawned the number one hits "Crazy in Love" and "Baby Boy" and became one of the most successful albums of that year, earning her a then record-tying five Grammy Awards. Following the group's disbandment in 2005, Knowles released B'Day in 2006. It debuted at number one on the Billboard charts and included the hits "Déjà Vu", "Irreplaceable" and "Beautiful Liar". Her third solo album I Am... Sasha Fierce, released in November 2008, included the anthemic "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)". The album and five of its singles, as well as the song "At Last", earned her six Grammy Awards, breaking the record for most Grammy Awards won by a female artist in one night. She is the elder sister of Solange, a singer-songwriter and actress.

Knowles was schooled at St. Mary's Elementary School in Texas, where she enrolled in dance classes, including ballet and jazz. Her talent in singing was discovered when her dance instructor began humming a song and she finished it, hitting the high-pitched notes. She also attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston She only lasted in the choir for two years. West coast R&B; producer Arne Frager flew into Houston to see them. He eventually brought them to his studio, The Plant Recording Studios, in Northern California, with Knowles' vocals being featured. As part of efforts to sign Girl's Tyme to a major label record deal, Frager's strategy was to début them in Star Search, the biggest talent show on national TV that time. Girl's Tyme participated in the competition but lost it because the song they performed was not good, Knowles herself admitted. To manage the group, Knowles' father (who was at that time a medical-equipment salesman) resigned in 1995 from his job. Not long after the inclusion of Rowland, Mathew cut the original lineup to four, with LeToya Luckett joining in 1993. Rehearsing in Tina's Headliners Salon and their backyards, the group continued performing as an opening act for other established R&B; girl groups of the time; Tina contributed to the cause by designing their costumes, which she continued to do throughout the Destiny's Child era. With the continued support of Mathew, they auditioned before record labels and were finally signed to Elektra Records. They moved to Atlanta to work on their first recording, only to be cut by the record company in 1995. They would return home to start over again. This would put a strain on the Knowles, and Beyoncé's parents separated briefly when she was 14. In 1996, the family reunited, and to coincide with that, the girls got a contract with Columbia Records. Together, they performed in local events and, after four years on the road, the group was signed to Columbia Records in late 1997. That same year, Destiny's Child recorded its major label début song, "Killing Time", for the soundtrack to the 1997 film, Men in Black. The following year, the group released its self-titled debut album, scoring their first major hit "No, No, No". That album established the group as a viable act in the music industry, amassing moderate sales and winning the group three Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards for "Best R&B;/Soul Single" for "No, No, No", "Best R&B;/Soul Album of the Year" and "Best R&B;/Soul or Rap New Artist". The group released their multi-platinum second album The Writing's on the Wall in 1999. The record features some of the group's most widely known songs such as "Bills, Bills, Bills", the group's first number-one single, "Jumpin' Jumpin'", and "Say My Name", which became their most-successful song at the time, and would remain one of their signature songs. "Say My Name" won the Best R&B; Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and the Best R&B; Song at the 2001 Grammy Awards. The Writing's on the Wall sold more than eight million copies.

Luckett and Roberson filed a lawsuit against the group for breach of contract. Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin appeared on the video of "Say My Name", implying that Luckett and Roberson had already been replaced. Eventually, Luckett and Roberson left the group. Franklin would eventually fade from the group after five months, as evidenced by her absences during promotional appearances and concerts. She attributed her departure to negative vibes in the group resulting from the strife.

After settling on their final lineup, the trio recorded "Independent Women Part I", which appeared on the soundtrack to the 2000 film, Charlie's Angels. It became their best-charting single, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for eleven consecutive weeks. Later that year, Luckett and Roberson withdrew their case against their now-former band mates, while maintaining the suit against Mathew, which ended in both sides agreeing to stop public disparaging. Luckett and Roberson refiled their lawsuit after Destiny's Child's third album, Survivor was released in May 2001, claiming that the songs were aimed at them. The album débuted at number one on U.S. Billboard 200 with 663,000 units sold.

2000-2004: Solo career development and Dangerously in Love

While Knowles was with Destiny's Child, she also made solo appearances. Knowles recorded a duet with Marc Nelson on the song "After All Is Said and Done" for the soundtrack to the 1999 film, The Best Man. In early 2001, while Destiny's Child was completing Survivor, Knowles landed a major role in the MTV made-for-television film, , starring alongside American actor Mekhi Phifer. Set in Philadelphia, the film is a modern interpretation of the 19th century opera Carmen by French composer Georges Bizet. Featuring many musical collaborators, the album contained a combination of uptempo and slow jam songs. Dangerously in Love debuted on the Billboard 200 at number one, and certified platinum four times by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200, and reached the top-ten in eight charts worldwide. Knowles recorded the song, "Check on It" featuring Slim Thug, for the film's soundtrack. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Knowles her third number one on the chart as a solo artist.

Much of the theme and musical style of Knowles' second album were inspired by her role in Dreamgirls.

2008–2010: I Am... Sasha Fierce and Grammy Award record

" on her I Am... Tour]] Knowles released her third studio album, I Am… Sasha Fierce on November 18, 2008. During this time, Knowles was interviewed by USA Today and announced plans to take a break from music in 2010. She stated, "It's definitely time to take a break, to recharge my batteries. ... I'd like to take about six months and not go into the studio. I need to just live life, to be inspired by things again." On May 4, 2010, producer Jim Jonsin told Rap-Up TV that he sent Knowles a track he worked on for the album. While on the set of filming a television commercial for Vizio, Knowles was interviewed by Entertainment Tonight and confirmed reports that she had begun working on the album. "I'm actually in the studio now writing songs and producing ... I have a lot of live instruments that I'm putting into the tracks to try to change the sound and make my own genre of music. So, I'll be shooting videos and everybody will be watching them on their Vizio televisions soon." In January 2011, it was revealed Knowles had been in the studio with producer S1, who broke the news via his twitter account. She received co-writing credits for most of the songs recorded by the group, as well as her solo efforts. Known for writing personally driven and female-empowerment themed compositions, Knowles has stated that having Jay-Z in her life has changed a few of her thoughts about how men and women relate to one another, which helped her transition from writing songs such as "Independent Women" and "Survivor" to man-tending anthems such as, "Cater 2 U" in which she sings about bringing him slippers and drawing his bath. Knowles received three songwriting credits in a single year for co-writing "Irreplaceable", "Grillz" ("Soldier" was sampled on the song) and "Check on It", the only woman to achieve since Carole King in 1971 and Mariah Carey in 1991. In terms of credits, she is tied with Diane Warren at third with nine number-one singles. The band has supported Knowles in live performances, on her 2007 The Beyoncé Experience world concert tour, and her 2009 I Am... Tour. Renee Michelle Harris of the South Florida Times writes, Knowles "owns the stage with her trademark swagger and intensity... showcasing her powerful vocals without missing a note, often while engaged in vigorous, perfectly executed dance moves...no one, not Britney, not Ciara and not Rihanna can offer what she does—a complete package of voice, moves and presence." Knowles described Sasha as being "too aggressive, too strong, too sassy [and] too sexy", stating "I'm not like her in real life at all ... I'm not flirtatious and super-confident and fearless like her. What I feel onstage I don't feel anywhere else. It's an out-of-body experience. I created my stage persona to protect myself so that when I go home I don't have to think about what it is I do. Sasha isn't me. The people around me know who I really am." Although Sasha was born during the making of her 2003 hit single, "Crazy in Love", Knowles introduced her alter ego with the release of her third album, I Am... Sasha Fierce in 2008. In February 2010, Knowles announced in an interview with Allure magazine that "Sasha Fierce is done. I killed her". She then went on saying that she is comfortable enough with herself to be all of those things without an alias, stating "I don't need Sasha Fierce anymore, because I've grown and now I'm able to merge the two." Some media even claimed that Jay-Z fashioned her to be a replica of Knowles. Mary J. Blige In an interview with MTV News, Kelly Rowland revealed she was inspired by Knowles' voice while recording her second album, Ms. Kelly. This prompted a legion of imitations and parodies from men and women all around the world posting videos of themselves onto YouTube attempting to perform the choreography. and Joe Jonas, US President Barack Obama and actor Tom Hanks. American Idol winner Jordin Sparks described her debut single, "Tattoo" as being very "Beyonce-ish." However, in 2010 Knowles surpassed all others by receiving a record breaking six awards out of ten nominations. In 2007, she became the first female artist to be awarded the International Artist Award at the American Music Awards. In February 2010, the RIAA listed her as the top certified artist of the decade, with a total of 64 certifications, including albums, digital songs, master ringtones and music videos. BET recognized Knowles as the second most influential artist of the decade In August 2010, VH1 listed Knowles at number 52 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. In November 2010, Billboard ranked her at 15th place on its list of the top 25 R&B;/Hip-Hop artist of the past 25 years (1985-2010). In 2006, The animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) had criticized Knowles for wearing fur coats and using fur in her clothing line. In July 2009, Knowles and her mother, Tina launched a new junior apparel label, Sasha Fierce for Deréon, for back-to-school selling. The collection, which is inspired by Knowles' stage presence, consists of sportswear, outerwear, handbags, footwear, eyewear, lingerie and jewelry. In May 2010, Knowles teamed up with clothing store C&A; to release her Deréon clothing line labeled, Deréon by Beyoncé for C&A.; The collection was only made available in Brazilian C&A; stores. Knowles and Destiny's Child band mate, Kelly Rowland, along with the former's family, founded the Survivor Foundation, a charitable entity set up to provide transitional housing for 2005 Hurricane Katrina victims and storm evacuees in the Houston, Texas area. The Survivor Foundation extended the philanthropic mission of the Knowles-Rowland Center for Youth, a multi-purpose community outreach facility in downtown Houston. Knowles donated $100,000 to the Gulf Coast Ike Relief Fund, which benefits victims of Hurricane Ike in the Houston area. She is organizing a fund raising benefit for Hurricane Ike relief through the Survivor Foundation. Knowles conducted food drives during stops on The Beyoncé Experience tour in Houston on July 14, Atlanta on July 20, Washington, D.C. on August 9, Toronto on August 15, Chicago on August 18, and Los Angeles on September 2, 2006. She remembers her mother, Tina Knowles, for finally saying to help her out of her depression, "Why do you think a person wouldn't love you? Don't you know how smart and sweet and beautiful you are?"

Relationship with Jay-Z

performing "Crazy in Love" on November 15, 2009.]] Since 2002, Knowles has been in a relationship with rapper Jay-Z, with whom she has collaborated several times. Rumors began to circulate about their relationship after Knowles was featured on his song, "'03 Bonnie & Clyde". In spite of persistent rumors about their relationship, they remained discreet about it. When asked again about the subject in September 2007, Jay-Z replied, "One day soon—let's leave it at that."

Discography

2003: Dangerously in Love

2006: B'Day

2008: I Am... Sasha Fierce

See also

Destiny's Child discography

Beyoncé Knowles videography

List of Beyoncé Knowles songs

List of Beyoncé Knowles concert tours

List of best-selling music artists

List of awards and nominations received by Beyoncé Knowles

List of artists who reached number one in the United States

Filmography

References

External links

Official American website

Category:1981 births Category:1990s singers Category:2000s singers Category:2010s singers Category:Actors from Texas Category:African American actors Category:African American female singer-songwriters Category:African American musicians Category:African American songwriters Category:African American models Category:American child singers Category:American dancers Category:American fashion designers Category:American female models Category:American film actors Category:American Christians Category:American Methodists Category:American music video directors Category:American pop singers Category:American record producers Category:American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters Category:American soul singers Category:American people of Native American descent Category:Beyoncé Knowles Category:BRIT Award winners Category:Columbia Records artists Category:Destiny's Child members Category:English-language singers Category:American people of French descent Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Ivor Novello Award winners Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Houston, Texas Category:Sony/ATV Music Publishing artists Category:Spanish-language singers Category:United Methodists Category:Native American singers Category:World Music Awards winners Category:African-American fashion designers Category:Louisiana Creole people

Name	Eric Benét
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Eric Benét Jordan
Born	October 15, 1966Milwaukee, WisconsinUnited States
Genre	R&B;, soul, neo soul
Occupation	Musician, songwriter, actor
Years active	1993–present
Label	Warner Bros. (1994-2004)Reprise (2005-present)
Url	www.ericbenet.net

Eric Benét, (born Eric Benét Jordan on October 15, 1966) is an American singer. His duet with Tamia, "Spend My Life With You" was a number one song for three weeks on Billboard's R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs chart and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2000.R&B;]] |- | rowspan="2"|1996 | "Let's Stay Together" |align="center"|- |align="center"|45 | rowspan="4"|True to Myself |- | "Spiritual Thang" |align="center"|- |align="center"|41 |- | rowspan="2"|1997 | "Femininity" |align="center"|- |align="center"|24 |- | "True to Myself" |align="center"|- |align="center"|43 |- | rowspan="2"|1999 | "Georgy Porgy" (featuring Faith Evans) |align="center"|56 |align="center"|15 | rowspan="3"|A Day in the Life |- | "Spend My Life with You" (featuring Tamia) |align="center"|22 |align="center"|1 |- | 2000 | "When You Think of Me" |align="center"|- |align="center"|46 |- | 2001 | "Love Don't Love Me" |align="center"|- |align="center"|38 | Better & Better (Unreleased) |- | rowspan="2"|2005 | "I Wanna Be Loved" |align="center"|- |align="center"|28 |rowspan="4"|Hurricane |- | "Hurricane" |align="center"|- |align="center"|- |- |rowspan="2"|2006 | "Where Does the Love Go" (with Yvonne Catterfeld) |align="center"|- |align="center"|- |- | "Pretty Baby" |align="center"|- |align="center"|44 |- |rowspan="2"|2008 | "You're the Only One" |align="center"|106 |align="center"|17 |rowspan="3"|Love & Life |- | "The Hunger" |align="center"|- |align="center"|49 |- | 2009 | "Chocolate Legs" |align="center"|- |align="center"|36 |- |rowspan="2"|2010 | "Sometimes I Cry" |align="center"|107 |align="center"|16 |rowspan="2"|Lost in Time |- | "Never Want to Live Without You" |align="center"|- |align="center"|96 |- |}

References

External links

Official MySpace Music page

Category:Living people Category:African American singers Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:People from Milwaukee, Wisconsin Category:Neo soul singers Category:Warner Bros. Records artists Category:1966 births

Name	Drew Sidora
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Drew Sidora Jordan
Born	May 01, 1985Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation	Actress, singer
Years active	1995–present
Label	J Records (2006–2008)Slip-N-Slide Records (2008–present)

Drew Sidora Jordan (born May 1, 1985), better known by her stage name Drew Sidora, is an American actress and singer known for her recurring role as Chantel in the Disney Channel Original Series That's So Raven, and as Lucy Avila in the 2006 movie Step Up. She is also noted for portraying a fictionalized version of herself on the CW comedy-drama television series The Game.

Career

Acting

Sidora was born in Chicago Illinois. She completed numerous industrial films and was the youngest member of the World Renowned "Hook Players Theater Ensemble" in Hollywood, California, with residence at the Richard Pryor Theater. At age 9, she appeared in the Fox TV movie Divas, acting alongside Khalil Kain, Lisa Nicole Carson, and Nicole Ari Parker.

Besides her roles in That's So Raven and Step Up, Drew has also guest starred in Girlfriends, Without a Trace, The Game, and What I Like About You. She has also appeared in the feature films White Chicks and Never Die Alone. Sidora made a cameo appearance in GLC's upcoming single "Honor Me."

Music

In December 2008, Sidora signed a record deal with Slip-N-Slide Records. She is currently recording her first album. In 2010, the first single from the album was released, called "Juke It."

She played the lover of Trey Songz in his video for "Last Time" off the album Trey Day in which he cheats on his other lover with her.

Filmography

Discography

Albums

{| border="4" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" |- bgcolor="#CCCCCC" align="center" !align="left"|Album Information |- |align="left"|TBA

Release: 2010 (U.S.)

Label: Slip-N-Slide Records

Peak U.S. Billboard: N/A

U.S. sales: N/A

RIAA certification: N/A

Singles:

|}

External links

Category:Actors from Chicago, Illinois Category:African American actors Category:African American female singers Category:American child actors Category:American film actors Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:American television actors Category:English-language singers Category:Musicians from Chicago, Illinois Category:People from Chicago, Illinois Category:1985 births Category:Living people

Name	Corbin Bleu
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Corbin Bleu Reivers
Born	February 21, 1989Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States
Instrument	Vocals, Piano
Genre	Pop, dance, R&B;, pop rock Speed of Light was due out on March 10, 2009 via Hollywood Records. The album failed to debut on Billboard Top 200 album charts. According to sources, the album sold less than 4,000 in its first week, despite promotion from MySpace.com. The album spawned singles "Celebrate You" and "Moments That Matter," which was released with a music video.
2006–2008 || rowspan	1 | Hannah Montana || Johnny Collins ||Two episodes
mystery men || butch || rowspan	2 | appearance
Name	Bleu, Corbin
Alternative names	Reivers, Corbin Bleu
Short description	Actor, singer, model, dancer
Date of birth	1989-2-21
Place of birth	Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States

Category:1989 births Category:American child actors Category:American child singers Category:American dance musicians Category:American film actors Category:American male models Category:American male singers Category:American pop singers Category:American singer-songwriters Category:American voice actors Category:American television actors Category:English-language singers Category:American actors of Italian descent Category:American people of Jamaican descent Category:Corbin Bleu Category:Hollywood Records artists Category:Actors from New York City Category:Musicians from New York City Category:People from Brooklyn Category:Living people