Tyrese

Giving actors making forays into pop music a good name the world over, Tyrese Gibson got into show-business at the tender age of 16. He only decided that he wanted to be a singer two years earlier and after being discovered singing while on the bus, he was ushered into the spotlight by appearing in a major advert for Coca-Colla. By the mid-90’s he’d appeared in a number of modelling shoots by the likes of Guess? and Tommy Hilfiger and by 1998 he’d managed to secure a record contract with RCA Records. His first single “Nobody Else”, was a mild hit, squeaking into the top forty of the Billboard Hot 100 at number 36, but his first album would make him a true star.

His self-titled debut was released in September 1998, it debuted on the charts at number 17 and at around the same time, Tyrese became a VJ on the weekday TV Show MTV Jams. The slot on the show catapulted him to an even higher degree of popularity, meaning that his third single “Sweet Lady” reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, stayed on the chart for 25 weeks and netted him a Grammy award nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance mere months after his twentieth birthday. His follow up album “2000 Watts” was also highly succesful, selling over 500’000 copies and being certified Gold with aplomb.

As Tyrese’s acting career grew, his music career may have slowed down but it still produced the hits, with his 2002 single “How You Gonna Act Like That” being a legitimate smash hit that peaked at number seven on the Hot 100. Ever since then, Gibson has been massively succesful at everything he’s tried his hand at. He produces hit albums and singles in his music career to this day. He headlines the Fast and Furious franchise on the silver screen. He is even a New York Times best-selling author twice over with his books “How To Get Your Own Way” and “Manology: Secret’s Of Your Man’s Mind Revealed”. It would be nauseating if he wasn’t so good at what he does, and the best way of seeing his talent is by catching him live as soon as possible. Highly recommended.

Originally formed as a gospel trio in 1990, members Cheryl Gamble, Tamara Johnson and Leanne Lyons sent out demo tapes of their recordings along with bottles of Perrier in the hope of garnering the attention of some record executives across America. In 1991 the group were invited to sing in front of a number of RCA label executives who ended up signing SWV on an eight album contract.

In October 1992 the group released their debut album “It’s About Time” which went double platinum in its first year of release and has since been certified diamond. Influenced by their church gospel harmonies producer Teddy Riley helped establish the group as a commercial force with the No. 13 debut single “Right Here” and the No. 1 hit single “I’m So Into You”. These were followed by the singles “Weak” and “Right Here/Human Nature” – a remix of their debut “Right Here” with Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature” – which led to SWV having two No. 1 R&B singles in a row.

SWV’s follow-up album “New Beginning”, released in 1996 featured the song “You’re the One” which has become one of their most popular songs peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album went platinum and made way for their third studio album “Release Some Tension” a year later in 1997. “Release Some Tension” has guest appearances from a laundry list of reputable artists including E-40, P. Diddy, Missy Elliott, Foxy Brown, Lil’ Kim, Snoop Dogg and Redman. Following the release came the Christmas album “A Special Christmas” in 1997 after which SWV announced their separation.

With the disbandment, members pursued their solo efforts with Cheryl Gamble or Coko releasing the solo album “Hot Coko” in 1999 and the full gospel album “Grateful” in 2006. In 2005 SWV returned, however the promised album never materialised but led to a number of live performances with the likes of Alicia Keys, TLC, En Vogue, Bobby Brown and After 7.

In 2011 the group signed with Mass Appeal Entertainment and E1 Entertainment through which they released the lead single “Co-Sign” ahead of their fourth studio album “I Missed Us” (2012).

It started for Jaheim at a young age, with the influence of his grandfather who had previously sang in The Drifters. He grew up with music all around him, and would take part in talent shows, he won the Apollo Theater’s talent show at the age of fifteen, three times.

He got his break when he recorded a demo tape that found its way into an A&R at Divine Mill Records, which is a division of Warner Bros. Records. He received great reactions from his debut singles, “Could It Be” and “Just in Case”. The former shot right up to number two in the US R&B Charts, and 26 in the Billboard Top 100. Following these singles came the release of an album entitled “Ghetto Love”, released on March 13th 2001. It peaked at #9 on the Billboard 200. His sophomore album “Still Ghetto” followed suit, peaking at #8 on the Billboard 200 chart. Jaheim featured on the song by Nelly, “My Place” which was released on July 16th 2004. His third album however, “Ghetto Classics” released on February 14th 2006, shot right up to the number one spot of the Billboard 200 Chart.

His fourth studio album, “The Makings of a Man”, released on December 18th 2007 saw Jaheim move to Atlantic records, with his album debuting at #11 on the Billboard 200, with upwards of 176,000 copies being sold in the first week. The album “Another Round” followed suit, but reached #3 on the Billboard 200 Chart. “Appreciation Day” released September 3rd 2013, Jaheim’s sixth studio album, reached #6 on the Billboard 200 chart.