Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas (born October 13, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, actress, dancer, model, and fashion designer who rose to fame in the early 2000s.
Ashanti is most famous for her eponymous Grammy Award-winning debut album Ashanti which featured the hit song "Foolish", and sold over 503,000 copies in its first week of release in the U.S. in April 2002. In the same week, she became the first female performer to simultaneously hold the top two places on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart with "Foolish", and "What's Luv" (with Fat Joe). She broke records again by having three Top Ten songs Foolish, What's Luv, and Always on Time, with Ja Rule, on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in the same week, being the first female to accomplish this feat and being second only to The Beatles.[1] Ashanti also wrote and sang background on the song "Ain't It Funny" (Murder Remix) sung by Jennifer Lopez which was also in the top 10 charts at the same time as "Foolish", "Always on Time" (with Ja Rule), and "What's Luv" (with Fat Joe).[2] In 2002, she was acclaimed as the "Princess of Hip Hop and R&B"[3] and by 2008, Ashanti had sold more than 7 million albums in the U.S., and more than 20 million records worldwide.[4]
Ashanti cites Mary J. Blige, Ella Fitzgerald, Yolanda Adams, the Clark Sisters and Blue Magic as her musical influences.[5][6] She recently released her fourth studio album entitled The Declaration on June 3, 2008.
Studio albums

| Mary J. Blige | |
|---|---|
Mary J. Blige performing live during her The Breakthrough Experience Tour in Raleigh, North Carolina on July 16, 2006 |
Mary Jane Blige (born January 11, 1971) is an American R&B, soul, and hip hop soul singer, songwriter, occasional rapper, record producer and actress who has sold more than forty million albums worldwide. Widely known as the "Queen of Hip Hop Soul", she has received over twenty-six Grammy Award nominations for her work, winning eight, and has been awarded the World Music Legends Award for combining hip-hop and soul together like no one else during the early 1990s.
Early in her career, Blige's highly personal songs and gritty voice earned her comparisons to soul singers who preceded her, including Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, and Aretha Franklin; however, her artistic evolution and commercial success throughout the years have allowed her to exert her own influence over a new generation of artists, including Amerie, Keyshia Cole, Fantasia, and Alicia Keys.

Albert Greene (born April 13, 1946),[1] better known as Al Green, is an American gospel and soul music singer who received great acclaim in the 1970s.
Top Forty U.S. Pop Hit Singles
|
[edit] Top Forty albums
|
Albums

| Janet Jackson | |
|---|---|
Jackson during a 2006 press conference | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Janet Damita Jo Jackson |
| Born | May 16, 1966 (1966-05-16) Gary, Indiana, United States |
| Origin | Encino, Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Genre(s) | R&B, pop, new jack swing, rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer, actress |
| Voice type(s) | Mezzo-soprano |
| Years active | 1976present |
| Label(s) | A&M, Virgin, Island Def Jam, Mercury |
| Website | www.janetjackson.com |
Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actress. Born in Gary, Indiana and raised in Encino, California, she is the youngest member of the Jackson family of musicians. Initially performing on stage with her family at the age of seven, Jackson began her career as an actress with the variety television series The Jacksons. She went on to star in other television shows including Good Times, A New Kind of Family, Diff'rent Strokes, and Fame.
Jackson faced initial difficulties after launching her recording career in 1982, often criticized for having a limited vocal range and being yet another child from the Jackson family to become a recording artist. However, with the collaboration of record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Jackson found record-breaking success, producing five consecutive number one studio albums on the Billboard 200; beginning with the release of Control (1986) followed by Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989), janet. (1993), The Velvet Rope (1997), and All for You (2001). Jackson is one of the primary recording artist to be associated with new jack swing, in addition to R&B and pop music. Although critics have compared her contemporary work less favorably to that of her initial breakthroughs, the critical and commercial success of her innovative multi-platinum albums, music videos and choreography have contributed to Jackson's gloabl success.
Though Jackson is listed by the Recording Industry Association of America as the eleventh top-selling female artist in the United States with 26 million certified albums, Billboard magazine named her one of the top-ten selling artists in the history of contemporary music.[1][2][3] She is ranked as the ninth most successful act in the history of rock and roll and the second most successful female artist in pop music history, having sold over 100 million albums worldwide.[4][5][6] Amidst her recording career, Jackson has also starred in feature films since the mid-1990s. Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? (2007), for which Jackson won a NAACP Image Award, became her third consecutive film to open at number one at the box office, following Poetic Justice (1993) and Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000).
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Chart positions |
| ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | U.S. R&B | UK | CAN | AUS | NZ | GER | JAP | FRA | |||
| 1982 | Janet Jackson
|
63 | 6 | | | | | | | |
|
| 1984 | Dream Street
|
147 | 19 | | | | | | | |
|
| 1986 | Control
|
1 | 1 | 8 | 23 | 25 | 5 | 36 | | | |
| 1989 | Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814
|
1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 19 | 39 | 1 | | |
| 1993 | janet.
|
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 16 | |
| 1997 | The Velvet Rope | 1 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 5 | |
| 2001 | All For You | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2004 | Damita Jo | 2 | 2 | 32 | 7 | 18 | 23 | 21 | 10 | 35 | |
| 2006 | 20 Y.O.
|
2 | 1 | 63 | 4 | 55 | 34 | 46 | 7 | 32 | |
| 2008 | Discipline
|
1 | 1 | 63 | 3 | 16 | 35 | 38 | 9 | 43 | |
| Year | Title | Chart positions |
| ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | U.S. R&B | UK | CAN | AUS | NZ | GER | JAP | FRA | |||
| 1987 | Control: The Remixes
|
- | - | 20 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 1994 | janet. Remixed
|
- | - | 15 | - | 1 | - | 26 | - | - |
|
| Year | Title | Chart positions |
| ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | U.S. R&B | UK | CAN | AUS | NZ | GER | JAP | FRA | |||
| 1995 | Design of a Decade 1986/1996
|
3 | 4 | 2 | - | 2 | 1 | 10 | - | 5 | |
| Year | Title | Chart positions | RIAA
Certification[18] |
Album | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | U.S. dance | U.S. R&B | UK | UWC | AUS | CAN | JPN | GER | FRA | NZ | SA | ||||
| 1982 | "Young Love" | 64 | | 6 | | | | | | | | 16 | 34 | | Janet Jackson |
| 1983 | "Come Give Your Love to Me" | 58 | 30 | 17 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| "Say You Do" | | 11 | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | ||
| "Love and My Best Friend" | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ||
| "Don't Mess Up This Good Thing" | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ||
| 1984 | "Don't Stand Another Chance" | 101 | 23 | 9 | | | | | | | | | 40 | | Dream Street |
| "Fast Girls" | | | 40 | | | | | | | | | | | ||
| 1985 | "Two to the Power of Love" (with Cliff Richard) | | | | 83 | | | | | | | | 7 | | |
| "Start Anew" | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ||
| 1986 | "What Have You Done for Me Lately" | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | | 4 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 56 | 27 | 3 | Gold | Control |
| "Nasty" | 3 | 2 | 1 | 19 | | 15 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 99 | 8 | 2 | Gold | ||
| "When I Think of You" | 1 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 51 | 15 | 1 | 36 | 1 | 23 | 5 | Gold | ||
| 1987 | "Control" | 5 | 1 | 1 | 42 | | 80 | 20 | 4 | | | 16 | 2 | Gold | |
| "Let's Wait Awhile" | 2 | | 1 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 14 | 1 | 34 | | 26 | 1 | | ||
| "The Pleasure Principle" | 14 | 1 | 1 | 24 | | | | 9 | | | 37 | 8 | | ||
| "Funny How Time Flies (When You're Having Fun)" | | | | 59 | | | | | | | | | | ||
| 1989 | "Miss You Much" | 1 | 1 | 1 | 22 | | 12 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 66 | 2 | 1 | Platinum | Rhythm Nation 1814 |
| "Rhythm Nation" | 2 | 1 | 1 | 23 | | | 2 | 1 | 83 | | 17 | 2 | Gold | ||
| 1990 | "Escapade" | 1 | 1 | 1 | 17 | | 25 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 23 | 15 | 4 | Gold | |
| "Alright" | 4 | 1 | 2 | 20 | | 19 | 7 | 3 | 43 | | 28 | 3 | Gold | ||
| "Come Back to Me" | 2 | | 2 | 20 | | 78 | 7 | 2 | | | | 1 | | ||
| "Black Cat" | 1 | 17 | 10 | 15 | | 6 | 9 | 1 | 34 | | 25 | 3 | Gold | ||
| 1991 | "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" | 1 | 4 | 3 | 34 | | 14 | 6 | 2 | | | 27 | 2 | Gold | |
| "State of the World" ^^ | 5* | 9 | 23* | | | 93 | | 1 | | | | 1 | | ||
| 1992 | "The Best Things in Life Are Free" (with Luther Vandross) | 10 | 3 | 1 | 2 | | 2 | 4 | | 8 | | 6 | 3 | | Mo' Money Soundtrack |
| 1993 | "That's the Way Love Goes" | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 15 | 1 | 1 | Platinum | janet. |
| "Where Are You Now" ^^ | 30* | | | | | | | | | | | | | ||
| "If" | 4 | 1 | 3 | 14 | | 18 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 63 | 8 | 1 | Gold | ||
| "Again" | 1 | | 7 | 6 | | 19 | 2 | 1 | 29 | 93 | 13 | 3 | Platinum | ||
| 1994 | "Because of Love" | 10 | 4 | 9 | 19 | | 21 | 2 | 2 | 72 | | 23 | 22 | | |
| "Any Time, Any Place" | 2 | | 1 | 13 | | 37 | 12 | 4 | | | 20 | 4 | Gold | ||
| "And On and On" ^^ | 36* | | 12* | | | | | | | | | 3 | | ||
| "Throb" ^^ | 66* | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | ||
| "You Want This" | 8 | 9 | 9 | 14 | | 16 | 3 | 5 | 90 | | 11 | 19 | Gold | ||
| "70s Love Groove" ^^ | | | 45* | | | | | | | | | | | ||
| 1995 | "Whoops Now" ^^ | | | | 9 | | 49 | | 4 | 11 | 5 | 1 | | | |
| "What'll I Do" ^^ | | | | | 14 | | | | | | | 6 | |||
| "Scream" (Michael Jackson featuring Janet Jackson) | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | Platinum | History - Past, Present and Future, Book I | |
| 1995 | "Runaway" | 3 | 8 | 6 | 6 | | 8 | 2 | 1 | 39 | 25 | 3 | 9 | Gold | Design of a Decade |
| 1996 | "Twenty Foreplay" ^^ | | | 32* | 22 | | 29 | 27 | 11 | 74 | | 37 | | | |
| "The Best Things in Life Are Free" (97 remix with Luther Vandross) | | | | 7 | | | | | | | | | | ||
| 1997 | "Got 'Til It's Gone" (featuring Joni Mitchell and Q Tip) ^^ | 36* | 6 | 3* | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 17 | 11 | 4 | 1 | | The Velvet Rope |
| "Together Again" | 1 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | Gold | ||
| 1998 | "I Get Lonely" | 3 | 10 | 1 | 5 | | 21 | 18 | 3 | 75 | 72 | 6 | 3 | Gold | |
| "Go Deep" ^^ | 28* | 1 | 11* | 13 | | 39 | 2 | 2 | 72 | 22 | 13 | 20 | | ||
| "You" | | | | | | | | 18 | | | | 40 | | ||
| "What About" | | | | | | 48 | | | | | | | | ||
| "Every Time" ^^ | 125 | | | 47 | | | 59 | 4 | 67 | 95 | 34 | 33 | | ||
| 2000 | "Doesn't Really Matter" | 1 | - | 3 | 5 | 4 | 28 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 40 | 27 | 3 | Gold | All for You |
| 2001 | "All for You" | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 1 | | |
| "Someone to Call My Lover" | 3 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 65 | 58 | 18 | 2 | | ||
| 2002 | "Son of a Gun" (featuring Missy Elliott and Carly Simon) | 28 | 7 | 26 | 13 | 15 | 20 | 12 | 22 | 69 | | 49 | 17 | ||
| "Come on Get Up" | | | | | | | | 7 | | | | | | ||
| 2003 | "Janet Megamix 04" | | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | Damita Jo |
| 2004 | "Just a Little While" ^^ | 45 | 1 | | 15 | 18 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 54 | 72 | | | | |
| "I Want You" | 57 | | 18 | 19 | | | | 59 | | | | | Platinum | ||
| "All Nite (Don't Stop)" # | 119 | 1 | 90 | 24 | 24 | | 48 | 48 | | 39 | | | |||
| "R&B Junkie" | | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | ||
| 2006 | "Call on Me" (with Nelly) | 25 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 36 | | | 9 | 45 | 41 | 11 | | | 20 Y.O. |
| "So Excited" (feat. Khia) | 90 | 1 | 34 | | | | | 1 | | | | | | ||
| "Enjoy" | | | | | | | | 1 | | | | | | ||
| "With U" | | | 65 | | | | | | | | | | | ||
| 2008 | "Feedback" | 19 | 1 | 39 | 114 | 14 | 50 | 3 | 6 | 40 | 36 | 17 | | | Discipline |
| "Rock With U" | 121 | 20 | | | | | | 1 | | | | | | ||
| "Luv" ^^ | 102 | | 34 | | | | | 60 | | | | | | ||
| "Can't B Good" | | | 122 | | | | | | | | | | | ||
| Year | Title | Chart positions | RIAA
Certification |
Album | |||||||||||
| U.S. | U.S. dance | U.S. R&B | UK | UWC | AUS | CAN | JPN | GER | FRA | NZ | SA | ||||
| Total number-one hits | 10 | 18 | 16 | | 5 | 1 | 6 | 22 | | | 3 | 10 | |||
| Total top ten hits | 27 | 32 | 31 | 19 | 6 | 10 | 27 | 41 | 8 | 4 | 13 | 31 | |||
| Total top twenty hits | 29 | 34 | 22 | 33 | 43 | 25 | |||||||||
Footnotes
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Hot 100 | U.S. Dance | U.S. R&B | UK | UWC | AUS | CAN | JAP | GER | FR | SA | |||
| 1987 | "Diamonds"^^^ (with Herb Alpert & Lisa Keith) | 5 | 1 | 1 | 29 | | | 4 | | 15 | | 8 | Keep Your Eye on Me |
| 1998 | "Luv Me, Luv Me" ^^ (with Shaggy) | 76 | | 22 | 5 | | | | | | | 5 | How Stella Got Her Groove Back |
| 1999 | "What's It Gonna Be?!" (with Busta Rhymes) | 3 | | 1 | 6 | 9 | | 11 | 2 | 42 | | 7 | Extinction Level Event |
| 1999 | "Girlfriend/Boyfriend" ^^ (with Blackstreet) | 47 | | 17 | 11 | | 16 | 11 | 25 | 4 | 71 | 12 | Finally |
| 2002 | "Feel It Boy" (with Beenie Man) | 28 | | 31 | 9 | 35 | 18 | 6 | 72 | 47 | 70 | 2 | Tropical Storm |
| 2005 | "Don't Worry" (with Chingy) | | | 60 | | | | | 95 | | | | PowerBallin |
| Total number-one hits | | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | ||
| Total top ten hits | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | | 2 | 2 | | | 4 | ||

ANGIE STONE
Angie Stone (born Angela Laverne Brown on January 30, 1961) is an American R&B, soul, and neo soul singer-songwriter, keyboardist, record producer, and occasional actress. She was nominated for the 2008 Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for her duet with Betty Wright from the hit single "Baby".
Albums
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | U.S. R&B | U.S. dance | UK | AUS | |||
| 1999 | "No More Rain (In This Cloud)" | 56 | 9 | | | | Black Diamond |
| 2000 | "Life Story" | | | | 22 | | |
| "Everyday" | | 52 | | | | ||
| "Keep Your Worries" (Guru featuring Angie Stone) | | 99 | | 57 | | Streetsoul | |
| 2001 | "U Make My Sun Shine" (with Prince) | 59 | 108 | | | | |
| "Brotha Part II" (featuring Alicia Keys and Eve) | 52 | 13 | | 37 | | Mahogany Soul | |
| 2002 | "Wish I Didn't Miss You" | 79 | 31 | 1 | 30 | 7 | |
| "More Than a Woman" (with Calvin Richardson) | | 63 | | | | ||
| 2003 | "Bottles & Cans" | | | 18 | | | |
| "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" (Blue featuring Stevie Wonder and Angie Stone) |
| | | 11 | 31 | Guilty | |
| 2004 | "I Wanna Thank Ya" (featuring Snoop Dogg) | | 61 | 1 | 31 | | Stone Love |
| "Stay for a While" (featuring Anthony Hamilton) | | 70 | | | | ||
| "U-Haul" | | 68 | | | | ||
| 2005 | "I Wasn't Kidding" | | | 17 | | | Stone Hits: The Very Best of Angie Stone |
| 2007 | "Baby" (featuring Betty Wright) | 103 | 22 | 3 | | | The Art of Love & War |
| 2008 | "Sometimes" | | 33 | | | | |
| Year | Song | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | "Keep Your Worries" (Guru featuring Angie Stone) | Streetsoul |
| 2001 | "Be Thankful" (with Omar) | Best by Far |
| "My Nutmeg Phantasy" (Macy Gray featuring Angie Stone and Mos Def) | The Id | |
| 2002 | "Jam for the Ladies" (Moby featuring Angie Stone and MC Lyte) | 18 |
| "Excuse Me" (Raphael Saadiq featuring Angie Stone and Calvin Richardson) | Instant Vintage | |
| "The Messenger" | Sign of Things to Come: Steve's Picks of the Year | |
| "Black Magic" (Styles P featuring Angie Stone) | A Gangster and a Gentleman | |
| "The Prayer" (Josh Groban featuring Angie Stone) | Josh Groban in Concert | |
| 2003 | "You Will Know" | Conception: An Interpretation of Stevie Wonder's Songs |
| "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" (Blue featuring Stevie Wonder and Angie Stone) | Guilty | |
| 2004 | "Hold Me Down" (Toshi featuring Angie Stone) | Time to Share |
| "Jones vs. Jones" (Kool & the Gang featuring Angie Stone) | The Hits: Reloaded | |
| Odyssey | ||
| 2005 | "Since I Lost My Baby" | So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross |
| "All I Want to Do" (with Ray Charles) | Genius & Friends | |
| "Come Together Now" (with various artists) | Hurricane Relief: Come Together Now | |
| 2006 | "I Tried" (Al Di Meola featuring Angie Stone and Macy Gray) | Vocal Rendezvous |
| "All for Me" (Omar featuring Angie Stone) | Sing (If You Want It) | |
| 2007 | "Who's to Blame" | We Are Family 2007 |
| "Be Ever Wonderful" | Interpretations: Celebrating the Music of Earth, Wind & Fire | |
| "Feel the Same" (Groove Armada featuring Angie Stone) | Soundboy Rock |
| Year | Song | Artist | Album | Collaboration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | "Baby Cries (Ay Yah)" | Jill Jones | G-Spot (single) | Songwriting |
| 1992 | "The Midnight Special" | Buckwheat Zydeco | On Track | Background vocals |
| "Hey Joe" | ||||
| 1993 | "Heaven Help" | Lenny Kravitz | Are You Gonna Go My Way | Background vocals |
| 1994 | "We Had a Good Thing Goin'" | Debelah | Debelah | Songwriting |
| 1995 | "Jonz in My Bonz" | D'Angelo | Brown Sugar | Songwriting |
| "Let It Go" | Maysa | Maysa | Songwriting | |
| 1998 | | Lenny Kravitz | 5 | Background vocals |
| | D'Angelo | Live at the Jazz Cafe | Background vocals | |
| "Crazy Bout U" | Solo | 4 Bruthas and a Bass | Songwriting | |
| 2000 | "Playa Playa" | D'Angelo | Voodoo | Songwriting |
| "Send It On" | ||||
| "Greatdayndamornin'/Booty" | ||||
| "Africa" | ||||
| "Won't Be a Fool" | Alex Bugnon | ...As Promised | Songwriting | |
| "Call on Me" | Terry Ellis | Disappearing Acts soundtrack | Songwriting | |
| 2001 | "Something Inside" | Boney James featuring Dave Hollister | Ride | Songwriting |
| 2002 | "Doing What I Can" | Raphael Saadiq | Instant Vintage | Background vocals |
| "OPH" | Songwriting | |||
| "I Got What You Need" | Shabazz | Better Day | Songwriting | |
| "Jehovah Jirah" (Live) | Knagui | Meaning of Love | Songwriting | |
| 2003 | "Fell in Love with a Boy" | Joss Stone | The Soul Sessions | Background vocals |
| "Love of My Life Worldwide" | Erykah Badu | Worldwide Underground | Songwriting | |
| 2004 | "Tired of the Game" | Roy Tyler & New Directions | Three Way Calling | Songwriting |
| "Security" | Joss Stone | Mind, Body & Soul | Fender Rhodes |
| Year | Song | Film |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | "Everyday" | Money Talks |
| 2000 | "Holding Back the Years" | Love & Basketball |
| "My Lovin' Will Give You Something" | Shaft | |
| "Slippery Shoes" | Bamboozled | |
| "Get to Know You Better" | Disappearing Acts | |
| 2001 | "Makin' Me Feel" | Dr. Dolittle 2 |
| "20 Dollars" | Ali | |
| 2002 | "Groove Me" | Austin Powers in Goldmember |
| "Bring Your Heart" (featuring Diamond Stone) | Brown Sugar | |
| 2003 | "Rain Down" (with Eddie Levert of The O'Jays) | The Fighting Temptations |
| "Time to Come Home" (with Beyoncι and Melba Moore) | ||
| 2004 | "Miracle of Love" (with BeBe Winans) | The Passion of the Christ |
| 2006 | "Different Directions" | Diary of a Mad Black Woman |
