Bred on Chicago's South Side, R&B singer Jeremih taught himself how to play several instruments and didn't consider himself a vocalist until a warmly received performance at a talent show. At Chicago's Columbia College, he struck up a partnership with producer Mick Schultz, and the two closely collaborated on the material that would become Jeremih's debut album, released in June 2009 on Def Jam. "Birthday Sex," its first single, debuted on Billboard's R&B/Hip Hop Singles chart that March; by mid-May, it was already in the Top Ten, poised to become the year's breakout bedroom ballad à la J. Holiday's "Bed." Jeremih, his self-titled album, produced entirely by Schultz, was released in late June 2009. At that point, "Birthday Sex" had crossed over to the Top Ten of the Billboard Hot 100. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
Chris Dooley, Jr.[1] (born 1989) better known by his stage name Hurricane Chris, is a rapper based in Shreveport, Louisiana. After local success as an underground performer, he entered the national scene with his hit song "A Bay Bay".[2] Dooley attended Huntington High School in Shreveport. In 2007, Principal Jerry Davis declared September 25 as "Hurricane Chris Day".[3] In an interview with Samantha Morgan of the Baton Rouge, Louisiana newspaper The Advocate, he stated that he came up with "Hurricane" as part of his stage name from his ability to rap fast and twist the words, "like a hurricane had just blown through".[1]After hearing a chant of "A Bay Bay!" by local DJ Hollywood Bay Bay, Hurricane Chris modified the chant to "Bay Bay" to his hit song of the same name.
Atlanta, Georgia-based producer Mr. Collipark was fascinated by the song and later helped Chris be signed to J Records in 2004, when his major-label debut 51/50 Ratchet was released in October.[2] The sound of the album was inspired by ratchet, a type of crunk rap music locally popular in Shreveport.[4] Soon afterwards, Rap-A-Lot Records released You Hear Me?, a compilation of songs Chris recorded before 51/50 Ratchet including "You Hear Me?" and "Yep".[5] In August 2007, a mixtape of his titled Louisi-Animal had also been released. "The Hand Clap" was the next single off 51/50 Ratchet.[6]
The first single off his next album, Unleashed,[7] is "She's Fine".[8]
so much, its aged prematurely. Bands have evolved and even died as its progressive strain mutates and grows. Being a genre so bratty, angst ridden, and fucked around, punk is a recycled phenomenon. Its infectious armour heals after a continuous battering. 1989 may have offered a revival, a medication to ease niggling pains. A band offered a drug with impact more potent than domestic painkillers. This trio offered their own formula, a concoction of highly fuelled shouts, layered with their own views.
1989 was the year were a certain venue housed a band on the road to future greatness and milestones. Gilman Street reeked of punk, sweat and promise. A modest starting point for bands to elevate and nurture together. To talk about their dreams, their analysis of Rock and Roll. Fans swapped stories of their times in Gilman, bands jumped and showered themselves in their faithfulls passion. Sweet Children formed under the bright lights of Gilman, a band made up of bratty latch-key teenagers. Kids who mastered the art of rolling doobies and drinking beer. But music was a passion they all shared, a cause they could confide in. Gilman would become a lair they could showcase a musical intent, with fiery, ultra-angst songs that the crowd would relate to. Of course, Sweet Children weren’t a finished article; they were a band growing easily without sprouting beyond their years.
Lead singer/Song writer Billie Joe Armstrong was born into a family of modest workers; a home life with comfortable settings, his mother earned a living darting around Roy’s Hickory Pit, and his Father worked as driver for renowned brand ‘Safeway’. So life was fairly modest at the early age for an inspiring rock star. Billie became musical at a tender time, releasing his first record under fiat records when he was only five. His young vocal tone was a subtle reminder of his potential, but punk seemed a distant venture at that age. Vocally sweet and nostalgic, Billie became a star of epic proportion, it was just the commence. Billie didn’t suit the child star uprise, punk would stray him away from media scrutiny, it was a genre he would upgrade and innovate in years to come.
Bass Guitarist Mike Pritchard and drummer Al Kiffmeyer (Al Sobrante) would aid Armstrong on his Punk/Rock assault. Mike’s attributes as a guitar maestro offered a density to the band, diverse spark s of rawness and sound the act needed for progress. Al sobrante contributed flair and appeal on a scale the female species craved, he was a drummer on a mission to get laid, as so were the rest of the trio. Sweet Children were formed, and Gilman Street opened its palms to them. Sweet Children would later become Green Day, a name inspired by the bands relationship with weed. A substance so meaningful to them, it deserved an inclusion. Drug relation may have inspired the bands later gems.
But times change, minds alternate and band members split from the charge, and al Sobrante did just that. The drummer ventured into a college education when Green Day were still raw and under development, but will always be held in high esteem as the drummer who witnessed the commence of something special. The act hired a drummer with a fun infused aura they needed, humour goes far in Punk Music. Frank Edwin Wright 11 Aka (Tre Cool) filled the missing void, a stupendous drumming powerhouse who bolstered the bands quality factor, Green Day was fully fledged and ready to rise against the world.
By 1989, Green Day became a force. A respected pact in Gilman and in the fume of Berkeley. The crowd lapped up the rawness; inhaling the wisdom they were being served. Gilman was a cotton wool overcoat for Green Day, a stage that paid homage to them. Branching out of Gilman was on the cards, as the band released their first EP, 1039 Smooth in 1989 under Lookout records. Lookout records was an independent label founded by Musician Lawrence Livermore who spotted the band in its glory and later captured their signature.
1039 smooth later morphed into a fully classified track list. 1039 Smoothed Out Slappy Hours was a characteristic voyage for the outfit, a direction that was needed. A modest account of teenage life, a plot fuelled by angst, sexual neglection and suburban alienation. That was a viewpoint the band had on their home life, a viewpoint they and thousands of other teenagers tried to address. Music was the only suppressant, a pleasure button they could press without being disregarded. Green Day first outing was a success. 1039 was an instant slab of punk, simply coordinated and brash, but punk/rock isn’t supposed be clean and groomed. Lookout found a hidden gem, and that started to shine brighter.
Smoothed sounded mature, lyrically sound and exuberant. From the first pace of ‘At the Library’ to the rage and disapprovement ‘Of Why Do You Want Him’ Billie Joe’s vocals were raw, cranky, and radical, with a right tone of Punk. From the starting point Green Day ignited Rock, stating a new revolution and bratty music bloomed and once again became lively. With music so angst ridden it became the norm. Featuring their own account, their own Punk formula, and a musical trio served justice.
Green Day ventured again into the recording studio in 1991.,to develop their second lookout release. Kerplunk was on the radar, a album lying on the same lines as Smoothed. An album yet again reviewed their teenage growing pains, with songs overblown with young angst. Kerplunk soled thousands of copies making lookout a prime fortune as well building the labels reputation. ‘Christie Road, ‘Welcome to Paradise’ were all placed among Kerplunk’s armoury. Songs that showed songwriters emphasise of his own self awareness.
Green Day eventually outgrew Gilman, they had and unmatched lead in Punk/Rock by the early 90’s. The venue that housed the band on their crusade had quickly became out of favour. The band played their last show in front of a crowd that were there from the very beginning, witnessing the band nurture and evolve into a true fixture. 1993 reared its head quickly; and Green Day ended their stay with Lookout Records to venture into Major league status. Lookout was a great nurturing sector for the trio who were destined to hit scales other Lookout recruits could only dream of. By 1993 Green Day signed a lavish deal with Reprise. A Record label build by Warner Bros, the company who were true leaders in film. Green Day would agree to undertake the task of releasing 5 studio albums under the Major label. And the band wasted no time in contributing.
Green Day latched onto a genre like leeches prowling for blood. The Berkeley Trio’s innovation under the splitting lights of punk rock was prominent in why the 90s was such a wholesome decade, with music so angst ridden it became the norm. Featuring their own account, their own Punk formula, and the Berkeley trio served justice when 94 arrived. The band set the punk/Rock fuse alight with an array of fast-paced, in your face gems. Dookie would land in 1994, taking the act to distant angles in Rock. Bolstering their reputation of being the next darlings of Punk.
Dookie still harboured the same raw emotion and intent as prior records. It was just more homogenised, with more defined and professional input. Yet again the album’s content previewed the acts analysis of sexual disarray. Featuring an in depth look at Humdrum life, the desire to get laid as well a weed influence, would you expect any less? Dookie was an awesome leap forward in terms of maturity and wealth. The songs were 2.minute lashings of punk in all its glory. From the outset to the conclusion, fans were left over-awed and musically junkiified.
Dookie’s decisive inclusion elevated the band to a broader future. The tracks were of higher quality, with a silky vocal overlay. From the drum infused intro of ‘Burnout’ to the calming, soothing aftermath of ‘FOD’ of course still flew into loud-mouthed belter. ‘Welcome to Paradise’ was given a new sheen as it was to good to be shelved. ‘Basket Case’ would become an instant hit, a flamboyant analysis of insanity. Overall, Dookie was a milestone, and it was only Green Day’s third full length album, that showed class. Dookie was conceived as the next great album after Nirvana’s masterpiece never mind. It took the band to sufficient places, making the act 10 million sellers. Dookie would later be praised gold, and be acclaimed by artists and critics alike.
1995 would be the year insomnia reeked havoc. Green Day took a spell out of the fast-paced train ride of punk, by becoming family men. Billie Joe was granted father-ship, so his rock star charge was put on a back-burner. The band needed a record to match or even overtake Dookie’s groundbreaking stance as their elevator to true punk/rock prominence, and an album influenced by sleepless nights would become the challenger. With a dark overtone, insomniac was released in late 95. An overbearing urge to get noticed again was put in remission; insomniac may have been a dampener as couldn’t quite aim high enough. Not as fundamental or glittering as Dookie, but Musician’s mature.
Dookie spoke of teenage growing pains, masturbation, weed, and humdrum suburbia. Insomniac spoke of family values, as the band entered new places. All though insomniac wasn’t a consistent inspiration as the masterpiece that cemented Green Day, the album had its fair share of jewels. Opening with slickness, ‘Armatage Shanks’ starts a healthy track list. Billie Joe writes about a mindset engulfed with dread and self-disregard. The singer enters a darker world, maturing heavily when bellowing out insomniac’s profound content. The catchy ‘Stuck with me’ has a Dookie influence, not sticking to insomniac’s deep tone. ‘Geek Stink Breath’ quirky intro settles into a belter that beds into the mind, insomniacs has a knack of achieving such things. A song discussing the consequences of Crystal Meth, a substance that’s ridden in America’s drug underworld. Insomniac’s growth misses a few inches. As follow up albums go, it’s half-measured, and half-inspiring as Dookie. But still packed enough classics to keep the fans craving another slice.
Insomniac sells where heavily inferior to that of Dookie’s. The band only shifted 5 million copies, still a hefty margin, but disappointing considering prior achievements. If it was only a basic poster boy band that earned sales of that magnitude, then the World would sit and take notice, but Green Day is a special band, and special bands should top statistics and learn from media scrutiny. Fans argued and shared their thoughts on Insomniac; some even stated that it outclassed Dookie, some called for its execution, that’s how stern Music followers can be. Green Day then took a break from the overhaul of Music’s stronghold as two years passed without a sound. In 1997, Green Day burrowed out of hibernation with 4th instalment Nimrod. A layered album breaching the darkness, and fierce undertone of Insomniac. Green Day was entering modern times, music angled towards pop/punk. Music was changing, alternating under the noses of a band that kick-started revolutions when music really mattered.
Nimrod was a contrasting barrier, free-flowing with centrepiece classics. Deeply melodic, Green Day showed a softer approach to punk. Battling off manufactured bands that tried to overtake and steal the Berkeley Trio’s crown, Green Day fought and won with no blood shed. Nimrod elegance was a factor of the bands maturity. They weren’t teenage outcasts anymore; they were adults, a band growing old gracefully. Nimrod was that of grace, in sound and in motive. Dookie had no influence in Nimrod’s charge for glory. From the outset melody becomes apparent; the cranky, strewn sound is replaced by a more defined, earthy feel. Not to say that nimrod is cowardly or a watered down anti-punk cause, it is punk, just with a prettier face.
Hills, California. Since its formation in 1996, the band has sold more than 50 million albums[2] and won two Grammy Awards.[3][4] It achieved mainstream success with its debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005.[5] Its following studio album, Meteora, continued the band's success, topping the Billboard 200’s album charts in 2003, and was followed by extensive touring and charity work around the world.[6] In 2003, MTV2 named Linkin Park the sixth greatest band of the music video era and the third best of the new millennium behind Oasis and Coldplay.[7]
Having adapted the nu metal and rapcore genres to a radio-friendly yet densely-layered style in Hybrid Theory and Meteora,[8][9][10] the band explored other genres in their next studio album, Minutes to Midnight.[11][12] The album topped the Billboard charts and had the third best debut week of any album that year.[13][14] They have also collaborated with several other artists, most notably with rapper Jay-Z in their mashup album Collision Course, and many others on Reanimation.[9] Early years (1996–1999)
Originally consisting of three high school friends, Linkin Park’s foundation was anchored by Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, and Rob Bourdon.[1] After graduating from high school, the California natives began to take their musical interests more seriously, recruiting Joe Hahn, Dave "Phoenix" Farrell, and Mark Wakefield to perform in their band, Xero. Though limited in resources, the band began recording and producing songs within Shinoda’s make-shift bedroom studio in 1996.[1][15] Tensions and frustration within the band grew after they failed to land a record deal.[1] The lack of success and stalemate in progress prompted Wakefield, at that time the band's vocalist, to leave the band in search for other projects.[1][15] Farrell also left to tour with Tasty Snax and other bands.[16][17]
After spending a considerable time searching for Wakefield's replacement, Xero recruited Arizona vocalist Chester Bennington. Jeff Blue, the vice president of Zomba Music, had referred him to the band in March 1999.[18] Bennington, formerly of Grey Daze, became a standout among applicants because of his unique singing style. The band changed its name from Xero to Hybrid Theory.[16] The newborn vocal chemistry between Shinoda and Bennington helped revive the band, inciting them to work on new material.[1] The band’s renaissance culminated with a change in name; from Hybrid Theory, the band changed its name to Linkin Park, a play on and homage to Santa Monica’s Lincoln Park.[1] However, despite these changes, the band still struggled to sign a record deal. After facing numerous rejections from several major record labels, Linkin Park turned to Jeff Blue for additional help. After failing to catch Warner Bros. Records on three previous reviews, Jeff Blue, now the vice president of Warner Bros. Records, helped the band sign a deal with the company in 1999. The band released its breakthrough album, Hybrid Theory, the following year.[18]
Hybrid Theory (2000–2002)
Linkin Park released Hybrid Theory on October 24, 2000.[19][20] The album, which represented half a decade’s worth of the band’s work, was edited by music producer Don Gilmore.[1] Hybrid Theory was well received by music fans; the band sold more than 4.8 million records during its debut year, earning it the status of best-selling album of 2001, while singles such as "Crawling" and "One Step Closer" established themselves as staples among alternative rock radio play lists during the year.[16] Additionally, other singles from the album were featured in movies such as Dracula 2000, Little Nicky, and Valentine.[16] Hybrid Theory was also nominated for three Grammy Awards, including best new artist, best rock album, and best hard rock performance (for "Crawling").[21] MTV awarded the band their Best Rock Video and Best Direction awards for "In the End".[1] Through the winning of the Grammy for best hard rock performance, Hybrid Theory’s overall success had catapulted the band into the mainstream's attention.
During this time, Linkin Park received many invitations to perform on many high-profile tours and concerts including Ozzfest, Family Values Tour and KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas.[16][22] The band also formed its own tour, Projekt Revolution, which featured other notable artists such as, Cypress Hill, Adema, and Snoop Dogg.[18] Within a year’s stretch, Linkin Park had performed at over 320 concerts.[1] The experiences and performances of the precocious band were documented in its first DVD, Frat Party at the Pankake Festival, which debuted in November 2001. Now reunited with former bassist Dave Farrell, the band began work on a remix album, dubbed Reanimation, which would include works from Hybrid Theory and Hybrid Theory EP.[16] Reanimation debuted on July 30, 2002, featuring the likes of Black Thought, Jonathan Davis, Aaron Lewis, and many others.[23] Reanimation claimed the second spot on the Billboard 200, and sold nearly 270,000 copies during its debut week.[24]
Meteora (2002–2004)
Following the success of Hybrid Theory and Reanimation, Linkin Park spent a significant amount of time touring around the United States. The band members began to work on new material amidst its saturated schedule, spending a sliver of their free time in their tour bus' studio.[25] The band officially announced the production of a new studio album in December 2002, revealing its new work was inspired by the rocky region of Meteora in Greece, where numerous monasteries have been built on top of the rocks.[26] Meteora featured a mixture of the band's previous nu metal and rapcore styles with newer innovative effects, including the induction of a shakuhachi (a Japanese flute made of bamboo) and other instruments.[1] Linkin Park's second album debuted on March 25, 2003 and instantly earned worldwide recognition,[1] going to #1 in the US and UK, and #2 in Australia.[15]
Meteora sold more than 800,000 copies during its first week, and it ranked as the best selling album on the Billboard charts at the time.[27] Music videos for some of the album's singles, including "Somewhere I Belong", "Breaking the Habit", "Faint", and "Numb", received significant radio attention.[28] By October 2003, Meteora sold nearly three million copies.[29] The album's success allowed Linkin Park to form another Projekt Revolution, which featured other bands and artists including, Mudvayne, Blindside, and Xzibit.[1] Additionally, Metallica invited Linkin Park to play at the Summer Sanitarium Tour 2003, which included well-known acts such as Limp Bizkit, Mudvayne and Deftones.[30] The band released an album and DVD, entitled Live in Texas, which consisted of audio and video tracks of some of the band's performances in Texas during the tour.[1] In early 2004, Linkin Park started a world tour titled the Meteora World Tour, supporting bands on the tour include Hoobastank, P.O.D. and Story of the Year.
Meteora earned the band multiple awards and honors. The band won MTV's awards for Best Rock Video ("Somewhere I Belong") and the Viewer's Choice Award ("Breaking the Habit").[31] Linkin Park also received significant recognition during the 2004 Radio Music Awards, winning the Artist of the Year and Song of the Year ("Numb") awards.[31] Although Meteora was not nearly as successful as Hybrid Theory, it was the third best selling album in America during 2003.[16] The band spent the first few months of 2004 touring around the world, first with the third Projekt Revolution tour, and later several European concerts.[16]
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, entertainer and businessman. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he made his debut as an entertainer in 1968 as a member of The Jackson 5. He then began a solo career in 1971 while still a member of the group, and that successful career led to him being dubbed the "King of Pop"[1] in subsequent years. Jackson's 1982 album Thriller remains the world's best-selling album of all time,[2] and four of his other solo studio albums are among the world's best-selling records: Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1997)
In the early 1980s, he became a dominant figure in American popular music and culture. He was the first African American entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV. The popularity of his music videos airing on MTV, such as "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and "Thriller"—widely credited with transforming the music video from a promotional tool into an art form—helped bring the relatively new channel to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made Jackson an enduring staple on MTV in the 1990s. With stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced many hip hop, pop music and contemporary R&B artists across several generations.
Jackson donated and raised millions of dollars for beneficial causes through his Heal the World Foundation, charity singles, and support of 39 charities. Other aspects of his personal life, including his often changing appearances and eccentric behavior, generated significant controversy that damaged his public image. Though he was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993, the criminal investigation was closed due to lack of evidence and Jackson was not charged. The singer had experienced health concerns since the early 1990s along with conflicting reports regarding the state of his finances since the late 1990s. Jackson married twice and fathered three children, actions which caused further controversy. In 2005, during People v. Jackson, Jackson was tried and acquitted of different sexual abuse allegations and several other charges.
One of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records—including one for "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time"—thirteen Grammy Awards, thirteen number one singles in his solo career, and the sale of 750 million records worldwide.[3] At the time of his death, Jackson was preparing for This Is It, a series of 50 concerts that would have been held at The O2 arena in London, beginning July 13, 2009.[4]
Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer and entertainer. Spears is ranked as the eighth best-selling female recording artist in the United States with 32 million sold albums certified by the Recording Industry Association of America.[2] As of November 2007, Spears has sold over 83 million records worldwide, making her one of the world's best-selling music artists.[3] Spears is currently the best selling female artist of the decade and the fifth best selling artist of the decade overall. [4]
Raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears first appeared on national television in 1992 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The New Mickey Mouse Club from 1993 to 1994. In 1997, Spears signed a recording contract with Jive, releasing her debut album ...Baby One More Time in 1999. The album established her as a pop icon and "bona fide pop phenomenon", credited for influencing the revival of teen pop in the late 1990s.[5]. Her next three albums debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making her the first female artist to have her first four albums debut at number one. In late 2008, her sixth studio album, Circus, also debuted at number one.Early life, career debut, and Innosense Spears performing in 1999.
Britney Spears was born and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana as a Southern Baptist. [6] Her parents are Lynne Irene (née Bridges), a former elementary school teacher, and Jamie Parnell Spears, a former building contractor and chef. Spears has two siblings, Bryan and Jamie Lynn. Bryan Spears is married to Jamie-Lynn's manager, Graciella Rivera.[7]
Spears was an accomplished gymnast, attending gymnastics classes until age nine and competing in state-level competitions.[8] She performed in local dance revues and sang in her local Baptist church choir. Spears entered New York City's Professional Performing Arts School when she was eight. Spears's parents would often argue, and they eventually divorced in 2002.[citation needed]
At age eight, Spears auditioned for the Disney Channel series The New Mickey Mouse Club. Although she was considered too young to join the series at the time, a producer on the show introduced her to a New York City agent.[8] Spears subsequently spent three summers at NYC's Professional Performing Arts School and also appeared in a number of off-Broadway productions. She was an understudy in the 1991 off-Broadway musical Ruthless!.[8] In 1992, she landed a spot on the popular television show Star Search. She won the first round of competition, but ultimately lost. At age eleven, Spears returned to the Disney Channel for a spot on the The New Mickey Mouse Club in Lakeland, Florida.[8] She was featured on the show from 1993 to 1994, until she was 13.[9] After the show ended, Spears returned to Kentwood and attended high school for a year.[10]
In 1997, Spears briefly joined the all-female pop group Innosense.[11] Later that same year, she recorded a solo demo and was signed by Jive Records.[8] She began a U.S. concert tour sponsored by American teen magazines, and eventually became an opening act for 'N Sync and the Backstreet Boys.[12]
1998–2000: ...Baby One More Time and Oops!... I Did It Again Britney Spears on the cover of Rolling Stone in 1999.
"...Baby One More Time" (1999) Play sound Britney Spears's first major hit single worldwide. Problems listening to this file? See media help.
Spears released her debut single, "...Baby One More Time", in October 1998 which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1999 and topped the chart for two weeks.[13][14] Gillian G. Gaar, author of She's a Rebel: The History of Women in Rock & Roll (2002), documented that "eyebrows were raised over the schoolgirl-in-heat persona Spears projected in her [music video for ...Baby One More Time], along with an increasingly revealing series of stage outfits".[15] Spears's debut album ...Baby One More Time peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 in January 1999.[16] Rolling Stone magazine, in a review of the album, wrote: "While several Cherion-crafted kiddie-funk jams serve up beefy hooks, shameless schlock slowies, like [']E-Mail My Heart,['] are pure spam".[17] NME commented "[Spears's debut album and its title-track] are the kind of soullessness that saturates Stateside charts and consists of nothing but over-chewed bubblegum beats and saccharine sensibilities".[18] In contrast, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic wrote: "Like many teen pop albums, ...Baby One More Time has its share of well-crafted filler, but the singles, combined with Britney's burgeoning charisma, make this a pretty great piece of fluff".[19] ...Baby One More Time was later certified fourteen times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, denoting fourteen million units shipped within the United States.[20] Spears posed for the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in April 1999, shot by photographer David LaChapelle.[21] Geoff Boucher of The Los Angeles Times reported, "there was no mistaking the titillation factor in the recent Spears cover story and accompanying photos in the April 15 issue of Rolling Stone, which sent eyebrows arching throughout the music industry, where several executives half-jokingly called it "child pornography".[22] Gillian G. Gaar reported, "The American Family Association charged that the pictures, which showed Spears in push-up bras and a minuscule pair of shorts with 'Baby' in rhinestones on the bottom, presented a 'disturbing mix of childhood innocence and adult sexuality' and asked that all 'God-loving Americans' boycott stores carrying her albums".[15] More controversy arose when Spears declared that she would "remain a virgin until marriage".[23] This pledge has been questioned due to her apparently sexual relationship with fellow pop singer Justin Timberlake.[24][25]
In late 1999, Spears appeared on the sitcom Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and performed the song "(You Drive Me) Crazy"; this cameo was a cross-promotion for the film Drive Me Crazy, which starred Sabrina's Melissa Joan Hart and was named after the song.[26] In December 1999, she won four Billboard Music Awards, including Female Artist of the Year. A month later, she received the Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist award at the American Music Awards.[27]
Following the success of her previous album, Spears released the album Oops!... I Did It Again in May 2000. It debuted at number one in the U.S. by selling 1,319,193 units during its first week of sales, breaking the SoundScan record for the highest album sales in its debut week by any solo artist.[28] The RIAA awarded the album with a diamond certification with over 10 million copies sold in the U.S.[29][30][31] Allmusic gave it awarded the album 4 out of 5 stars, saying that the album "has the same combination of sweetly sentimental ballads and endearingly gaudy dance-pop that made "...Baby One More Time."[32] Rolling Stone gave the album 3.5 stars out of 5 by noting the album as "fantastic pop cheese" and "Britney's demand for satisfaction is complex, fierce and downright scary."[33] The album's lead single "Oops!... I Did It Again" broke the record for most radio station additions in a single day, and quickly became a top ten hit in the U.S. and other countries.[34] The same year, Spears launched her first world tour, the "Oops!... I Did It Again World Tour". During the tour, she made a stop in New York for the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. As part of her performance, she ripped off a black suit to reveal a provocative nude-colored and crystal-adorned outfit that generated much controversy.[35] Spears earned two Billboard Music Awards for Oops!... I Did It Again.[36]Early life, career debut, and Innosense Spears performing in 1999.
Britney Spears was born and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana as a Southern Baptist. [6] Her parents are Lynne Irene (née Bridges), a former elementary school teacher, and Jamie Parnell Spears, a former building contractor and chef. Spears has two siblings, Bryan and Jamie Lynn. Bryan Spears is married to Jamie-Lynn's manager, Graciella Rivera.[7]
Spears was an accomplished gymnast, attending gymnastics classes until age nine and competing in state-level competitions.[8] She performed in local dance revues and sang in her local Baptist church choir. Spears entered New York City's Professional Performing Arts School when she was eight. Spears's parents would often argue, and they eventually divorced in 2002.[citation needed]
At age eight, Spears auditioned for the Disney Channel series The New Mickey Mouse Club. Although she was considered too young to join the series at the time, a producer on the show introduced her to a New York City agent.[8] Spears subsequently spent three summers at NYC's Professional Performing Arts School and also appeared in a number of off-Broadway productions. She was an understudy in the 1991 off-Broadway musical Ruthless!.[8] In 1992, she landed a spot on the popular television show Star Search. She won the first round of competition, but ultimately lost. At age eleven, Spears returned to the Disney Channel for a spot on the The New Mickey Mouse Club in Lakeland, Florida.[8] She was featured on the show from 1993 to 1994, until she was 13.[9] After the show ended, Spears returned to Kentwood and attended high school for a year.[10]
In 1997, Spears briefly joined the all-female pop group Innosense.[11] Later that same year, she recorded a solo demo and was signed by Jive Records.[8] She began a U.S. concert tour sponsored by American teen magazines, and eventually became an opening act for 'N Sync and the Backstreet Boys.[12]
1998–2000: ...Baby One More Time and Oops!... I Did It Again Britney Spears on the cover of Rolling Stone in 1999.
"...Baby One More Time" (1999) Play sound Britney Spears's first major hit single worldwide. Problems listening to this file? See media help.
Spears released her debut single, "...Baby One More Time", in October 1998 which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1999 and topped the chart for two weeks.[13][14] Gillian G. Gaar, author of She's a Rebel: The History of Women in Rock & Roll (2002), documented that "eyebrows were raised over the schoolgirl-in-heat persona Spears projected in her [music video for ...Baby One More Time], along with an increasingly revealing series of stage outfits".[15] Spears's debut album ...Baby One More Time peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 in January 1999.[16] Rolling Stone magazine, in a review of the album, wrote: "While several Cherion-crafted kiddie-funk jams serve up beefy hooks, shameless schlock slowies, like [']E-Mail My Heart,['] are pure spam".[17] NME commented "[Spears's debut album and its title-track] are the kind of soullessness that saturates Stateside charts and consists of nothing but over-chewed bubblegum beats and saccharine sensibilities".[18] In contrast, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic wrote: "Like many teen pop albums, ...Baby One More Time has its share of well-crafted filler, but the singles, combined with Britney's burgeoning charisma, make this a pretty great piece of fluff".[19] ...Baby One More Time was later certified fourteen times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, denoting fourteen million units shipped within the United States.[20] Spears posed for the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in April 1999, shot by photographer David LaChapelle.[21] Geoff Boucher of The Los Angeles Times reported, "there was no mistaking the titillation factor in the recent Spears cover story and accompanying photos in the April 15 issue of Rolling Stone, which sent eyebrows arching throughout the music industry, where several executives half-jokingly called it "child pornography".[22] Gillian G. Gaar reported, "The American Family Association charged that the pictures, which showed Spears in push-up bras and a minuscule pair of shorts with 'Baby' in rhinestones on the bottom, presented a 'disturbing mix of childhood innocence and adult sexuality' and asked that all 'God-loving Americans' boycott stores carrying her albums".[15] More controversy arose when Spears declared that she would "remain a virgin until marriage".[23] This pledge has been questioned due to her apparently sexual relationship with fellow pop singer Justin Timberlake.[24][25]
In late 1999, Spears appeared on the sitcom Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and performed the song "(You Drive Me) Crazy"; this cameo was a cross-promotion for the film Drive Me Crazy, which starred Sabrina's Melissa Joan Hart and was named after the song.[26] In December 1999, she won four Billboard Music Awards, including Female Artist of the Year. A month later, she received the Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist award at the American Music Awards.[27]
Following the success of her previous album, Spears released the album Oops!... I Did It Again in May 2000. It debuted at number one in the U.S. by selling 1,319,193 units during its first week of sales, breaking the SoundScan record for the highest album sales in its debut week by any solo artist.[28] The RIAA awarded the album with a diamond certification with over 10 million copies sold in the U.S.[29][30][31] Allmusic gave it awarded the album 4 out of 5 stars, saying that the album "has the same combination of sweetly sentimental ballads and endearingly gaudy dance-pop that made "...Baby One More Time."[32] Rolling Stone gave the album 3.5 stars out of 5 by noting the album as "fantastic pop cheese" and "Britney's demand for satisfaction is complex, fierce and downright scary."[33] The album's lead single "Oops!... I Did It Again" broke the record for most radio station additions in a single day, and quickly became a top ten hit in the U.S. and other countries.[34] The same year, Spears launched her first world tour, the "Oops!... I Did It Again World Tour". During the tour, she made a stop in New York for the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. As part of her performance, she ripped off a black suit to reveal a provocative nude-colored and crystal-adorned outfit that generated much controversy.[35] Spears earned two Billboard Music Awards for Oops!... I Did It Again.[36]
Cassandra Ventura (born August 26, 1986), known by her stage name Cassie, is an American model, hip hop dancer, actress, music video actress and occasional singer. Cassie is best known for her single "Me & U", which became a hit in 2006.[1] The singer's self-titled debut album, Cassie, was released on August 8, 2006. The album spawned two singles, "Me & U" and "Long Way 2 Go", and sold 321,000 copies in the US.
Following "rocky" live performances,[2] Sean "Diddy" Combs said that he would be working with Cassie to develop her music career. Cassie's second studio album, tentatively titled Electro Love, is scheduled to be released in 2009. The album's buzz single, "Official Girl", featured rapper Lil Wayne. The album's official first single, "Must Be Love", featuring Diddy, was sent to radio in April 2009 with a digital release on April 14, 2009.2006-2007: Cassie Cassie in 2007
After high school, she moved to New York City and continued modeling, as well attending classes at the Broadway Dance Center. Meanwhile, music producer Ryan Leslie spotted her at clubs and parties in late 2004 frequently. Shortly after a formal introduction to Ryan Leslie, Cassie became the focus of NextSelection. The two wrote a duet called "Kiss Me" and after recording the track, Next Selection made a management move to play the song for music executive Tommy Mottola. Leslie also co-wrote and produced Cassie's first single, "Me & U". Cassie was introduced to Sean "Diddy" Combs by a make-up artist from one of her modeling assignments which helped her to get a shot at a music career.
Before signing with Bad Boy, Cassie's first single, "Me & U", had already hit the airwaves and was a major hit in dance clubs. On its official release, "Me & U" proved to be a hit song.[4] It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the Billboard Pop 100. Her follow up single, "Long Way 2 Go" was far less successful, peaking at ninety-seven on the Billboard Hot 100. Cassie's debut album, Cassie, was released on August 8, 2006 and sold 321,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.[5] In contrast to her album sales, Cassie's hit single, "Me & U", sold over 1 million digital downloads.[6] To promote her album, Cassie performed on Total Request Live and 106 & Park: BET's Top 10 Live. Her performances were described as "rocky" and "less-than-stellar", but Diddy said that it was due to her inexperience.[2] He said that he would be "with her through her development", and that he has no "question on her ability [to sing]".[2] Cassie addressed the events on her MySpace page, saying that she is aware that her performances were "pretty bad", and that she was "still getting over stage fright".[2]
[edit] 2008-present: Electro Love
MTV News reported in June 2007 that contrary to rumors, Cassie had not been dropped from Bad Boy Records after only releasing two singles from her album, and would be working with producers Kanye West and Pharrell Williams on her second album.[7] Cassie's album has been confirmed to be released in early 2009 by Bad Boy Records,[8] with production work from Ryan Leslie, Swizz Beatz, CT, Bryan Michael Cox, Rodney Jerkins and Kanye West.[9] The album is tentatively titled Electro Love and has so far released one single, "Official Girl", which was released digitally featuring rapper Lil Wayne on August 5, 2008 and was released to radio on September 16, 2008.[10] Cassie has said that her new album will demonstrate more "independence"; there will be a "difference in vocals, a little bit more personality. And it's definitely a sensual album." She said that she was able "to work with different people and [learn] what their habits were and what works well with me."[11]
Cassie made an appearance in Jay-Z's music video for "Roc Boys (And the Winner Is...)" from his album American Gangster, and provided background vocals.[12] She also made a cameo appearance in Kanye West's music video for "Stronger" from his album Graduation. In October 2008, after it was confirmed that girl pop group Danity Kane had lost two of its five members, Aubrey O'Day and D. Woods, Cassie was rumored to become the new member of the group. This was denied, and Cassie has stated that she is still working on her sophomore album to be released in spring or summer of 2009.[13] Cassie recently announced through her Twitter page that she had been working on her comeback single titled "Must Be Love" (featuring Diddy) which will be sent to radio in April 2009 and available to download from April 14.[dated info][14] The singer also worked with Pharell Williams during the same recording sessions. At Chalice Studios she recorded two new songs "Electro Love" and "Pretty Face" although it is unknown whether these will appear on the album or not.
[edit] Other projects
[edit] Modeling career
Cassie began modeling at the age of nineteen, represented by Wilhelmina Models. Cassie appeared in print ads for Seventeen, Delia's, Adidas and Abercrombie & Fitch, and filmed a commercial for Clean and Clear. The singer was featured on the prime billboard space in Times Square for the Target Corporation. Cassie is also a spokesmodel for the Sean John women's collection, along with Lauren London, which Diddy said would be released in July 2007.[7] She is also signed to 1/One Management in New York City.
[edit] Acting career
In February 12, 2008, Cassie made her acting debut as Sophie Donovan in the sequel to the 2006 dance film Step Up, titled Step Up 2 the Streets. The film received mixed reviews but became a box office success, grossing in $144,045,198 worldwide. Cassie also recorded "Is It You" for the soundtrack, which included a music video and released as an official single that reached 56 the top 100 on the UK Singles chart.
[edit] Personal life
In October 2006, rumors began circulating of an intimate relationship and romance between Cassie and her boss and mentor Diddy. Shortly after, photos proving the romance leaked onto the internet.[15] Both Cassie and Diddy denied this.
In April 2009, Cassie revealed that she had shaved all the hair on the right side of her head. Cassie reasoned her actions by saying, "sometimes in life you need a change... Something that displays the 'I don't give a fuck' attitude that was always present, but never showcased".[16] While the haircut received positive attention from several artists—including Estelle, Keri Hilson, Questlove and Lauren London—rapper Fabolous felt that it was "a publicity stunt/internet buzz thing", and looked "like one of the haircuts from Edward Scissorhands." Many people speculated that she wanted a new edgier look, as it worked for other artists.[17]
