Amir Ali Said

William DeVaughn is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Washington, D.C.  Early in his career, he wrote a song called "A Cadillac Don't Come Easy." In 1972, he rewrote it, and "Be Thankful For What You Got" was born.  In 1974, he…

Cormega is a rapper from Queensbridge, Queens who has enjoyed a successful independent career.  He befriended Nas and their rapport led to a friendship both in and out of music.  In 1996, Cormega joined the short-lived rap group, The Firm,…

Paul Mauriat was a French orchestra leader from Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France.  As a child, Mauriat studied classical music, but as a teenager, he transitioned to jazz and popular music.  At 17, he formed his own orchestra, and he…

Chill Rob G is a rapper from Jersey City, New Jersey who started rhyming in the '80s.  He is an original member of Flavor Unit, a hip hop collective from the east coast that featured Queen Latifah, Lakim Shabazz, and The 45 King.  In 1987,…

Patti Austin is a singer and songwriter from New York.  She was born in Harlem, but she grew up in Bay Shore, New York on Long Island.   When she was four years old, she sang at the Apollo Theater during a performance by Dinah Washington,…

Ghostace Killah is one of the lead members of Wu-Tang Clan (the legendary hip hop group from Staten Island, New York).  In 1993, Wu Tang released their debut album, Enter the Wu Tang (36 Chambers).  It was an impactful debut; by 1995, the…

Brighter Side of Darkness was a soul group from Chicago, Illinois who enjoyed a brief run in the early '70s.  The group was led by 12-year old Darryl Lamont, and the supporting members were Ralph Eskridge, Randolph Murph, and Larry…

Big Sean is a rapper from Detroit, Michigan who made a name for himself through freestyles and mixtapes.  Sean started rhyming in high school, and he often freestyled at a local hip hop station called WHTD.  In 2005, he freestyled for Kanye…

Ryo Fukui was a jazz pianist from Biratori, Hokkaido, Japan.  In 1970, when Fukui was 22 years old, he taught himself how to play the piano.  Six years later, he released his debut album, Scenery.  One of the standout tracks from his album…

Junior Parker is a blues singer who was born on a plantation near Bobo, Cahoma County, Mississippi.   As a child, he sang in various gospel groups, and after he moved to Memphis, Tennessee with his mother, he began his blues career.  In the…