The Light of the Sun, Jill Scott's first album for the Warner Bros. label, is led by the slick disco-funk of "So in Love," a duet with Anthony Hamilton. The `70s-flavored album features production work from JR Hutson and Dre ...

Digitally remastered by Erick Labson (Universal Mastering West, North Hollywood, California). Heavy Hitz is a near-definitive overview of Heavy D & the Boyz' pop-friendly dance-rap style, featuring not only the group's two big hits -- "We Got Our Own Thang" and ...

Recorded between 1979 and 1990. Includes liner notes by Sean Ross. Digitally remastered by Erick Labson (2001 Universal Mastering). This 19-track collection does come very close to fulfilling its promise of delivering the Ultimate Collection, delivering all the group's big hits -- ...

Rhino's 2001 retrospective The Very Best of Miki Howard is a generous, near-definitive overview of Howard's biggest R&B hits from the '80s. She didn't have many crossover hits, but she did have numerous entries on the R&B charts, all of ...

Anyone who encountered his numerous mixtapes can tell you that before his official debut landed, rapper/producer J. Cole had spent some time bringing the whole Drake, Wale, and Big Sean style to a more street level. It's worth mentioning because ...

Few artists have had as much impact on soul music as William "Smokey" Robinson. During his decades-spanning career, Robinson has penned and/or performed some of the greatest songs to ever grace Motown Records. Smokey's voice is instantly recognizable and alluring, ...

There are several Freddie Jackson anthologies on the market, but Capitol's GREATEST HITS, released in 2007, bests them all. Not only does GREATEST HITS contain all Jackson's number one R&B singles from the 1980s, including "Rock Me Tonight" and "You ...

There's no doubt that by Wild Ones' 2012 release, pop-rapper Flo Rida had become a "singles artist," one who soars high in the three- to four-minute format. Give him thin but clever ideas -- that acoustic guitar riffs might sound ...

Although he may be classified as a rap or hip-hop artist, Mark "Kaz" Kasperczk, operating under the name Redlight King, combines singing and rhythmic patter in a style not so much reminiscent of Kanye West as of Red Hot Chili ...

Initially intended to be an EP, Watch the Throne -- from rap superstars Jay-Z and Kanye West, aka the Throne -- took on a number of forms prior to its release as a full-length album. Nailed down during January 2011 ...

Sure, he grounded two commercial air flights after suffering some minor seizures, but if his Twitter account didn't alert you, his recent singles should have proven that the Teflon Don is well and all good. Both "You the Boss" and ...

A long-forgotten mid-1970s film--a DREAM GIRLS precursor about a Motownish singing trio--yielded this interesting soundtrack collaboration between soul's reigning royalty, Aretha Franklin and Curtis Mayfield. Unbeknownst to many, the album is the source of the Mayfield-penned "Something He Can Feel," ...

After fronting a band in Thailand for several years, Hugo earned recognition in the Western world by contributing a track to Beyoncé's 2008 album. Several years later, he makes his solo debut with the release of Old Tyme Religion, a ...

Track Listing: Intro; Get Dis Money; House Party; Ima Boss; Dreamchasers; Tony Montana Freestyle; Body Count; Tony Story; Middle of Da Summer; Work; Realest U Ever Seen; I'm Me; Derrick Rose; Don't Panic; Sparkles; Love Done Live Here; Y'all Don't ...

Queens-born with an Atlanta rep, the rapper known as V.I.C. first made noise alongside Soulja Boy with his hit single, "Get Silly." On his solo debut, BEAST, V.I.C. does his thing over ringtone-friendly tracks by Mr. Collipark, Polow da Don, ...

Flipping the script, Young Money artist Tyga leaves behind the pop-dance sound of his debut and returns to rap on his sophomore effort, Careless World. Think of his tracks on the We Are Young Money collection and you're close to ...

Being a "love 'em or hate 'em" group, it was about time the prolific and conceptual Insane Clown Posse got around to a "love 'em or hate 'em" album, and while this rap-rock battle cry called The Mighty Death Pop ...

Gruff and grandiose like a true boss should be, rapper and Jedi Mind Tricks member Vinnie Paz is a pro at making conspiracy theories and party time sound equally important. Both topics are covered by his rapid-fire rhymes on God ...

Recording information: Infinite Studios, Alameda, CA; The Orange Room; The Retro Room Studios.

Included are 21 brand new tracks, plus behind the scenes footage in studio recording the album, exclusive music videos, and live performances. Audio Mixer: Sammy DAmbruoso. Recording information: Acoustic Productions Studio, Las Vegas, NV; Scale-A-Ton Ent. Studio, Hollywood, CA; We Whit It ...

Additional personnel includes: Kerry King (guitar). Personnel: Kerry King (guitar). Audio Mixer: Joe Blaney. Photographer: Sunny Bak. The Beastie Boys: Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz, Adam "MCA" Yauch, Mike "Mike D" Diamond (rap vocals).

This 1965 compilation is the perfect introduction to the soulful pop of Sam Cooke. It contains all of his best-loved songs in their original versions and represents the wide variety of moods the man conjured with his music. His unique ...

"What It's Like" was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. The former frontman for House of Pain sheds the hip-hop-only mode and steps out into the world of rock with this release. Tapping into the ...

The Cleveland, Ohio collective Bone Thugs-N-Harmony began as Eazy-E proteges and early signees to his Ruthless Records. For a brief time, the five-member rap trio eclipsed the always-controversial Eazy, scoring huge crossover hits with its knack for intricate harmonies and ...

As big a hit as it was -- and it was a multi-platinum blockbuster, spinning off several chart-toppers -- it's not easy to think of Whitney Houston's 1985 debut as the dawning of a new era, but it was. Arriving ...