Special Features

Brianna Perry has been spitting rhymes since she was 10 years old and ended up catching Trina's attention, who later took Perry under wing. The fresh-faced rapper made her debut on 'Kandi,' off Trina's 2002 sophomore album, 'Diamond Princess...

Whether you know her as Santogold or the more recent Santigold, there is no denying her talent. Kicking off her career with the release of 'Creator' and 'L.E.S. Artists' in 2008, she quickly grabbed people's attention for her unique sound and style -- a mix of rapping and singing paired with avant-garde get-ups...

Like Bruno Mars and Keri Hilson, Ester Dean got her start in the business as a songwriter. After penning a hook for Young Jeezy, she was immediately signed to Zone4/Interscope in 2009. Dean then went on to write or collaborate on songs for some of today’s chart toppers including Nicki Minaj’s ‘Super Bass,’ Rihanna’s ‘S&M’ and ‘What’s My Name’ featuring Drake and Katy Perry’s ‘Firework.’... Rea

After releasing a series of singles that didn't do too well, it seemed like Tamia's career just wasn't going to get off the ground. However, once she released 'Missing You,' her collaboration with Gladys Knight, Brandy and Chaka Khan, in August 1996, things started to turn around...

Starting her career as a spoken word artist, Jill Scott moved to music with the help of Questlove, who then co-wrote 'You Got Me' for Erykah Badu and the Roots. After that song won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance for a Duo or Group, she started collaborating with Will Smith, Eric Benet and Common...

Our first introduction to Tina Turner was as part of the well-known '60s funk rock duo Ike & Tina Turner, whose hits include 'River Deep - Mountain High' and 'Proud Mary.' Although they had years of success, their relationship turned toxic, and she finally went solo and restored her reputation after they divorced in 1978. ...

Since the very beginning, Brandy has always had to balance her acting and music careers simultaneously. It all started when she began making her self-titled debut LP. At the time, she was cast on the short-lived ABC sitcom, 'Thea.' After the show ended, she was able to put all her energy into 'Brandy,' which released in 1994, and went on to sell six million copies internationally...

Although Ashanti was offered a number of record deals as a young teen, it wasn't till she met Irv Gotti that she signed with The Inc. Records (then called Murder Inc.). Starting her time with the label by collaborating with Ja Rule and Fat Joe, she finally dropped her first single, 'Foolish' in January 2002, and followed that with the release of her self-titled debut album in April...

Taken under Diddy's wings, Mary J. Blige's debut album, 'What's the 411?,' was released in 1992, and set a new precedent for the female R&B singer's image with a more rough-around-the-edges look. Despite the change to the R&B aesthetic, Blige impacted the genre so much with her 10 albums -- selling over 50 million LPs worldwide. 'Love &...

Chaka Khan has been in the business for four decades and has churned out songs that not only topped the charts but are also classics today. Starting her career as the frontwoman of the 1970s funk band Rufus, Khan put her vocals on various hits including 'Sweet Thing' in 1975...