Aaliyah was an American singer, actress and model, who became famous when her debut album, Age Ain't Nothing but a Number sold three million copies in the US. Her subsequent albums also sold in millions and won her numerous accolades. She also acted in some films. She tragically died in an airplane crash in the Bahamas, at the age of 22.
LL Cool J is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and record producer. Such is his popularity that LL Cool J was named on VH1's list of 100 Greatest Artists Of All Time in 2010. In 2017, he became the first rapper to be awarded the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors. Over the years, Cool J has had a profound influence on hip-hop.
Before his death at the age of 26, Mac Miller had a major impact as a rapper and songwriter. Blue Slide Park, his studio album, became the first independently distributed maiden album since 1995 to top the US Billboard 200. His personal life was marred by depression, substance abuse, and legal issues. He died of drug overdose.
American rapper and songwriter DaBaby gained critical acclaim and commercial success with his debut album Baby on Baby. Later, his two other albums Kirk and Blame It on Baby became huge successes and made him one of the biggest rappers in the US. Earlier his single Light Show and Baby Talk series of mixtape attracted quite a lot of attention.
Mary J. Blige is a popular singer-songwriter and actress. Having sold 80 million records worldwide, she is one of the best-selling female artists of all time. Referred to as the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, Mary is credited with influencing the fusion of R&B and hip hop. She often gets featured in lists like The 100 Greatest Women in Music.
Slick Rick is an English-American record producer and rapper. He gained national recognition in the mid-1980s when he joined Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew. One of the most-sampled artists of all time, Rick’s songs have been interpolated by artists like Eminem. Rick was ranked 15th in the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time list by The Source.
Mumzy Stranger is an English record producer, singer, songwriter, and rapper. Stranger, who sings in various languages including Hindi, English, Arabic, Bengali, and Punjabi, is the first musician of Bangladeshi origin to have entered and achieved success in the mainstream music industry in the UK. He has won several awards, such as UK Asian Music Awards and Urban Music Awards.
Ghanaian rapper, song-writer, anglophone hip-hop and Afrobeat musician, record producer and entrepreneur D-Black is known for spawning award winning songs like Get On the Dancefloor, Vera and Seihor. He serves as CEO of the record label Black Avenue Muzik and the events management company Livewire Events. Other ventures of D-Black include the Black Avenue Clothing line and Black Avenue Films/TV.