Special Features

Janelle Monae has one of the most distinct styles in music today. Unlike her fellow R&B artists who appear on the red carpet in the latest form-fitting, skin-bearing dresses, the 'Cold War' singer always appears in a black-and-white suit that fits her like a glove. Th...

Before just about everyone who auditioned for this season's 'American Idol' fawned at Mariah Carey's feet, she was just another talented singer from New York who was trying to make it in the late '80s and early '90s. However, a chance meeting with Columbia Records exec and later her first husband, Tommy Mottola, changed her life forever...

With the music business still a male-dominated field, Julie Greenwald, chairman and COO of Atlantic Records Group, has managed to put forth various initiatives to propel artists' careers, thus raising album sales despite the current industry climate...

Before we knew Lil' Kim as the eccentric and no holds barred lyricist who doesn't care what people think, she was an unknown 19-year-old rapper who joined Notorious B.I.G.'s Junior M.A.F.I.A. in 1994. The group released their only album, 'Conspiracy,' which did well on the charts and went gold...

Known as the Queen of Neo-Soul, Erykah Badu is a unique artist that produces music according to her own rules. Celebrating the 16th anniversary of her debut album, 'Baduizum,' this year, the LP was a clear introduction of the talent to come from this songstress...

Keyshia Cole, like other artists on this list, has been trying to get into the music business since she was a kid. 'The Way It Is,' Cole's debut album, released in November 2004 and spawned four singles -- 'I Changed My Mind,' '(I Just Want It) To Be Over,' 'I Should Have Cheated' and 'Love...

Being one-third of Destiny's Child, Kelly Rowland already carries a certain amount of power. However, she's just as influential as a solo artist. A vocal powerhouse herself, she has released four albums on her own -- 'Simply Deep' (2002), 'Ms...

If you’re a fan of artists like Chris Brown, Keri Hilson and J.Cole, then you’re a fan of Ethiopia Habtemariam. Why? As the executive VP/head of urban music for University Music Publishing Group and senior VP at Motown Records, Habtemariam signed these artists and helped propel their careers to the heights they've reached today...

Another player on the business side of music opposed to the performing end, Mona Scott-Young is most recently known as the executive producer of 'Love & Hip Hop.' With a net worth of about $30 million, Scott-Young was the former co-owner and president of Violator Management. Sh...

Starting her career by singing and dancing backup for Destiny's Child, Solange may be Beyonce's little sister but the soulful R&B singer has been able to forge her own career by doing her own thing. She made a name for herself acting in films like 2004's 'Johnson Family Vacation' and 2006's 'Bring It On: All or Nothing.' S...