record_label u got it bad
Robert Sylvester Kelly ( born January 8 , 1967 ), known professionally as R . Kelly , is an American singer , songwriter , ___MASK83___ producer , and former professional basketball player . A native of Chicago , Illinois , Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement . In 1993 , Kelly went solo with the ___MASK60___ " 12 Play ". He is known for a collection of major hit singles including " Bump N ' Grind ", " Your Body ' s Callin '", " I Believe I Can Fly ", " Gotham City ", " Ignition ( Remix )", " If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time ", " The World ' s Greatest ", " I ' m a Flirt ( Remix )", and the hip - hopera " Trapped in the Closet ". In 1998 , Kelly won three Grammy Awards for " I Believe I Can Fly ". His distinctive sound and style has influenced numerous hip hop and contemporary R & B artists . Kelly became the first musician to play professional basketball , when he was signed in 1997 . Jermaine Dupri Mauldin ( born September 23 , 1972 ), known as Jermaine Dupri or JD , is an American hip hop recording artist , ___MASK83___ producer , songwriter and rapper . He was born in Asheville , NC and was raised in Atlanta , Georgia . He has worked with and produced Mariah Carey , Usher , Jay - Z , Nelly , Monica , Da Brat , Xscape , Janet Jackson , TLC , Aretha Franklin , Ludacris , Alicia Keys , Bow Wow , Miss Mulatto , and most recently The Rap Game season 2 winner , Mani . A ___MASK83___ ___MASK45___ or ___MASK83___ company is a brand or trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos . Often , a ___MASK83___ ___MASK45___ is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks , coordinates the production , manufacture , distribution , marketing , promotion , and enforcement of copyright for sound recordings and music videos ; conducts talent scouting and development of new artists (" ___MASK21___ " or " A & R "); and maintains contracts with recording artists and their managers . The term " ___MASK83___ ___MASK45___ " derives from the circular ___MASK45___ in the center of a vinyl ___MASK83___ which prominently displays the manufacturer ' s name , along with other information . MTV ( originally an initialism of Music Television ) is an American cable and ___MASK18___ television channel owned by ___MASK80___ ( a division of Viacom ) and headquartered in New York City . Launched on August 1 , 1981 , the channel originally aired music videos as guided by television personalities known as " video jockeys " ( VJs ). In its early years , MTV ' s main target demographic was young adults , but today it is primarily towards teenagers , high school students and college students . MTV has toned down its music video programming significantly in recent years , and its programming now consists mainly of original reality , comedy and drama programming and some off - network syndicated programs and films , with limited music video programming in off - peak time periods . It has received criticism towards this change of focus , both by certain segments of its audience and musicians . MTV ' s influence on its audience , including issues involving censorship and social activism , has also been a subject of debate for several years . " Fortunate " is a neo soul song from the 1999 motion picture " Life " and was released on the film ' s soundtrack . The song was written , composed , produced and arranged by R . Kelly and recorded by Maxwell . " Fortunate " was awarded Best R & B Single of the Year at the Billboard Music Awards and Best R & B / Soul Single ( Male ) at Soul Train Awards . Maxwell was nominated for a Grammy for Best R & B Male Vocalist and also nominated for a Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Song of the Year . Alicia Augello Cook ( born January 25 , 1981 ), known by her stage name Alicia Keys , is an American singer , songwriter , pianist and actress . Keys released her debut ___MASK60___ with ___MASK31___ , having had previous record deals first with Columbia and then ___MASK30___ . Keys ' debut ___MASK60___ , " Songs in A Minor " was released in 2001 , producing her first " Billboard " Hot 100 number - one single " Fallin '", and selling over 12 million copies worldwide . The ___MASK60___ earned Keys five Grammy Awards in 2002 . Her sophomore ___MASK60___ , " The Diary of Alicia Keys ", was released in 2003 , spawning successful singles " You Don ' t Know My Name ", " If I Ain ' t Got You " and " Diary ", and selling eight million copies worldwide . The duet song " My Boo " with Usher , scored her a second number - one single in 2004 . The ___MASK60___ garnered her an additional four Grammy Awards in 2005 . Later that year , she released her first live ___MASK60___ , " Unplugged ", becoming the first woman to have an " MTV Unplugged " ___MASK60___ debut at number one . Christopher Brian " Chris " Bridges ( born September 11 , 1977 ), better known by his stage name Ludacris , is an American hip hop recording artist and actor from Atlanta , Georgia . Alongside his manager , Chaka Zulu , Ludacris is the co - founder of ___MASK14___ , an imprint distributed by ___MASK96___ . Throughout his career , Ludacris has won Screen Actors Guild , Critic ' s Choice , MTV , and Grammy Awards . Along with fellow Atlanta - based rappers Big Boi and André 3000 of OutKast , Ludacris was one of the first and most influential " Dirty South " rappers to achieve mainstream success during the early 2000s . ___MASK18___ television is  according to " article 1 . 39 " of the International Telecommunication Union  s ( ITU ) ITU Radio Regulations ( RR )  a " Broadcasting - ___MASK18___ service ". ___MASK71___ is a continent that comprises the westernmost part of Eurasia . ___MASK71___ is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north , the Atlantic Ocean to the west , and the Mediterranean Sea to the south . To the east and southeast , ___MASK71___ is generally considered as separated from Asia by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains , the Ural River , the Caspian and Black Seas , and the waterways of the Turkish Straits . Yet the non - oceanic borders of ___MASK71___  a concept dating back to classical antiquity  are arbitrary . The primarily physiographic term " continent " as applied to ___MASK71___ also incorporates cultural and political elements whose discontinuities are not always reflected by the continent ' s current overland boundaries . Shawntae Harris ( born April 14 , 1974 ), better known by her stage name Da Brat , is an American rapper and actress from Joliet , Illinois . Beginning her career in 1991 , Harris debut ___MASK60___ " Funkdafied " ( 1994 ) sold one million copies , making her the first female solo rap act to receive a platinum certification , and the second overall female rap act ( solo or group ) after Salt N Pepa . She has received two Grammy Award nominations . ___MASK97___ , Inc . ( known simply as ___MASK97___ ) is an American media conglomerate with interests primarily in cinema and cable television . It is currently the world ' s sixth largest broadcasting and cable company in terms of revenue , behind Comcast , ___MASK68___ , Time Warner , 21st Century Fox and ___MASK16___ Corporation , respectively . Voting control of ___MASK97___ is held by National Amusements , Inc ., a privately owned theater company controlled by the billionaire Sumner Redstone . Redstone also holds via National Amusements a controlling stake in ___MASK16___ Corporation . A CD single ( sometimes abbreviated to CDS ) is a music single in the form of a standard size compact disc . It is not to be confused with the Mini CD single , which uses a smaller form factor and has also been referred to as just a CD Single on some occasions . The format was introduced in the mid - 1980s but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s . With the rise in ___MASK17___ downloads in the early 2010s , sales of CD singles have decreased . ___MASK80___ ( formerly MTV Networks ) is an American mass media division of Viacom that oversees the operations of many of its television channels and Internet brands , including Nickelodeon , BET , CMT , Comedy Central , VH1 and the original MTV channel in the United States . Its sister international division is Viacom International Media Networks . Compact disc ( CD ) is a ___MASK17___ optical disc data storage format released in 1982 and co - developed by Philips and ___MASK38___ . The format was originally developed to store and play only sound recordings but was later adapted for storage of data ( CD - ROM ). Several other formats were further derived from these , including write - once audio and data storage ( CD - R ), rewritable media ( CD - RW ), Video Compact Disc ( VCD ), Super Video Compact Disc ( SVCD ), Photo CD , PictureCD , CD - i , and Enhanced Music CD . Audio CD players have been commercially available since October 1982 , when the first commercially available CD player was released in Japan . Aretha Louise Franklin ( born March 25 , 1942 ) is an American singer , songwriter and musician . Franklin began her career singing gospel at her father , minister C . L . Franklin ' s church as a child . In 1960 , at the age of 18 , Franklin embarked on a secular career , recording for ___MASK36___ but only achieving modest success . Following her signing to ___MASK44___ in 1967 , Franklin achieved commercial acclaim and success with songs such as " Respect ", "( You Make Me Feel Like ) A Natural Woman " and " Think ". These hits and more helped her to gain the title The Queen of Soul by the end of the 1960s decade . Mike City ( born Michael Flowers in Philadelphia ) is an American singer - songwriter and ___MASK83___ producer . He is best known for producing the singles " I Wish " for Carl Thomas , " Heard It All Before " for Sunshine Anderson , " Full Moon " for Brandy and " One Woman Man " for Dave Hollister . He became a mentor of Anderson ' s after a friend discovered her singing a song by Lalah Hathaway in the cafeteria line at North Carolina Central University . Rhythm and blues , often abbreviated as R & B or RnB , is a genre of popular African - American music that originated in the 1940s . The term was originally used by ___MASK83___ companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans , at a time when " urbane , rocking , jazz based music with a heavy , insistent beat " was becoming more popular . In the commercial rhythm and blues music typical of the 1950s through the 1970s , the bands usually consisted of piano , one or two guitars , bass , drums , saxophone , and sometimes background vocalists . R & B lyrical themes often encapsulate the African - American experience of pain and the quest for freedom and joy . Lyrics focus heavily on the themes of triumphs and failures in terms of relationships , freedom , economics , aspirations , and sex . Music is an art form and cultural activity whose medium is sound and silence , which exist in time . The common elements of music are pitch ( which governs ___MASK22___ and harmony ), rhythm ( and its associated concepts tempo , meter , and articulation ), dynamics ( loudness and softness ), and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture ( which are sometimes termed the " color " of a musical sound ). Different styles or types of music may emphasize , de - emphasize or omit some of these elements . Music is performed with a vast range of instruments and vocal techniques ranging from singing to rapping ; there are solely instrumental pieces , solely vocal pieces ( such as songs without instrumental accompaniment ) and pieces that combine singing and instruments . The word derives from Greek  (" mousike "; " art of the Muses "). In its most general form , the activities describing music as an art form include the production of works of music ( songs , tunes , symphonies , and so on ), the criticism of music , the study of the history of music , and the aesthetic examination of music . Ancient Greek and Indian philosophers defined music as tones ordered horizontally as melodies and vertically as harmonies . Common sayings such as " the harmony of the spheres " and " it is music to my ears " point to the notion that music is often ordered and pleasant to listen to . However , 20th - century composer John Cage thought that any sound can be music , saying , for example , " There is no noise , only sound ." Cornell Iral Haynes , Jr . ( born November 2 , 1974 ), known professionally as Nelly , is an American rapper , singer , songwriter , entrepreneur , investor , and occasional actor from St . Louis , Missouri . Nelly embarked on his music career with Midwest hip hop group St . Lunatics , in 1993 and signed to ___MASK64___ in 1999 . Under Universal , Nelly began his solo career in the year 2000 , with his debut album " Country Grammar ", of which the title - track was a top ten hit . The album debuted at number three on the " Billboard " 200 and went on to peak at number one . " Country Grammar " is Nelly ' s best - selling album to date , selling over 8 . 4 million copies in the United States . His following album " Nellyville ", produced the number - one hits " Hot in Herre " and " Dilemma " ( featuring Kelly Rowland ). Other singles included " Work It " ( featuring Justin Timberlake ), " Air Force Ones " ( featuring Murphy Lee and St . Lunatics ), " Pimp Juice " and "# 1 ". Mariah Carey ( born March 27 , 1969 or 1970 ) is an American singer , songwriter , ___MASK83___ producer , and actress . In 1990 , she rose to fame with the release of " Vision of Love " from her eponymous debut ___MASK60___ . The ___MASK60___ produced four chart - topping singles in the US and began what would become a string of commercially successful albums which solidified the singer as Columbias highest selling act . Carey and Boyz II Men spent a ___MASK83___ sixteen weeks atop the " Billboard " Hot 100 in ___MASK24___  1996 with " One Sweet Day ", which remains the longest - running number - one song in US chart history . Following a contentious divorce from ___MASK38___ Music head Tommy Mottola , Carey adopted a new image and traversed towards hip hop with the release of " Butterfly " ( 1997 ). In 1998 , she was honored as the world ' s best - selling recording artist of the 1990s at the World Music Awards and subsequently named the best - selling female artist of the millennium in 2000 . ___MASK55___ , officially the Commonwealth of ___MASK55___ , is a country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent , the ___MASK20___ of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands . It is the world ' s sixth - largest country by total area . The neighbouring countries are Papua New Guinea , Indonesia and East Timor to the north ; the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu to the north - east ; and New Zealand to the south - east . ___MASK55___ ' s capital is Canberra , and its largest urban area is Sydney . " Confessions Part II " is a song by R & B singer Usher , produced by Jermaine Dupri and Bryan - Michael Cox for Usher ' s fourth ___MASK60___ " Confessions ". Written by Usher , Dupri and Cox , the song is a confession of a man to his woman about his impregnated mistress , a continuation of " Confessions Part I " which relates to a man ' s infidelity . Its personal content evoked rumors and early responses from the public even before its release , believing that Usher was asserting the truth ; however , Dupri divulged that the story behind the ___MASK60___ is his and Usher explained that he only took inspiration from his friends ' similar experiences . Mary Jane Blige ( born January 11 , 1971 ) is an American singer , songwriter , model , ___MASK83___ producer and actress . Starting her career as a background singer on ___MASK90___ in 1989 , Blige released her first ___MASK60___ , " What ' s the 411 ?", in 1992 , and has released 12 studio albums since and made over 150 guest appearances on other albums and soundtracks . Neo soul is a genre of popular music . The term was coined by music industry entrepreneur ___MASK99___ during the late 1990s to market and describe a style of music that emerged from soul and contemporary R & B . Heavily based in soul music , neo soul is distinguished by a less conventional sound than its contemporary R & B counterpart , with incorporated elements ranging from jazz , ___MASK92___ , and hip hop to ___MASK28___ , fusion , and African music . It has been noted by music writers for its traditional R & B influences , conscious - driven lyrics , and strong female presence . " Be Without You " is a song by American recording artist Mary J . Blige . It was written by Johnta Austin , Bryan Michael Cox , Jason Perry and Blige for her seventh studio ___MASK60___ , " The Breakthrough ". Produced by Cox and Ron Fair , it was released as the ___MASK60___ ' s first official single in late 2005 . ___MASK56___ is an American record company . The record company was founded by Berry Gordy , Jr . as Tamla Records on January 12 , 1958 , and was incorporated as ___MASK56___ Record Corporation on April 14 , 1960 , in Detroit , Michigan . The name , a portmanteau of " motor " and " town ", has also become a nickname for Detroit . ___MASK56___ played an important role in the racial integration of popular music as an African American - owned record label that achieved significant crossover success . In the 1960s , ___MASK56___ and its subsidiary labels ( including Tamla ___MASK56___ , the brand used outside the US ) were the most successful proponents of what came to be known as the ___MASK56___ Sound , a style of soul music with a distinct ___MASK28___ influence . During the 1960s , ___MASK56___ achieved spectacular success for a small record company : 79 records in the Top Ten of the " Billboard " Hot 100 record chart between 1960 and 1969 . Soul music ( often referred to simply as soul ) is a popular music genre that originated in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s . It combines elements of African - American gospel music , rhythm and blues and jazz . Soul music became popular for dancing and listening in the United States ; where ___MASK83___ ___MASK42___ such as ___MASK56___ , Atlantic and Stax were influential in the civil rights era . Soul also became popular around the world , directly influencing ___MASK13___ and the music of Africa . Soul Train is an American musical variety television program which aired in syndication from 1971 until 2006 . In its 35 - year history , the show primarily featured performances by R & B , soul , dance / ___MASK28___ and hip hop artists , although funk , jazz , disco and gospel artists also appeared . The series was created by Don Cornelius , who also served as its first host and executive producer . ___MASK13___ is a genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll " in the United States in the 1950s , and developed into a range of different styles in the 1960s and later , particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States . It has its roots in 1940s ' and 1950s ' rock and roll , itself heavily influenced by blues , rhythm and blues and country music . ___MASK13___ also drew strongly on a number of other genres such as electric blues and folk , and incorporated influences from jazz , classical and other musical sources . 8701 is the third studio ___MASK60___ by American singer Usher ; it was first released on August 7 , 2001 , by ___MASK30___ . Recording was handled by several producers including The Neptunes , Jermaine Dupri , Babyface , Kevin " She ' kspere " Briggs , Mike City , Bryan Michael Cox , Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis . It was intended for an October 31 , 2000 release under the title " All About U ", the ___MASK60___ was delayed numerous times , following the leak of several tracks onto the online music store Napster . Usher subsequently recorded new tracks and released the ___MASK60___ under the new title , " 8701 ", which is derived from Usher singing for the first time in his local church in 1987 and the ___MASK60___ ' s release date of 2001 . Bryan - Michael Cox ( born December 1 , 1977 ) is an American ___MASK83___ producer and songwriter who is notable for his extensive work with multiple platinum - selling artists including Usher , Mariah Carey , Mary J . Blige , and Toni Braxton . Among his most notable productions are " Be Without You " for Mary J . Blige , " Burn ", " Confessions Part II " and " U Got It Bad " for Usher , and " Shake It Off ", " I Stay In Love " and " You Don ' t Know What To Do " for Mariah Carey . Toni Michelle Braxton ( born October 7 , 1967 ) is an American singer  songwriter , pianist , ___MASK83___ producer , actress , television personality , and philanthropist . Rising to fame in the early 1990s , Braxton quickly established herself as an R & B icon and became one of the best - selling female artists of the 1990s decade , and being recognized as one of the most outstanding voices of this generation . The Neptunes are an American production duo , composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo , who are credited with contributing the sound for many successful hip hop and R & B artists in the late - 1990s and 2000s . The Neptunes ' sound is a distinctive brand of off - kilter , stripped - down electronic ___MASK92___ with sounds from Middle Eastern and Asian music including percussion and woodwind . Pharrell sings and ( later ) raps on records and appears in videos , unlike his production partner Chad , who tends to stay behind the scenes . A ballad is a form of verse , often a narrative set to music . Ballads derive from the medieval French " chanson balladée " or " ballade ", which were originally " danced songs ". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of the British Isles from the later medieval period until the 19th century . They were widely used across ___MASK71___ , and later in the Americas , ___MASK55___ and North Africa . Ballads are 13 lines with an ABABBCBC form , consisting of couplets ( two lines ) of rhymed verse , each of 14 syllables . ___MASK30___ , Inc . was a major American record label . It was a wholly owned unit of Sony Music Entertainment and was previously handled by Bertelsmann Music Group . The company operated under the RCA Music Group until 2011 . The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis , who formerly worked for CBS Records ( which would become Sony Music Entertainment ). Until its demise in 2011 , it was a major distributor and promoter of albums throughout the United States and United Kingdom . `` U Got It Bad '' is a song by American recording artist Usher , released through Arista as the second single from his third studio ___MASK60___ , 8701 ( 2001 ) . It was written by Usher , Jermaine Dupri and Bryan - Michael Cox , and produced by the former and co - produced by the latter . It was released as a CD Single in the US on September 4 , 2001 . `` U Got It Bad '' is an R & B ballad that , according to MTV , incorporates `` digi - coustic '' guitars , a `` slow - burning bass line '' and `` sex funk '' drums . The lyrics notably contain some quick direct allusions to other soul music ballads , mainly Maxwell ' s `` Fortunate '' , and Prince ' s `` Adore '' . `` U Got It Bad '' topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for one week before being replaced for four weeks by Nickelback ' s `` How You Remind Me '' . `` U Got It Bad '' then returned to number one , going on to stay atop for five consecutive weeks . With the song and previous single `` U Remind Me '' , Usher was the only solo male act of 2001 to have a number 1 hit on the Hot 100 . The song ' s music video features TLC ' s Chilli as Usher ' s love interest . Due the success of the song , it was featured on the 2001 compilation ___MASK60___ Now That ' s What I Call Music ! 8